Allan Bromley (died 2002) was an Australian historian of computing.

Allan Bromley was an associate professor at the University of Sydney. His main academic interest was the history of computing. The University of Sydney, established in Sydney in 1850, is the oldest university in Australia. ... The history of computing is longer than the history of computing hardware and modern computing technology and includes the history of methods intended for pen and paper or for chalk and slate, with or without the aid of tables. ...

Probably Bromley's most important and lasting achievement was his study of the original drawings for the Difference Engine, designed by Charles Babbage in the 19th century, at the Science Museum library in London during the 1980s. This led to the reconstruction of the Difference Engine No. 2, on display in the galleries of the Science Museum. A whole issue of the IEEE Annals of the History of Computing was dedicated to Allan Bromley as a result in 2000. A difference engine is a historical, mechanical special-purpose computer designed to tabulate polynomial functions. ... Charles Babbage Charles Babbage (26 December 1791 – 18 October 1871) was an English mathematician, analytical philosopher, mechanical engineer and (proto-) computer scientist who originated the idea of a programmable computer. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Science Museum The Science Museum on Exhibition Road, Kensington, London, is part of the National Museum of Science and Industry. ... For other uses, see London (disambiguation) and Defining London (below). ... The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Bromley had a large personal collection of mechanical calculators, slide rules, etc. He was a generous donor of artefacts to museums in Australia, especially the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney. A mechanical calculator is a device that does computations without the aid of electricity. ... The slide rule (often nicknamed a slipstick) is a mechanical analog computer, consisting of calibrated strips, usually a fixed outer pair and a movable inner one, with a sliding window called the cursor. ... The Powerhouse Museum is Sydneys museum of science and technology. ... This article is about the metropolitan area in Australia. ...

He died of Hodgkin's disease in 2002. For the Cusco album, see 2002 (album). ...

External links

• Graeme Philipson, Allan Bromley: historian, eccentric, gem, 27 August 2002.
• Michael R. Williams, Allan Bromley, IEEE Annals of the History of Computing, 22(4):3, October–December 2000.
• IEEE Annals of the History of Computing, 22(4), October–December 2000.