Pupils across Years 7 to 13 were treated to a captivating Humanities Stretch lecture led by guest speaker Mr. David Cripps, who brought along an extraordinary piece of history—an original 1941 Enigma machine.
Usually on display at the Bletchley Park Museum, this rare device became the centerpiece of an engaging journey through cryptology. Mr. Cripps shared the rich history of secret messaging, tracing code-breaking from the ancient Caesar Cipher and its flaws to Mary Queen of Scots’ encrypted letters, right up to the 1930s race to build “unbreakable” ciphers. Alongside the history, he entertained the audience with the fascinating—and often humorous—story of how he personally came to own such a rare historic treasure.
The highlight for many was seeing the technology in action. Powered by a modern battery for the demonstration, students watched firsthand as pressing a key caused the internal rotors to step into new positions, illustrating the complex mechanical encryption that defined World War II. A huge thank you to Mr. Cripps for bringing history to life so brilliantly!
Coming Up Next in the Humanities Stretch Series: Keep an eye out for our upcoming lectures this term, covering wide-ranging topics such as How Art Can Change Your Life and The Battle to Choose the Next Dalai Lama.