The Museum Remembers: Tony and Margaret Sale

One vision, two people: Founding the nation's museum dedicated to Computing. Who were the couple who cared enough to preserve our technology heritage and tell its story?

By The National Museum of Computing

Tony Sale (2020-12-14) by The National Museum of ComputingThe National Museum of Computing

Who were Tony and Margaret Sale?

Affectionately known as Mr and Mrs Bletchley Park, Tony, a former security service technician and Margaret, a trained teacher, combined zeal and commitment to rescue a national treasure, turning it into a museum dedicated to Britain's pioneering past in computing/codebreaking.

Entrance Sign at The National Museum of Computing (2020) by The National Museum of ComputingThe National Museum of Computing

Founders of The National Museum of Computing (TNMOC)

Without them, Bletchley Park would have been bulldozed by developers, the stories of those who worked there in WWII lost. TNMOC, the world’s largest collection of working historical computers, which annually draws tens of thousands of visitors, would not exist.

The Museum Remembers: Tony and Margaret Sale (Commentary by Richard Sale) (2021) by The National Museum of ComputingThe National Museum of Computing

Remembering Tony and Margaret Sale: Richard Sale (2021) by The National Museum of ComputingThe National Museum of Computing

The Museum Remembers: Tony and Margaret Sale (Commentary by Doron Swade) (2021) by The National Museum of ComputingThe National Museum of Computing

Tony and Margaret Remembered: Doron Swade (2021) by The National Museum of ComputingThe National Museum of Computing

The Museum Remembers: Tony and Margaret Sale (Commentary by Ted Coles) (2021) by The National Museum of ComputingThe National Museum of Computing

Tony and Margaret Remembered: Ted Coles (2021) by The National Museum of ComputingThe National Museum of Computing

The Museum Remembers: Tony and Margaret Sale (Commentary by John Gallehawk) (2021) by The National Museum of ComputingThe National Museum of Computing

Tony and Margaret Remembered: John Gallehawk (2021) by The National Museum of ComputingThe National Museum of Computing

The Museum Remembers: Tony and Margaret Sale (Commentary by Phil Hayes) (2021) by The National Museum of ComputingThe National Museum of Computing

Tony and Margaret Remembered: Phil Hayes (2021) by The National Museum of ComputingThe National Museum of Computing

TNMOC Remembers Tony and Margaret Sale in Pictures (2021) by The National Museum of ComputingThe National Museum of Computing

Credits: All media

The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.

The National Museum of Computing

Stories from The National Museum of Computing

Online Exhibit