The widows of two key pioneers of the world’s first business computer were presented with framed photographs this week to commemorate their husbands' achievements.

David Caminer, from East Sheen, wrote the first computer programmes for Lyons Electronic Office (LEO), which he joined in 1936.

Lyons was one of Britain’s largest companies in the 1940s and 50s, employing a huge number of staff, and as a result, decided management processes needed to be automated.

Mr Caminer, who died in 2008 aged 92, was in charge of programming for LEO 1 and his pioneering approach to systems design has been used on modern technology since.

His lifelong friend Dr John Pinkerton was recruited by the company in 1948 as chief engineer and was responsible for building a computer to carry out the automation Lyons desired.

Dr Pinkerton, who died in 1997, and his team built LEO 1, recognised as the first business computer by the Guinness World Records, and it was used at Lyons in 1951.

The men’s wives, Jackie Caminer, 92, of Park Gate Gardens, and Helen Pinkerton, 91, from Esher, were visited by Peter Byford, chairman of the LEO Computers Society, on Monday, November 3, to be presented with framed photographs of their husbands at work.

Mrs Caminer’s daughter, Hilary, said the picture of her father showed him with the book he wrote about LEO.

Ms Caminer said: "Computers and their development were an enormous part of my mother's life when I was growing up in the 1950s - the pioneers worked ferociously long hours - and I think that their success was at least partly due to the huge support they had from their wives.

"My mother had her own career as a teacher- and Helen as a senior civil servant - but they were very proud of the achievements of their husbands.

"It was lovely for me to see this part of their lives acknowledged and celebrated."

Ms Caminer said her mother was grateful for the presentation and that people were thankful her husband’s work.

Last month, the Queen and Prince Philip opened a new communications gallery, Information Age, at the Science Museum, in which LEO is featured.