Blue plaque for Johnian codebreaker

A WWII codebreaker and former Master of St John's College has been honoured with a Blue Heritage Plaque on his childhood home in Walsall.

Sir Francis "Harry" Hinsley, Bletchley Park codebreaker, historian and former St John’s Master, has been formally recognised by English Heritage with a prestigious Blue Plaque on his childhood home in Walsall, near Birmingham.

The son of a miner, Hinsley won a scholarship to study at St John’s College in 1937. While still a student, he was recruited to join Bletchley Park’s codebreaking team in 1939, just at the start of the Second World War.

At Bletchley, Hinsley initiated a programme of seizing German Enigma machines and keys from German weather ships, in order to analyse and crack the codes used to transmit Nazi military intelligence. Hinsley’s work has been credited for turning the tide of the war, shortening the conflict and saving millions of lives.

After the war, Hinsley returned to St John’s as a Fellow in History, becoming Master of the College in 1979 and later Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. He passed away in 1998, aged 79.

The commemorative plaque, a tribute to Hinsley’s wartime achievements, was revealed on Saturday in a ceremony held by the Mayor of Walsall, and watched by four generations of Hinsley’s relatives, who travelled from all around the country to see the plaque unveiled.

The plaque was made possible by a grassroots campaign called “Honour Hero Hinsley”, launched by the current owner of Hinsley’s family home, Anna King. St John’s College was one of the donors to the campaign, which helped raise money for the plaque to be installed.

Speaking to the Walsall Advertiser, Sir Hinsley’s daughter, Clarissa Lloyd, said:

“This is very special because my father was born and bred here in Walsall. We are very proud to be here today and we have got four generations here. It’s brilliant because this is my father’s first blue plaque. I’m delighted to see so many neighbours and local people come out in support. This will be a lasting tribute for many generations to come and see.”