A Bitter Equation
Heartbreak sparks a world-changing idea in Irish mathematician Dora, but she must face threats to her success, her health and even her life. Fictionalised biography of Dora Metcalf (1892-1982), a visionary entrepreneur.
When Dora’s fiancé, Lt Hugh Cass, is killed at Gallipoli in 1915, she commits to honouring his sacrifice. She overcomes heartbreak and becomes the breadwinner for her impoverished mother and deaf sister, Hilary. Her mathematical mind sees the world-changing potential of machine calculation, but terrifying Zeppelin raids over London force a move to Ireland. An unexpected sales role develops her business skills and tests the possibility of a new industry, supplying management information to commerce and government. The War of Independence threatens Dora’s life and sabotages her success. She retreats to London where she builds her reputation in government circles but feels constrained in her role.
In 1924, Dora returns to Ireland to found the Calculating and Statistical Service (CASS), in partnership with her cousin, Everard Greene, of British Tabulating Machines (BTM), and Sam Haughton, a local businessman. Initial success, winning the Northern Irish census contract, falters due to entrenched business attitudes, misogyny and a weak economy. Dora develops an abdominal illness and her mother dies. The Irish Hospitals Trust sweepstake offers a high risk, high reward lifeline for her struggling business. Romance with naval officer, John Metcalf, threatens her future if she leaves work on marriage, as society expects.
Dora founds a Service Bureaux division at BTM in London to exploit the larger British market for services but is not made divisional director. She receives sisterly support from the Women’s Provisional Club and continues working after marrying John.
The Second World War brings Dora’s greatest challenge: she must manage BTM’s top-secret contract to supply Bletchley Park cryptanalysts with 200 ‘bombe’ machines, to help crack the daily-renewed Enigma codes. She’s also running CASS in Ireland, John is in danger in the Battle of the Atlantic, the Blitz destroys Dora’s home and office, and her illness flares up. She eventually collapses and suffers a humiliating demotion. Hilary dies, John is wounded, and Dora reaches her lowest ebb.
Post-war, trips to Norway and Scotland ignite Dora’s determination to salvage her reputation. She wins pioneering contracts for BTM in Ireland but is not credited. Tired of being overlooked, Dora leaves BTM to create a programming business staffed by women. But men are flooding into the computing world, exploiting opportunities that she created. Dora exits with a final rebuff to BTM.
Dora feels that she has fulfilled her side of a bitter equation – to balance the scale of Hugh’s loss with an equal level of achievement – even though this has never been acknowledged. She and John retire to a remote house in the Scottish Highlands, that had been used as a training centre by the Special Operations Executive in the Second World War. A mysterious sighting on the loch brings peace at last.
A Bitter Equation 