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On This Day - 16th June

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Clive Sinclair receives a knighthood
1983

Clive Sinclair receives a knighthood

Clive Sinclair is awarded a knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours List, becoming Sir Clive Sinclair. The honour recognised his contribution to British industry and his pioneering work in electronics and personal computing.

By 1983 Sinclair had become one of Britain's best-known technology entrepreneurs. His companies had developed a succession of innovative and affordable products, including pocket calculators, the ZX80 and ZX81 computers and, most recently, the ZX Spectrum. Sinclair Research had sold more than one million computers worldwide, making Sinclair one of the leading figures in Britain's rapidly expanding home-computer industry.

The award came at a particularly significant point in Sinclair's career. The ZX Spectrum had been launched in April 1982 and was becoming one of Britain's most successful home computers, while Sinclair was also pursuing ambitious projects in areas including flat-screen television and electric vehicles.

Sinclair reportedly found the award a complete surprise. His knighthood made him one of the most prominent figures associated with Britain's early personal-computer revolution and reflected the growing recognition of the importance of the emerging microcomputer industry.
Source: Popular Computing Weekly, Vol. 2 No. 24, 16–22 June 1983, contemporary report headed “Arise, Sir Micro-chip!” The Centre for Computing History catalogues the article as “Clive Sinclair is awarded a knighthood” and dates it 16 June 1983. — 16 June 1983
Clive Sinclair was awarded a knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours in June 1983. Contemporary reports highlighted his contribution to British industry, electronics and computing, noting that Sinclair's companies had sold more than one million computers worldwide.
Clive Sinclair Sinclair Research Knighthood Queen Elizabeth II British Computing ZX Spectrum

Also in this month

Other historical information recorded for June.

1977

Science of Cambridge incorporated

In June 1977, Science of Cambridge was incorporated by Clive Sinclair and Chris Curry. The company was established following the financial difficulties that had affected Sinclair Radionics and became the beginning of a new phase in Sinclair's electronics business. Despite its name, the company was not primarily a scientific research organisation; it developed and marketed innovative consumer electronics products.

Science of Cambridge is particularly important in the history of British home computing because it produced the MK14, a low-cost single-board computer based around the National Semiconductor SC/MP processor. Introduced in 1978, the MK14 was sold as a kit and helped demonstrate the growing demand for inexpensive personal computers. Chris Curry subsequently became increasingly involved in the computer side of the business, eventually leaving to establish Acorn Computers with Hermann Hauser.

Science of Cambridge later changed its name to Sinclair Computers and subsequently became Sinclair Research. The company's development therefore provides a direct link between Clive Sinclair's earlier electronics business and the computers that followed, including the ZX80, ZX81 and ultimately the ZX Spectrum.
Source: Companies House / Sinclair historical records
Science of Cambridge was incorporated in 1977 and became the company responsible for the MK14 before evolving into Sinclair Computers and later Sinclair Research.
Science of Cambridge Clive Sinclair Chris Curry Sinclair MK14 SC/MP Sinclair Computers Sinclair Research ZX80 ZX81 ZX Spectrum British computing
1978

Science of Cambridge launches the MK14

**Science of Cambridge launches the MK14**

Science of Cambridge's MK14 was the company's first microcomputer and an important early step towards the Sinclair ZX80, ZX81 and ZX Spectrum. The project originated with Ian Williamson, who had developed a small computer based around National Semiconductor's SC/MP microprocessor and components from a Sinclair calculator. Chris Curry recognised its potential and persuaded Science of Cambridge to develop it as a commercial kit. The resulting MK14, or Microcomputer Kit 14, was aimed primarily at electronics enthusiasts and computer hobbyists.

Launched in 1978 for around £40, the MK14 provided a surprisingly capable introduction to microcomputing at a very low price. The basic kit included a National Semiconductor SC/MP processor, 256 bytes of RAM, a 512-byte monitor program and an eight-digit, seven-segment LED display operated through a 20-key hexadecimal keyboard. Optional expansion boards provided additional RAM, I/O and interfaces, including the possibility of connecting the computer to a television display and cassette recorder. The MK14 went on to sell tens of thousands of units and helped establish the market that Science of Cambridge would soon exploit with the ZX80.
Source: Electronics Today International — 30 September 1978
Contemporary review states that the MK14 had been launched earlier in 1978. Exact launch day not established.
MK14 Microcomputer Kit 14 Science of Cambridge Sinclair Clive Sinclair Chris Curry Ian Williamson SC/MP INS8060
Page Revised: 02/09/2026

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