20150307_121612

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   April 15, 2015

   Ronald Sawchuk

   Heather- as you know, I grew up in Toronto in the 1940’s and ‘50’s. William Tutte was a major force in deciphering the Lorenz cipher at Bletchley Park. This was as important as Enigma, but not as well known. You may have learned of Tutte during your visit there. After the war, he accepted a position (in 1948) at the University of Toronto in the field of mathematics. At that time my family lived in a rented house on a short, dead-end street in the shadows of the University of Toronto. Your Grandpa Sonny knows that house very well. The white-washed brick building at the east end of this street (Classic Avenue) was an old 2-storey carriage house that for a period was the domicile of the Great Lakes Canadian Youth Hostel (CYH). Many years later, when we had moved from Classic Avenue, I learned from an acquaintance that William Tutte, the code-breaker, had lived in that carriage house while I was there (late 1940’s and early 50’s), and indeed may have managed the CYH while he was on faculty at the U of Toronto. By then, Classic Avenue had been completely obliterated to make room for new construction at the University. My old house and the Canadian Youth Hostel had been demolished, so I had no recourse to go back and confirm that Dr. Tutte had indeed been a neighbo(u)r. If you learned anything about William Tutte while at Bletchley, I’d be interested to hear! Cheers, Ron

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