Who was the First Computer Programmer? Ada Lovelace and Her Legacy
Who was Ada Lovelace?
Ada Lovelace was born in 1815 in England to famous British poet Lord Byron. As a child, she displayed both an aptitude for maths and science, and an insatiable curiosity. When Lovelace was 12, she even designed a steam powered flying machine! Lovelace’s interest in innovation intensified as she entered Oxford University studying Maths and Astronomy – fields both heavily dominated by men in the 19th century. That wouldn’t stop how.
In the 1840s, Lovelace collaborated with inventor Charles Babbage to create the Analytical Engine – a machine that in many ways, can be considered to be one of the earliest computers. Pushing boundaries, Lovelace recognised the potential of this Analytical Engine, envisaging that the machine would be able to create music, art, poetry and more. In doing so, Lovelace wrote the world’s first computer program. How cool!
Ada Lovelace, History Heroes Illustration
What is Ada Lovelace Day?
Ada Lovelace was an extraordinary inventor and trailblazing technologist, working in the 19th century. You may have heard of Ada Lovelace, but did you know there’s a whole day dedicated to her legacy? It’s called Ada Lovelace Day, and happens on the second Tuesday of every October. In 2025, Ada Lovelace Day will be held on October 14th.
Not only is it an opportunity to recognise her achievements, it’s a day to mark the continued importance of creating space for women and girls in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
Founded by Suw Charman-Anderson in 2009, the official Ada Lovelace Day organisation says:
“Ada Lovelace Day (ALD) is an international celebration of the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). It aims to increase the profile of women in STEM and, in doing so, create new role models who will encourage more girls into STEM careers and support women already working in STEM.”
Learn More About Ada Lovelace
Did Ada Lovelace make the cut for the 40 greatest INVENTORS in history? Of course she did. Check out our best-selling INVENTORS game for Lovelace and 39 other incredibly bright sparks from history!
You can also find Ada Lovelace in the WOMEN pack – another popular card game from History Heroes.
If you haven’t checked out the STEM Gift Tin yet, what are you waiting for? You guessed it, Ada Lovelace features here too.
So… we’re looking forward to Happy Ada Lovelace Day when we have the opportunity to celebrate the incredible contributions to the world of computing made by this exceptional History Hero. Have you marked your calendars?