Starting in 1952, mathematician Charles Coulson sought funding for Oxford to own its own computer. At this time university members had to hire computer time from elsewhere. In 1956 the University Grants Committee decided to fund the purchase of a Ferranti Mercury and the "Oxford University Computing Laboratory" was born (shortened "OUCL" or "Comlab"). As well as facilitating research elsewhere in the university, the new department had its own academic function, performing research in numerical analysis, and lecturing for mathematics and engineering students. The first director, Leslie Fox, was appointed in 1957 and the following year the department moved into its first home, 9 South Parks Road. The Computing Services (From 2012 part of "IT Services") was administratively split from the academic department in 1969, although complete independence was only gained in 1978.