Peter Marychurch
Encyclopedia
Sir Peter Marychurch KCMG (born 13 June 1927) is a former Director of the British signals intelligence agency, GCHQ, a post he held from 1983 to 1989.
intelligence officer, in the 1960s, Marychurch, then a young GCHQ cryptanalyst, applied computerised cluster analysis to the problem of traffic analysis
of espionage traffic. Marychurch lends his name to the "Sir Peter Marychurch award", an honour given annually for work in international cryptology. He spent several years working at the Government Communications Security Bureau
, New Zealand
's SIGINT
agency. He became Director in 1983 and at the request of the Government continued in that role until 1989.
He has also served as the chairman of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music
from 1994 to 2000.
Career
According to the memoirs of a former MI5MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
intelligence officer, in the 1960s, Marychurch, then a young GCHQ cryptanalyst, applied computerised cluster analysis to the problem of traffic analysis
Traffic analysis
Traffic analysis is the process of intercepting and examining messages in order to deduce information from patterns in communication. It can be performed even when the messages are encrypted and cannot be decrypted. In general, the greater the number of messages observed, or even intercepted and...
of espionage traffic. Marychurch lends his name to the "Sir Peter Marychurch award", an honour given annually for work in international cryptology. He spent several years working at the Government Communications Security Bureau
Government Communications Security Bureau
The Government Communications Security Bureau is an intelligence agency of the New Zealand government.The mission statement is given as:To contribute to the national security of New Zealand through:...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's SIGINT
SIGINT
Signals intelligence is intelligence-gathering by interception of signals, whether between people , whether involving electronic signals not directly used in communication , or combinations of the two...
agency. He became Director in 1983 and at the request of the Government continued in that role until 1989.
He has also served as the chairman of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music
Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music
ABRSM is an internationally recognised educational body and charity that provides examinations in music The organisation, based in London, UK, runs exams in centres all over the world...
from 1994 to 2000.