Computer giant welcomes Duke to Cosham IBM building in 1976
Champagne corks popped when IBM ‘baptised’ its new British headquarters building in Portsmouth and presented it for Royal inspection.
As the Duke of Edinburgh dropped into the city by helicopter to open the opulent £17.2m administrative centre – built on reclaimed land at North Harbour, Cosham – it was the start of an effervescent day in the history of one of the world’s largest multi-national companies.
About 150 IBM staff, representing all levels of the company and all locations in Britain, attended the royal lunch to hear the Duke declare the magnificent three-storey office block to be open – which is now known as Lakeside 1000 and 2000.
The Duke later dined at the Royal Marine Barracks, Eastney.