The name ANTELOPE stands for “A Nor (Transistorised Element) Logic Operations Patchboard Experiment.” It was originally designed by Mr. R. L. Lindsay, a mathematics master at Reading School, in the early part of 1965, to demonstrate how a complicated computer can be built up from a number of simple circuits. Mr. Lindsay left Reading School before it was fully operational for logic experiments, although it had been used for binary arithmetic.

After a series of lessons on Symbolic Logic by Mr. J. Periton as part of the second year sixth form English course, two sixth formers developed a method of representing logical arguments by electronic circuits.