This book considers how the Centre was conceived in the confusing and
difficult political period of the 1960s in Europe. It summarises the political,
scientific, technical and financial discussions that led to the drafting of its
Convention, and how it came to be built 60 km west of London, England.
It tries to convey to the reader how it was that with friendly help the Centre
‘hit the ground running’. The Centre’s early and formative years are
reviewed in Chapters 1 to 7. The development of its science and technology
over the following thirty years is reviewed in Chapters 8 to 17. Chapters
18 to 20 deal with commercial issues, staff and the outlook. I hope this book
will convey a sense of what it was like to be a participant during the exciting
time at the beginning, and over the years as the Centre matured.