Martin Richards created BCPL at the University of Cambridge in 1967.
BCPL stands for Basic Combined Programming Language. Richards designed it as a systems programming language that could be implemented relatively easily on different computer architectures. Its compact compiler and straightforward model helped it travel between machines.
BCPL influenced later languages, especially B and C. Ken Thompson derived B from BCPL, and Dennis Ritchie later developed C from B. This places BCPL in an important historical line leading to languages used throughout modern operating systems.
BCPL is sometimes confused with B because their names and histories are closely connected. They are distinct languages: BCPL came first, B was a simplified successor, and C developed afterward with a richer type system and other features.