Steve Shirley
German-born British IT pioneer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.
Dame Vera Stephanie Shirley (born Vera Buchthal, later Brook; 16 September 1933 – 9 August 2025) was a German-born British information technology pioneer, businesswoman, and philanthropist. She founded the software company Freelance Programmers in 1959 with just £6, aiming to provide work for women with dependents, and later became a major philanthropist focused on autism research.
Shirley arrived in Britain as a five-year-old Kindertransport refugee in July 1939, alongside her sister Renate. Her father, a Jewish judge in Dortmund, had lost his position under the Nazis; her mother was non-Jewish and Viennese. Her paternal grandmother, Rosa Buchthal, was a politician and women's rights activist. Fostered in Sutton Coldfield, Shirley later reunited with her biological parents but said she never truly bonded with them. She credited her early childhood trauma with driving her adaptability in life and work.
After a convent school, she attended Oswestry Girls' High School, where mathematics was not offered. Following an assessment, she was allowed to take those lessons at the local boys' school. She later described her time in Oswestry as "five wonderful years of peace" after the war and Kindertransport. Leaving school, she chose not to attend university—botany being the only science then open to her gender—and instead sought work in a technical or mathematical field. At 18, she became a British citizen and changed her name to Stephanie Brook.
In the 1950s, she worked at the Post Office Research Station at Dollis Hill, building computers from scratch and writing machine-language code. She spent six years taking evening classes to earn a mathematics degree. In 1959, she moved to CDL Ltd, which designed the ICT 1301 computer. That same year, she married physicist Derek Shirley.
Experiencing sexism at work—including being fondled and pushed against walls—Shirley founded Freelance Programmers with £6 to create opportunities for women with dependents. She predominantly hired women; only three of the first 300 staff were men, until the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 made that practice illegal. Employees worked part-time and from home to balance family responsibilities, and Shirley saw the company as both a social venture and a business. She adopted the name "Steve" because letters signed with her real name went unanswered. Her team programmed Concorde's black box fligh
- born
- 16 September 1933
- died
- 9 August 2025
- field
- Information technology, business, philanthropy
- nationality
- German-born British
- known_for
- Founding Freelance Programmers, pioneering remote work for women, philanthropy in autism research
Lore & Background
Shirley was born Vera Buchthal in Dortmund to a Jewish father who lost his post to the Nazi regime and a non-Jewish Viennese mother. In July 1939, at age five, she and her sister travelled to Britain as Kindertransport child refugees. She was fostered in Sutton Coldfield, later re-united with her biological parents, but said she 'never really bonded with them'. She attributed her early childhood trauma as the driving force behind her ability to keep up with changes in her life and career. After attending a convent school, she moved to Oswestry where she attended Oswestry Girls' High School; mathematics was not taught there, so she received permission to take lessons at the local boys school. She later recalled that 'in Oswestry I had five wonderful years of peace'.
After leaving school, she decided not to go to university (botany was the 'only science then available to my gender') and sought employment in a mathematics/technical environment. At age 18, she became a British citizen and changed her name to Stephanie Brook. In the 1950s, she worked at the Post Office Research Station at Dollis Hill, building computers from scratch and writing code in machine language. She took evening classes for six years to obtain an honours degree in mathematics. In 1959, she moved to CDL Ltd, designers of the ICT 1301 computer. After her marriage to physicist Derek Shirley in 1959, she founded Freelance Programmers. Having experienced sexism in her workplace, she wanted to create job opportunities for women with dependents, and predominantly employed women, with only three male programmers in the first 300 staff, until the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 made that practice illegal. She adopted the name 'Steve' to help in the male-dominated business world, as company letters signed using her real name were not responded to. Her team's projects included programming Concorde's black box flight recorder.
Shirley retired in 1993 at age 60 and focused on philanthropy. The Shirley Foundation, set up in 1986, supported projects in autism spectrum disorders, including Prior's Court residential school and Autism99, the first online autism conference. Her autistic son Giles died following an epileptic seizure at age 35. She served as the UK's Ambassador for Philanthropy from May 2009 to May 2010. In 2012, she donated her art collection to Prior's Court School and Paintings in Hospitals. By 2013, she had given away more than £67 million of her personal wealth. She died aged 91 in a nursing home in Reading, England, on 9 August 2025.
Reader's Guide
Steve Shirley's significance lies in her pioneering role in the British software industry and her innovative approach to employment. By founding Freelance Programmers in 1959 with a capital of £6, she created a company that not only delivered technical projects—such as programming Concorde's black box flight recorder—but also offered part-time, home-based work for women with dependents, a radical model at the time. Her use of the name 'Steve' to overcome gender bias in business correspondence highlights the barriers she faced. Her legacy extends to philanthropy: the Shirley Foundation, established in 1986, focused on autism research and support, driven by her personal experience with her autistic son. She donated most of her wealth to charity, including funding the UK Philanthropy Archive. Her honours—OBE, DBE, and Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour—reflect her contributions to IT and philanthropy. She was the first female President of the British Computer Society and received numerous honorary doctorates. Her story, from Kindertransport refugee to Dame, illustrates resilience and social entrepreneurship.
Did You Know?
- She adopted the name 'Steve' because company letters signed with her real name were not responded to.
- Her team programmed Concorde's black box flight recorder.
- She gave away more than £67 million of her personal wealth by 2013.
- She was one of the BBC's 100 women of 2013.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Steve Shirley?
Steve Shirley was a German-born British information technology pioneer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. She is best known for founding the software company Freelance Programmers in 1959 and later dedicating her wealth to autism research.
What is Steve Shirley's most notable achievement?
She started Freelance Programmers in 1959 with a mere £6, specifically to create employment opportunities for women with dependents. This venture became a landmark in pioneering remote and flexible work arrangements for women in the tech industry.
What is Steve Shirley's early background?
She arrived in Britain in July 1939 as a five-year-old Kindertransport refugee, traveling alongside her sister Renate. Her father, a Jewish judge in Dortmund, had lost his position under the Nazi regime, prompting the family's escape.
Why is Steve Shirley considered important?
She broke barriers by building a major software business centered on giving women with caregiving responsibilities access to professional work. Beyond business, she became a prominent philanthropist whose funding significantly advanced autism research.
What are Steve Shirley's key dates and nationality?
She was born on 16 September 1933 and passed away on 9 August 2025. Her nationality is described as German-born British, reflecting her childhood in Dortmund before her family fled to Britain.
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