Edwin Shirley (16 October 1948 – 16 April 2013), was a rock and roll tour organiser, film studio manager, and impresario. He co-founded Edwin Shirley Trucking (later abbreviated to EST) in 1974, which became one of the largest music transport companies in Europe. He went on to convert old bonded warehouses in the east end of London into the successful film and television recording studio, Three Mills Island Studios. In his later life he returned to the transport business, particularly for theatre companies and other parts of the entertainment industry.

Early life

Edwin Antoine Shirley was born in Cranbrook, Kent on 16 October 1948 to Herbert Shirley and Marie Gates. He was educated at Cranbrook School, and then

St Catharine's College, Cambridge St Catharine's College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. Founded in 1473 as Katharine Hall, it adopted its current name in 1860. The college is nicknamed "Catz". The colle ...

, where he took a BA in Modern Languages (specialising in French and German). He was involved in numerous undergraduate stage productions as an actor and director. He also acted in a number of plays with the

National Youth Theatre The National Youth Theatre of Great Britain (NYT) is a youth theatre and charity in London, created with the aim of developing young people's artistic skills via theatrical productions and other creative endeavours. Founded in 1956 as the world ...

Edwin Shirley Trucking

Shirley's language skills and knowledge of theatre lighting and sound led him into jobs on tour with

the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

and other prominent bands of the 1970s. After working on numerous Rock and Roll tours, he established Edwin Shirley Trucking with Roy Lamb. The company was run from his family farm in Kent, and later expanded into premises in East London. Edwin Shirley Trucking became indelibly associated with live music tours. In an obituary on Planet Rock Radio, Bernard Doherty referred to the apocryphal notion that "You haven't really made it until Edwin Shirley is moving your gear around".

Brian May Sir Brian Harold May (born 19 July 1947) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer, animal welfare activist and astrophysics, astrophysicist. He achieved global fame as the lead guitarist and backing vocalist of the rock band Queen ...

of Queen, noted Shirley's importance to their touring operation: "Edwin was at the head of Queen's vehicle convoy for so many years I can't begin to remember how many... He was a great pal of Gerry Stickells, our illustrious Tour Manager and the two of them wrote the book on how to party on tour."

Edwin Shirley Staging

Having built a successful trucking company, Shirley started a new company Edwin Shirley Staging which built stages for a number of large concerts including Live Aid in 1985. Shirley left both companies in the 1990s.

Three Mills Island Studios

While looking for rehearsal space in East London, Shirley viewed Three Mills Island, and realised the potential to develop a film studio there. After meeting with

Peter Bazalgette Sir Peter Lytton Bazalgette (; born 22 May 1953) is a British television executive and producer, also active in the fields of the Arts and broader creative industries. Personal life A great-great-grandson of Victorian civil engineer Sir Josep ...

, Shirley secured the site as the location for the first '' Big Brother'' reality TV programme, which went on to become a major domestic television series. The studio proved a success, but a dispute with the landlord led to the site being taken over by another company. As of 2013, the studio is still operating.

Death

Having suffered from

bowel cancer Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include blood in the stool, a change in bowel ...

since 2009, Shirley had undergone effective surgery and carried on working for four years. On 14 April 2013 Shirley was hospitalised due to a massive bleed, and after two days in Homerton Hospital, Hackney, died on 16 April 2013.

References

External links

www.edwinshirley.com
Company website

Three Mills Studios
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shirley, Edwin 1948 births 2013 deaths Alumni of St Catharine's College, Cambridge British music industry executives British impresarios People educated at Cranbrook School, Kent National Youth Theatre members