The Remarkable Journey of Dame Stephanie “Steve” Shirley

A Trailblazer in Technology

Dame Stephanie ‘Steve’ Shirley (16 September 1933 – 9 August 2025) lived a life of overcoming adversity and challenging gender norms, becoming a groundbreaking entrepreneur within the traditionally male-focused realm of computing.

Her inventive all-female software company introduced flexible working decades ahead of the trend towards remote working. Since the 1990s, her involvement in autism advocacy and digital innovation through her Foundation has had significant influence.

A Journey from Germany to Britain

Born as Vera Stephanie Buchthal in Dortmund, Germany, her early life was shaped by the challenges her family faced under the Nazi regime. When her father, a judge, lost his position, Shirley and her sister made their way to Britain via Kindertransport in 1939, just as World War II ignited.

As a foster child in Sutton Coldfield, she later recalled, “In Oswestry I had five wonderful years of peace,” a stark contrast to her earlier trauma. Despite her school lacking proper mathematics instruction, she developed a love for the subject, excelling through evening classes at a local boys’ grammar school.

Stepping into the Tech World

At the age of 18, Shirley launched her career at the Post Office Research Station in Dollis Hill, where her work involved constructing computers and coding in machine language. Among her contributions was helping design the ERNIE, the electronic random number indicator equipment.

This innovative machine was integral to the Premium Bond scheme introduced in 1956, allowing the public to win life-changing sums of money through tax-free monthly draws. For many, ERNIE represented their first exposure to an ‘electronic brain’.

As the sole woman on the project, Shirley ensured the machine’s randomness, collaborating with British engineering icons who had worked on the Colossus computer during WWII, renowned for its code-breaking capabilities.

Defying Gender Stereotypes in Business

While she succeeded at the Post Office, Shirley faced gender discrimination, finding herself overlooked for promotions and subjected to harassment. In 1962, armed with merely £6, she founded Freelance Programmers, which later evolved into Xansa plc. This enterprise aimed to provide women with job opportunities in a field where their presence was scarce.

In the face of pervasive sexism, including being disregarded until signing her letters as “Steve Shirley,” she spearheaded a home-based software workforce predominantly composed of women managing childcare responsibilities, advertising job openings in libraries and GP clinics.

At a time when women couldn’t even open bank accounts without male consent, this approach represented a revolutionary shift. Of her first 300 employees, only three were male until the enactment of the 1975 Sex Discrimination Act mandated gender equality.

Success and Philanthropy

Freelance Programmers thrived by winning prestigious contracts, such as those for the black box recorder of the Concorde and NATO’s software agreements. It eventually went public, leading to many employees, around 70, becoming millionaires, and positioning the company’s valuation in multi-billion dollars.

Retiring in 1993 at age 60, Shirley became the honorary life president of her company. In 1996, she established The Shirley Foundation, concentrating on initiatives related to autism and technology. Her philanthropic contributions exceed £67 million, particularly benefiting autism-related projects like Autism at Kingwood. She advocated for disability services and medical research, inspired by her experience raising her son, Giles, who had severe autism.

A Lasting Impact

Shirley’s contributions to technology and advocacy for women’s rights reshaped the landscape of IT and redefined possibilities for female programmers through flexible working environments. Motivated by her mantra “a life worth saving,” she dedicated her life to creating a legacy that would continue to support and inspire future generations.

Reflection on a Legacy

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