“As one of the early prominent female industry luminaries, Dame Stephanie was a role model for aspiring female engineers, entrepreneurs and business leaders. Her social and charitable agenda made her beacon of leadership for her generation,” according to the The Worshipful Company of Information Technologists.
Born in Germany, Shirley left on a Kindertransport train in 1939 and was brought up by foster parents in England.
In the 1950s, she made and programmed early computers at the Post Office’s Dollis Hill research station – then the technological hot bed which had created Bletchley Park’s Colossus code breaking machines – followed by a move to computer pioneer CDL.
In 1960, Shirley founded Freelance Programmers, employing women almost exclusively until that became illegal.
“By the year 2000, the company that had begun as Freelance Programmers was valued at almost $3 billion, and due to Dame Stephanie’s co-ownership structure, had made millionaires of over 70 of its staff,” according to her website. “Motivated to share the rewards of her success with a society that had extended such generosity to her as a child, Dame Stephanie decided to give away her wealth.”
With tens of millions of pounds of here own money, she founded charities including autism research and campaigning charity Autistica, and two schools: Autism at Kingwood – where he son Giles was the first resident and Prior’s Court. Shirley was also a founding donor of the Oxford Internet Institute and The Worshipful Company of Information Technologists mentioned above.
Her honours included OBE and DBE, and she was a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and a Companion of Honour.
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