Edwin Shirley
Edwin Shirley, was a British rock concert tour organiser, film studio manager, and impresario. He co-founded Edwin Shirley Trucking 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, where he took a BA in Modern Languages. 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.Edwin Shirley Trucking
Shirley's language skills and knowledge of theatre lighting and sound led him into jobs on tour with the Rolling Stones 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 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."