When Shirley took over the Headmastership of the King's School, Canterbury, in 1935, bankruptcy was close: the school had debts of £40,000 - £60,000 and was making an annual loss of £6,000.
In 1935, when Shirley assumed leadership of King's School, Canterbury, the school faced financial challenges: it had debts totaling between £40,000 and £60,000 and was experiencing an annual deficit of £6,000.