Shirley is a broad district and a former village on the western side of Southampton, in the ceremonial county of Hampshire, England.

The Lower Palaeolithic is represented at Shirley, a small number of Acheulian hand-axes and associated implements have been found.

[8][9] On the 28 November 1830 in the context of the Swing riots there was a non violent protest in Shirley and Millbrook by labourers demanding increased wages.

[17] The Shirley and Freemantle Urban District was short-lived; it was abolished less than a year later on 8 November 1895 when the area was incorporated into the county borough of Southampton.

Regular subjects for discussion included the state of the roads, especially surfacing by rolling gravel and the introduction of kerbstones; drainage and sewerage; street lighting; wells; slaughterhouses; and infectious diseases.

At another 1893 meeting, concern was expressed about Southampton's smallpox hospital ship, City of Adelaide, being anchored off Freemantle where children played on the beach.

[25] The building has a foundation stone laid by W.A.Killby esq, chairman of the Shirley and Freemantle Local Board, 12 June 1893.

It dealt with similar issues, for example the 27 November meeting included a report about "how Shirley and Freemantle are drained" but actually about problems with the system.

[33] It was to become preoccupied with the question of "Annexation" by Southampton which had recently been raised in some detail at a special meeting of the former Local Board on 28 November 1894.

The Hampshire Advertiser report of the first UDC meeting, held on 2 January 1895, ended with "The 'Annexation' Scheme: At a special meeting of the Board, held on Saturday, it was resolved that one or two counsel be retained to represent the district at the forthcoming inquiry relative to the extension of the Southampton Borough boundaries."

There was much concern about the impact of annexation on the rates, particularly given the incomplete state of mains water and drainage, but it was announced at 6 July meeting that these had been resolved.

[34][35] Subsequent UDC meetings were no less sceptical and the Hampshire advertiser reports continue to use the word "annexation" throughout.

A story grew up that St James' Park, Southampton, in Shirley was to have been a local railway station on this route, but plans deposited with Hampshire Record Office for this scheme show this not to have been the case, with the intended route of the railway passing to the North East.

[37] Although some land was purchased and work undertaken, the large depression in which St James Park sits was in fact caused by later gravel extraction.

Archival research by the Shirley Local History Group, notably among the records of a local landowner, revealed that a later revival of this scheme, the Southampton and Winchester Great Western Junction Railway, did intend to use the park as the original route at this location had by then been developed.

Plans and sections dated 1901 show the intended route of the railway as passing through the park from East to West.

South of St James's Park at this time Didcot, Newbury and Station (now Stratton) Roads were named.

[45] Hollybrook Cemetery is notable for being the resting place of several famous individuals, including the 1966 World Cup winning footballer Alan Ball (1945–2007), the comedian Benny Hill (1924–1992)[citation needed] and the RMS Titanic lookout Frederick Fleet.