Shields was born in about 1882. He joined Shewan, Tomes & Co. and succeeded Robert Shewan as a partner of the firm.[1] He was also chairman of the Sandakan Light and Power Co.[2] and had been on the board of directors of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. He was elected chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce in 1938.[3]
He was an unofficial member of the Legislative Council from 1938 to 1941[4] as representative of the Chamber of Commerce[3] and was appointed to the Executive Council in April 1941.[5] During his time on the Legislative Council, taxation was hotly debated. Shields, representing the Chamber of Commerce's interest, opposed the government's Income Tax Bill for the raising of revenue for war.[6]
Shields was a keen sailor. He was the commodore of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club between 1927 and 1928, and was elected again in 1932,[7] serving until 1936.[1] He was also appointed honorary commander of the Hong Kong Naval Volunteer Force in January 1934.[8] He was a member of the Hong Kong Naval Volunteer Advisory Committee.[9]
Shields was also president of the St. Andrew's Society, a club for Scotsmen in Hong Kong, in 1932 and elected chief-captain in 1933.[10]
He held public offices including, among others, member of the Volunteer Advisory Committee[11] and Appeal Tribunal under the Compulsory Service Ordinance,[12] and acted as a member of the Authorized Architects Consulting Committee,[13] the Shipping Control Board,[14] and as the chairman of the Essential Commodities Board during the absence of Stanley Hudson Dodwell.[15]
During the Battle of Hong Kong, he was escorted through the Japanese lines from the Repulse Bay Hotel and gave Major-General Christopher Maltby an account of the Japanese forces and equipment. He tried to persuade Maltby to surrender but Maltby decided to fight on.[16] Hong Kong finally surrendered on 25 December 1941[17] which is now referred to as "Black Christmas".[18]
Shields became a prisoner of war and died at the Stanley Internment Camp on 24 July 1944 at the age of 62. His wife was repatriated with the Canadians.[19]
