According to his executor, E. E. Thomas (1918-1996) Shields studied composition at the Royal College of Music, with John Ireland and Charles Wood. At RCM he won the Foley Prize for composition tying with Michael Tippett. He then gained three doctorates: in English, Divinity and Music (the latter from the University of Oxford, probably Jesus College, in 1935). A year later he was appointed Chaplain of King’s College, London. Between 1937 and 1941 he held the position of an organist and lecturer in music at King’s. In 1943 he became Rector of St John the Baptist (Anglican) Church, Lound, Suffolk. Shields gave many organ recitals and taught piano as well as organ. One of his outstanding pupils was Dorothy Wright. Shields also lectured widely on religious topics, English literature, musical history and theory and on gardening. Later, he converted to Catholicism and continued his ministry as Father Alban Linton Shields. He died on 28 September 1986 in Eastbourne where he is buried at a Catholic cemetery.