Cambridge District Scout Archive
Obituary by W T Thurbon
Irene Golden Long
Born 21/6/1892 died 17/10/1979. She lived all her life at 10 Gwydir Street and is listed as Master Dressmaker in the 1939 Census. She was also listed as First Aid (in training or training in) for the civil war service.
Variously known as Rene, Miss Akela, Longy or Longey she was absolutely associated with the 42nd. During the 29th/42nd war time amalgamation she initially kept the pack as a separate entity and later, when they did merge in 1946 -1950 she was still recorded as being of the ’42nd’ not the 29th/42nd.
Irene was one of the four Scouters from Cambridge who attended B.-P. centenary service at Westminster Abbey along with Claude Walker, Reg Ayres and her friend ‘Ikey’ Isaacson who started as a Cub leader at the same time.
Like Ikey, who was Lady CM of the single section 28th for many years, Irene was Lady CM of the 42nd which lost its Scout section shortly after formation. Irene stayed with the 42nd through its moves from St Barnabus to Grafton Street, and Holy Trinity, initially with the joint war time working with the 29th. She stayed with them until her retirement.
Irene was awarded the Silver Acorn – Beryl Tabbitt gives a date of ‘near the end of her Cubbing’ and elsewhere it was recorded in 1968. It is not clear when she ended as Akela but was over the new retirement age in 1966/67 when the Advance Report was introduced. The dates in annual reports were often a year behind and the 1968 date may refer to 1967.
JWR Archivist Mar 2019
Cambridge District Scout Archive 