William (“Bill”) Longden (QM 1932 - 1948)

Bill Longden was born in Sheffield on 2 April, 1927, to William and Sarah, an older brother to Marjorie. The family was poor, and moved to Walsall in search of work. Young Longden showed early academic promise and passed the 11+, whereupon his enterprising mother successfully applied for a Fishley scholarship to QMGS. He joined the school in 1938, winning the Form Prize in his first year.

Longden credited his mother for effectively lifting him out of a poverty trap, and he never forgot the gift she gave him or his time at school. Whilst at QMGS, he befriended another scholarship boy, Reg Gordon - an orphan - and they became lifetime best friends. The boys had no money, but they managed to acquire cycles with which they would venture long distances - for example, to the Lake District, Wales and the West Country, sowing the seeds in both men of a love of mountain walking, travel and independence.

It was war time, and Longden left QMGS in 1942 aged 15 after completing an extraordinary set of results in his School Certificate, which he took a year early. He kept his examination papers, astonishing later generations that a poor 15 year old boy could have accumulated an education that over a mere 4 years would lead to distinction and credits in multiple subjects - including Latin and Greek. The education was plainly deep rooted - in his late nineties, suffering from memory loss, he would amaze his carers by counting and reciting the alphabet in Greek! He left school with an exceptional reference from his Headmaster. The decision to leave QMGS early was a function of an acute shortage of commercial manpower which led to the offer of Articles in an accounting firm. He duly qualified as a Chartered Accountant, after an interruption for National Service in Cyprus and Egypt with the North Staffordshire Regiment. Basic military training left a deep impression on Longden. He would tell his grandchildren the gruesome details of bayonet training, and the preparations for a possible invasion of Japan. He never saw active service, but he had interesting experiences in Cyprus, where he was partly responsible for logistics within a Jewish refugee camp prior to resettlement in the embryonic State of Israel. He also served in Egypt, stimulating a life long interest in Egyptology and classical architecture. He reached the rank of Sergeant, but it was a source of irritation that he was never commissioned, especially as his close friend, Reg, was.

For most of his professional life, Longden worked for the National Coal Board (British Coal) in senior finance and management roles. He might have reached the very highest levels but consistently refused to move to London, fearing that this would disrupt his family's work/life balance. He went on to have the distinction of drawing his pension for more years than he had contributed, a source of great amusement to him.

Longden loved travelling, mountain walking and photography. In the 1960’s he was an early pioneer of continental camping holidays - somewhat of a necessity as his wife refused point blank to camp in the UK after a sodden Easter in Keswick and a tent that blew away in Anglesey! He ventured considerable distances, going as far as Naples and Malaga by road, no mean feat in those days with small children and unreliable cars. On one occasion, Longden lost a windscreen in Normandy. The nearest Ford stockist at that time was in Perpignan, Southern France, so a windswept drive across the country followed. On anther occasion, his brakes failed while descending an alpine pass, and only his driving skills prevented a disaster. With his old friend Reg, and latterly his own family, he also embarked on adventurous hiking trips, loving exposed ridge walks (eg the Snowdon Horseshoe, Aonach Eagach etc) until knee pain forced him to stop when he was 80. He had great stamina and enjoyed convivial company, lively debate and dancing.

He married Pauline Ledbury on 18 October, 1952. They had 3 children, moving in 1967 from Walsall to Ashby-de-la-Zouch, then the centre of the East Midlands coal industry. Pauline died of cancer in May, 1994, a dreadful and premature loss at a critical point in his life. Resourceful as ever, Longden coped by travelling the world in small groups and forming new friendships. He married his dance partner, Steph in 2011, moving to Maidenhead. He had a kind and gentle nature, never quick to temper. His opinions, whilst occasionally controversial, were carefully reasoned. He attributed his longevity to drinking a small glass of malt whisky every evening. He never lost his hair, citing his Mother, who had instructed him to brush it 100 times every morning to stave off baldness, much to the amusement of his family.

Longden enjoyed exceptionally good physical health throughout his life, but succumbed on 1 December 2025 after a spirited battle against influenza. He is survived by Steph, his three children Andy, Sue and Tim, four grandchildren and four great granddaughters. Had he lived a few more weeks he would have met his first great grandson.

Photos included:

1. Longden and his sister Marjorie, Note his QMGS blazer.

2. Longden after climbing the Pyramid of Cheops in Cairo.

3. Longden in later life.

4. Longden’s school reference.