Arnold Long was born on 18 December 1940 at Cheam, Surrey, and spent all his life in Surrey. He married Barbara on 26th September 1964 and they have three children, two boys and one girl; and two granddaughters.
Arnold passed his 11 plus and went to Wallington County Grammar School in 1952. There he captained the School Cricket Team for two successful years and left school with 7 ‘O’ Levels and 3 ‘A’ Levels (Economics, Economic History & Geography) in 1959. He had a place at Liverpool and Southampton Universities waiting to be accepted.During his last two years at school Arnold was involved with the Surrey Association of Boy’s Clubs playing both Soccer and Cricket for them. They had an Annual Cricket Match against Surrey Colts and it was after this game in 1958 that he was invited to play a couple of games for Surrey Colts. Thereafter he was approached to join the professional staff at the Oval on a trial basis until the end of the season the following year. This he accepted much to the annoyance of a couple of teachers at school who felt he should further his education, but in hindsight Arnold is sure he made the right decision.
Arnold played for Surrey CCC as wicket-keeper in the first team from 1962 until 1975. Over that period they won the Benson and Hedges Cup in 1974 and the County Championship in 1971. In 1964 at Hove versus Sussex Arnold caught eleven batsmen in the two innings which was then a world record, but this has been equalled twice since then.
Arnold was then invited to join Sussex in 1976 for the twilight of his cricketing career and what a 5 years it was. Tony Greig was Captain, but in 1978 he was sacked by Sussex because of his involvement in the Packer affair and Arnold was asked to take over. They had a disappointing start to the season but eventually in September won the Gillette Cup, beating Somerset by 5 wickets.
Throughout his cricketing career Arnold was always aware that he would need an alternative occupation to see him through to retirement. Having worked at an Insurance Broking and Independent Financial Adviser business for two winters he decided to go it alone, first from home and then in partnership with a friend with an office in Bexleyheath, Kent. Arnold had already started to take qualifications and eventually passed to become a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute. This business was reasonably successful and was eventually sold to a larger firm in April 1999 which led to his retirement in 2002, after which his Freemasonry seemed to take off.
Arnold joined Coulsdon Lodge of Perseverance No. 5611 on 17 January 1970 at the insistence of his godfather and his uncle who were both Freemasons. Arnold is due to receive his 50 Year Certificate from the Provincial Grand Master of Surrey on Tuesday 22 September, assuming that meeting takes place. Just prior to going in the Chair in 1986 Arnold joined the Royal Arch quickly followed by Mark, Royal Ark Mariner, Rose Croix and Knights Templar and in the 1990’s many other Orders.
Arnold says he has been very lucky over the years with the various ranks and jobs he has received in Freemasonry, but in particular some were very special and most enjoyable. Grand Rank in both Craft and Royal Arch, Assistant Provincial Grand Master in the Mark from 2004 to 2009, District Grand Master in the Royal and Select Masters from 2005 to 2013, Grand Visitor in the OSM in 2014, a wonderful job, Deputy Grand Marshall in the Red Cross of Constantine for two years and finally his current position of Provincial Grand Summus for the Province of Surrey.
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