Irene Rachel Elmhirst

The first and only daughter, Irene Rachel was educated by governess at Pindar Oaks during the war. She spent her days on the family farm tending to their horses, ferrets, chickens and her beloved and mischievous terrier, Conus. Having seven older brothers meant she was very much one of the boys, playing sports, going shooting, catching rats, climbing trees and messing about in the pit ponds.

Irene went to boarding school at Brackley in 1918 where she excelled at cricket and tennis and became head girl.

She became an attractive young woman and was asked to act as hostess for Edward, Prince of Wales’ visit to open Barnsley Town Hall in 1933 after His Royal Highness requested a pretty woman to sit next instead of an Alderman.

Around the same time, Irene was awarded an MBE for her work with boys’ clubs in the town.

She went on to marry a soldier and joint master of the Badsworth Hunt. After being demobbed from the army at the end of WWII, he tragically died in 1935 after being thrown from a horse while hunting, leaving Irene widowed with two daughters. After that, she moved to a farm in Twyford near Reading and never remarried, instead spending her time as a county councillor.

from a biography of the Worsbrough family