Golden Wedding celebration

The couple, who live at Rushcroft Gardens, in the Waterside, were married in the picturesque setting of St Augustine’s Church on the City Walls, widely believed to be on or near the site of the very first Christian site in the country. Canon Herbert McKegney performed the ceremony, and the former Miss June Carland looked a picture of elegant modesty as she walked down the aisle to meet her beau dressed in a white brocade gown and bouffant veil.

The couple had three children, Thomas who is married to Derya, Alan who is married to Fiona and lives in England and Judith, who is married to Ian Orr, and now are doting grandparents to seven children.

To mark the occasion of their anniversary the couple were surrounded by family, and there was a special surprise for them as their 12-year-old granddaughter, Hannah, made the anniversary cake, which the couple are pictured cutting at their daughter Judith’s Lisdale Park home, where a party was held.

Also on hand to help the celebrations along were Gordon’s brother Lionel and his wife Cynthia, and his sister-in-law Hazel, as well as June’s sisters Rae Robb and Sylvia Gilchrist, brother Arthus and his wife, Mary, as well as a clutch of close friends.

Missing from the family get together was Alan and his family as well as Gordon’s sister Daphne, who lives and works in South Africa, but they stayed in touch by telephone, and the Golden couple were showered with gifts and good wishes.