Falklands : NICK AND SHEILA HADDEN TRAVEL 8,000 MILES TO CELEBRATE DIAMOND WEDDING ANNIVERSARY OF A FRIEND
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 12.07.2008 (Article Archived on 26.07.2008)
David Porter writes that there was a special celebration for Inverurie couple Jimmy and Nellie Knowles this week when the pair celebrated their Diamond wedding anniversary with friends and family.
NICK AND SHEILA HADDEN TRAVEL 8,000 MILES TO CELEBRATE DIAMOND WEDDING ANNIVERSARY OF A FRIEND
By David Porter
THERE was a special celebration for Inverurie couple Jimmy and Nellie Knowles this week when the pair celebrated their Diamond wedding anniversary with friends and family.
All the members of the wedding party including bridesmaids Ethel Grant and Violet Abernethy and best man Nick Hadden were able to attend to revisit the couples wedding day back in July of 1948.
The couple met when they started work on a farm outside Turriff, where Nellie, who herself was from Turriff, worked as a maid and Jimmy who was from near Ellon worked as a farm hand.
The were married on July 9, 1948 at St Andrew’s in Turriff and lived and worked in the North East until Jimmy’s retirement from Balmedie Quarry, eventually settling down in Inverurie where six years ago they moved to the sheltered housing at Overburn House.
Both are still keen gardeners and are involved in group activities at the complex.
Prior to their actual anniversary, the couple got together with their three children and their families along with the bridesmaids and best man for a celebration at the Strathburn Hotel.
For best man Nick Hadden the celebration was also a get together with old friends, having travelled from his home in the Falkland Islands to attend the event.
Having left Scotland in 1953 after answering an advert for travelling teachers in the Falklands, Mr Hadden commented:” I had only intended to stay for six months, but continued in the post for four years.
“One of the first things I had to do was learn to ride a horse so that I would be able to travel out to the outlying farms.
“In those days distances were measured in horse hours, how long it took you to ride to the settlement.”
After a brief spell back home, he took up a position with the Falkland Island Company which he retired from in 1987.
Both Mr Hadden and his wife Sheila are taking the opportunity of their extended stay to travel round the country including a trip to the islands and as a chance to meet other friends and relations.
Commenting on reaching their anniversary Mrs Knowles said: ”It was really special to have everyone here for our anniversary.
“We’ve always got on together and I think that's our secret to our time together.
“We do have different opinions, but we don't argue and we like the same things.”
The couple received their congratulatory letter from Buckingham Palace and on Wednesday were also presented with flowers and a bottle of whiskey on behalf of Aberdeenshire Council by councillor Brian Stuart.
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