Celebrating those Golden Wedding Anniversaries

I have just spent a very pleasant few hours reading the scrapbook Mum made after she and Daddy celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary, May 18, 1990. We hosted a party for extended Hollands and Pollock families and friends in the Parish Hall at the Anglican Church of the Messiah in Kincardine.
 

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Cecil and Doris (Pollock) Hollands (right), May, 1940
 

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In the binder, Mum had entered lists of the gifts received, the senders of 186 cards expressing good wishes, and the visitors who arrived in the following days. She had recounted the events of the whole weekend which included a shower for grandson Rob’s fiancée, Sandi, and a surprise family dinner. There were newspaper clippings and photos too.

Then, I found pages of memories offered by guests of all ages in honour of the occasion. Some were only a sentence or two but stories were many and varied, several with pictures and drawings. Their niece, Koleen Hollands Garland, presented them with a 28-page essay complete with a Table of Contents!

Such celebrations were indeed big events at that time, for once their story was complete, Mum began collecting mementos – announcements, write-ups, pictures, printed serviettes and her comments about their cousins, neighbours and friends who were also celebrating special occasions.

This clipping, origin unknown, seemed particularly “a apropos:

“On my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary, my mother was asked how she thought the marriage had lasted that length of time. ‘When we got married,’ she replied, ‘we didn’t know you could quit.’ That reminded me that in my family history research of that period of time, I have found very few records of divorce in Ontario. However, the same cannot be said about family members who moved into Michigan, for example. I wonder why.”

I admire the dedication of the journalists who searched for interesting comments to add to the anniversary write-ups. How did you meet? Where were you married? What is your secret for success?

Glen and Isabel (Cameron) McConnell (right) – Sept. 17, 1949

Isabel lived across the road from our farm. Glen was delivering gravel for some construction Daddy was doing at the barn and Mum invited Isabel to help get the supper. Both she and Glen stayed for the meal and “the rest is history.” A black 1928 Chevy soon became a regular sight on the South Line.

Ben and Margaret (Campbell) Ruttle – Nov. 8, 1991

They celebrated in Kincardine hospital where Ben was a patient. Mum was a patient at the same time and 35 of the 200-plus guests visited her as well. In talking about his horse-racing experiences, Ben said that he had only one horse at a time but he had his share of wins and his share of losses.

William and Frieda (Schoepp) Collins - April 6, 1992

They were married in Toronto while Bill was in the army. Their brochure said: love is—still holding hands after many years of marriage.

Earl and Bertha (Bolton) Tout - June 10, 1994

Earl was clerk of Huron Township for 21 years. They said their secret to a successful marriage was their ability to change and grow with each other while still keeping their own identity.

Norman and Norma (Haist) Dunsmoor – Sept. 9, 1994

They met at the Circle Bar Hosiery company where they both worked. They went to a movie on their first date. Which one? “Don’t remember. We couldn’t be bothered with the movie,” said Norm.

Arthur and Norine (Farrell) Turland (right) – Feb. 21, 1995

The story of their meeting while Art was a member of the Royal Air Force stationed at Port Albert, and their hastily-arranged wedding when he was about to be sent back to England, is legendary in the Farrell family.

Having the pleasure of celebrating 20 more years of wedded life with them was extraordinary!

John H. and Evelyn (Pollock) Elliott - May 18, 1996

Evelyn’s mother’s advice to the newlyweds was, “If you have an argument, you should never go to bed holding a grudge.” In 50 years the Elliotts never had to stay up all night.

Lester and Audrey (McMurchy) Ferguson - July 17, 1998

They first met when Audrey, age 10, was driving the horses on a wagon-load of sheaves. Lester, who was 19, commented to the hired man as they pitched on the load that she would make a good wife for someone someday.

After his years in the war, they met again at a dance and we know that they danced together through many years. “Just dig in and work hard together. Don’t give up on things so quickly,” was Audrey’s advice.

Stewart and Joyce (Needham) Farrell – Oct. 1, 1999

“I always knew I would marry her someday. We were both pretty strong-minded but we got along. We were always busy on the farm and that is a good thing. Our daughters (eight of them) did a lot of work on the farm. They were a great benefit,” said Stewart.

The 60th and 65th scrapbooks are waiting for me.

March, 2022
Ruth Anne Hollands Robinson