LOVE, laughter and working together are the key to success says one happy Saddleworth couple celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary.
Mary and Arthur Hinchliffe, who live at Beech Avenue in Greenfield, marked their special occasion on October 25 with 24 family and friends at The Roebuck at Strinesdale.
And it was a double celebration as Mary’s 81st birthday fell the day before.
Turn back 60 years to 1958 and she within two days she had celebrated becoming 21 as well as marrying Arthur, who was 26 at the time, at Delph Methodist Church.
The couple met while they were both working in Delph at Saddleworth Woollen Company and after four years of courting they eventually tied the knot.
“But I didn’t have a big white dress and three-tier wedding cake like you do these days!” recalls Mary. “It was a small do with just family.”
Arthur’s best man on the day was Frank Askham, with whom he is still in touch and who was among the celebrations with his wife at The Roebuck last month.
“We don’t often get the whole family together so it was really nice,” said Mary. “Even Ben, our grandson who is in Norway in a brass band and teaching music, came over.”
Also there were Mary and Arthur’s son Ian, three grand-daughters, and their great-grandson. Their daughter Jacqueline has sadly passed away.
Reflecting on their long marriage, Arthur, who is originally from Marsden, said: “We laugh a lot and I am very daft!
“And you have to work together. There’s always hard times but you get through them together.”
Mary added: “A lot of people say they’ve never had an argument but I don’t believe them! We’re different people so of course we argue a bit but not seriously.”
Both have been heavily involved in the community throughout their lives, with keen cricketer Arthur playing at Marsden and Greenfield before becoming an umpire.
He was also standard bearer for the Saddleworth Brand of the Royal British Legion until recently, and still helps on their committee.
Meanwhile Mary has always been involved in village life as well as bringing up her family and is a keen cook.
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