Photo of a wedding day photo, Mar 25th 1972

I was at the wedding of this couple 40 years ago, a couple of weeks before my 7th birthday. My Dad was the best man. My blip journal has already paid tribute to Ruby, and here she is on the day of her marriage to Bill.

Bill had nursed his first wife through a long illness, visiting her in hospital every day for two or three years. He was not far short of retiring age when he married Ruby, some 12-15 years younger than him.

They soon became "aunty" and "uncle" to myself and my two brothers, the youngest born a couple of months after this wedding. We discovered the album last week when clearing the house, and we realised today is 40 years to the day. Ruby died just after Christmas.

They introduced us to walking in the hills, to appreciating the birds of Morecambe Bay, to the fun of growing and eating fruit and veg (although none of us have continued the tradition so far), to holidaying in a campervan, and above all were influential in their Christian faith and example.

Bill was not the suit wearing type, and I am sure he was also quite uncomfortable about the whole event and fuss. Ruby also generally wore plain, home-made clothes and they were always doing alterations to the home and the van and working in the garden or enjoying the outdoors. But something of the character I think also shows through this picture of that special day 40 years ago, which just has to be the blip for today.

The main reason for my own clear memories of the day.... Talking about feeling uncomfortable in smart clothes - my parents had the brainwave of of dressing up their two shy little boys in sky blue shirts with pink flowers!! I just wanted a hole in the ground to swallow me up, but looking back all the positive memories and associations far outweigh that minor issue.