Anne and Norman Rowlands celebrate their platinum wedding
anniversary in the garden of their Wardronville home
yesterday. Photo by Linda Robertson.
Their relationship started out sweet, Dunedin couple
Norman and Anne Rowlands recalled yesterday, as they celebrated
their 70 years of marriage.
''We met in the lolly factory in Bury where we both worked.
It was a bit like Cadbury's,'' Mrs Rowlands (nee Smith) said
yesterday.
The couple, both aged 90, married at St John's Church, in
Bury, England, on January 30, 1943.
''D-Day was coming up, which put the pressure on,'' Mr
Rowlands said.
They had plenty of advice on how to survive seven decades of
marriage: ''Do what you're told. And if anything does go
wrong, it's his fault,'' Mrs Rowlands said with a chuckle.
Mr Rowlands advised: ''We've always done everything together,
from concreting to making cakes. That's the secret; being and
doing things together.''
''If we want wallpaper, we go and choose it together. We're
always together.''
The couple emigrated to New Zealand at the age of 30.
Mr Rowlands worked as foreman at Industrial Gases at Burnside
and Mrs Rowlands at the former Evening Star newspaper,
checking lotteries.
Cards from the Queen, Prime Minister John Key and
Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae took pride of place in
their Waldronville home yesterday.
''I can't believe we've been married for so long. I just
can't explain it,'' Mrs Rowlands said.
''We've been back to Bury, but it wasn't the same,'' her
husband said.
''The church where we got married is gone now. So is the
lolly factory.''
The couple will have a celebratory afternoon tea on Saturday
at the Janet Cameron Centre in Green Island.
- nigel.benson@odt.co.nz
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