Published: Thursday, 4th February, 2010 6:00am

Couple celebrates platinum wedding

by Alex Lawrie

Charlie and Margaret cut their anniversary cake

A PORT SETON couple have celebrated a very special wedding anniversary after being married for an amazing 70 years.

Charlie and Margaret Mack, of Thomson Crescent, mingled with friends and family at the Port Seton Centre last Friday evening as they marked their platinum anniversary.

The loving couple received a church blessing from their local minister to celebrate the occasion, and were sent a congratulatory card from the Queen.

And it would appear the couple are a rare breed, as East Lothian's Lord Lieutenant, Sir Garth Morrison, told the Courier: "In my experience it is certainly a unique achievement.

"The oldest I have presented with a telegram from the Queen (since being appointed in 2001) was to a couple in North Berwick who celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary."

During the evening's entertainment, deputy lord lieutenant, Marlene Love, gave a lovely speech commending Charlie and Margaret on their rare achievement.

Charlie and Margaret were joined at the celebrations by their three children, Andrew, Beth and Ellen, along with their extended family of six grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, cousins, nephews and nieces.

Margaret, 88, said: "It really was a wonderful day for Charlie and myself. All our family and friends were there to help us celebrate, and we couldn't have asked for anymore. Marlene gave us a lovely speech just before we cut the cake.

"Not many people have reached 70 years married, and we are both thrilled to have managed it.

"Because Charlie and I were married in a marriage office I've often thought we missed out on a religious ceremony, so that was why I said to him we should have our marriage blessed. It was a really lovely occasion."

Marlene Love added: "I've known Charlie and Margaret for years and was really thrilled to be asked to speak on their behalf.

"They both attend the same church as myself, Cockenzie and Port Seton Old Parish Church, and it was fit and proper their blessing should have taken place in there. It was a great day and it was lovely to see so many people turn up for their occasion.

I would just like to say well done and congratulations to both of them on what is a remarkable achievement."

Charlie, a miner for more than 40 years at Preston Links and Monktonhall collieries, and Margaret, who worked as a fish filleter in between having her children, have lived in the small coastal burgh all their married lives. After tying the knot, the couple lived at Crown Square, Cockenzie, then moved to South Seton Park and finally a bungalow in Thomson Crescent.

Charlie, 92, was schooled in Prestonpans while Margaret went to Cockenzie Primary.

The couple first met in 1938 when they both attended the Prestonpans Wheelers bicycle club, which has long since been disbanded.

The group would cycle to places such as Dunbar and Peebles for the afternoon.

Charlie owned a tandem with his brother, and an intrigued Margaret asked him to take her for a short ride along the coast. A date to the cinema quickly followed for the pair and just over a year later they were married.

They wed at a marriage office in Edinburgh's Chamber Street on January 27, 1940, just a few months following the outbreak of Second World War. Charlie escaped a call up as miners were needed at home during the conflict, but the pair had many friends and family who had to travel abroad to fight the German threat.

Margaret said: "I'm not really sure if there is a special secret to a long-lasting marriage. We try and never go to bed on an argument if we can help it, and when we do fall out we fall back in as quick.

"We've never held any grudges against each other and, maybe this is just a generation thing but, we understood that couples just have to stick together, no matter what."

The couple were also thrilled to receive yet another congratulatory card from the Queen. The couple were sent their first card from Buckingham Palace 10 years ago when they marked their diamond wedding anniversary.

"It was really nice of the Queen to remember our anniversary, she must have put it in her diary 10 years ago," Margaret laughed.

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