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Wedding Anniversaries

Mr & Mrs Baul

Love at first wave

Colin Baul first caught a glimpse of his future bride Agnes when she walked past the workshop window at Blackhall Pit where he was a trainee. He was 15 and she was 14. Agnes’ brother was in training as well and he spotted the romantic exchange and warned Colin off. It must have been love at first sight because Colin and Agnes met again three years later and went out together until she had to go off to Halifax to work at the cotton mills. Agnes returned home a few years later and the couple met again at the local dance at The Vic and they have been together ever since. They were married at the Easington Registry Office on the 27th of June in 1959.

Before retiring, Colin (72), worked at the mines at both Blackhall and Horden and Agnes (71), brought up their three children, Agnes, Colleen and Thomas.

Daughter Agnes now lives in Canada and when Coleen and Thomas asked the couple if they would like to pop out for a quiet meal to toast their Golden Anniversary, they never expected the surprise party that awaited them at The Chimneys restaurant at Blackhall. Agnes had made the trip from Canada and the Baul’s celebrated in style surrounded by their family, including their eight grandchildren.

Colin was a keen pigeon fancier but had to give up his birds last year after a couple of angina attacks. Agnes has had a difficult time with illness recently but the couple are happy in their home at Horden where they have lived for 14 years.

Mr & Mrs Thompson

Mr & Mrs Thompson

“It Just Happened” for the Murton lad and lass

William and Edith Thompson were both born and bred in Murton. They even went around with the same group of friends. But for some reason, when they and their pals were queuing for the cinema one day, as William said, “it just happened”, and they have been together ever since. The couple got married on the 18th of June 1949 at Holy Trinity Church in Murton.

William had served his time in the RAF and returned home in 1946 after his last posting in the Middle East. Back home, he became a joiner at Murton Colliery where he worked until his retirement. William, (88), used to be a keen cricketer and was a regular first team player with the Murton team.

Edith, (83), worked in a grocer’s shop when she was younger and went on to work as an auxiliary nurse at Cherry Knowle Hospital.

Mr and Mrs Thompson celebrated their Diamond Anniversary at the Chilton Moor Country Club and Hotel with their family and friends. There were 22 in the party and William said, “We had quite an afternoon. It was great fun”.

The William and Edith have lived in Murton throughout their long and happy marriage and they moved into their DAMHA bungalow 11 years ago.