Diamond celebrations for David and Sheena Kirk of Carronshore

Alloa born and bred, he and his friends used to regularly catch the train to Larbert station at weekends to enjoy the live dance bands that played in the hall and it was there he met Sheena Gilfillan from Carronshore.

A courtship followed and this week the couple celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary having married on August 24, 1963 in Falkirk’s West Church with Rev. Dr William Grant carrying out the ceremony. Family and friends then joined them for the wedding reception in the popular Mathieson’s tea rooms on the High Street.

David, 85, recalls leaving school aged 15 on the Friday and on the Monday found himself down the pit at Zetland Mine in Alloa. He worked there for seven years until it closed and remembers being the last man to leave the pit.

His next job cam courtesy of a friend and was as an assistant cattleman but he admits having met Sheena by that time, the early morning starts at work weren’t conducive to a blossoming romance. After a year he moved to a job as a drayman with McLay’s brewery in Alloa where he learned to drive. This helped David with his next move when he became a tanker driver at BP in Grangemouth, he job he had for 30 years before taking early retirement due to ill health.

Sheena, 81, was born in Wester Carron before her family moved to Carronshore. Her working life saw her have spells in Anderson’s store in Falkirk, as well as Baird’s shoe shop close to the Steeple.

She also has many happy memories of working in Union Chemicals in Carronshore, saying: “It was really good place to work and we had lots of fun times. Most of the workforce were local so we all knew each other.”

When the couple married they spent their first year living with Sheena’s parents before getting their first home together in Bruce Crescent, Carronshore. A few moves later they moved back to the village and their present home in Roughlands Drive where they have spent 42 years.

The couple had three children, Douglas, Craig, who sadly died suddenly four years ago, and Vanessa. They have seven grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

After David retired they had the holiday-of-a-lifetime in Australia and New Zealand, but also have many happy memories of caravan holidays all over Scotland when their children were younger.

David enjoyed spending his free-time on fishing trips, as well as joining his wife at Carron and Carronshore Bowling Club where they both like to compete in the sport.

The couple celebrated their diamond anniversary on Thursday with a family meal at The Soo House in the Carronbridge Inn with both agreeing it was great to see everyone on their special day.

Asked the question about the secret of a long and happy marriage, David quickly replied: “Doing as you’re telt. It’s all about agreeing with each other.”