Polmont husband and wife celebrate Diamond Wedding anniversary

Hugh and Sandra Gillespie, née Templeton, will today mark their Diamond Wedding with a small get together of family and friends.

The Gillespies, who are both 81, are originally from Kilmarnock, Ayrshire and were both pupils at Kilmarnock Academy.

In 1955, Hugh asked his future wife to a ball organised by his employer, Saxone Shoe Company, and the rest is history.

Hugh and Sandra married five years later in St Marnick’s Parish Church in Kilmarnock where they were settled both in home and work, with the former employed as a design technician with Saxone, while his wife worked at BMK Carpets Ltd.

The diamond pair made Anson Avenue in Falkirk their home in 1975 when Saxone closed down its Kilmarnock operation and Hugh took up a post in footwear buying with Bishop Brothers.

Sandra, meanwhile, worked as an auxiliary nurse in Falkirk Hospital two nights a week. She also held a job for a few years in a dress shop.

There was cause for celebration with the births of children Steven (56), Keith (54) and Dianne (52), who all attended Bantaskin Primary and Falkirk High.

After 11 years in Falkirk, and with their sons in work and at university, Hugh, Sandra and their daughter headed south to Halifax, West Yorkshire.

They remained there for six years while Hugh worked as a chief buyer for a footwear importer. During this time, he travelled around the world but a business opportunity at Sterling Warehouses brought Hugh and his family back to Scotland in 1991.

After two slow years in business in Tillicoultry, Bangkok beckoned when he joined a Thai footwear manufacturer as general manager.

Thailand’s cuisine and culture, plus the friends they made there, are fondly remembered by the Gillespies.

A chance to work as a Hong Kong-based Asian operations director for an American footwear and accessories company was too good for Hugh to turn down and the family would up sticks to China, where they stayed for 15 years.

Hugh and Sandra returned to Falkirk district after reaching retirement age and now live in Polmont House Gardens.

Grandparents to Colin, Cameron, Lewis and Phoebe, the duo still manage to find time to enjoy a range of hobbies.

Hugh is a keen photographer and swimmer, as well as a member of Falkirk Probus Club and Larbert and Falkirk 41 Club.

He is also a past president of the Rotary Club of Falkirk, while Sandra is part of Falkirk Inner Wheel and was once a violinist with the Falkirk Orchestra and the Stirling Reel and Strathspey Society.

Asked for his view on the secret to a happy marriage, Hugh said: “I think the key is love and respect for each other, and appreciating no two people are the same anywhere in the world.

“We’ve had a very happy marriage and a great friendship for 60 years.”

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