Gem of an occasion for anniversary pair

1:32pm Thursday 1st May 2008

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THE queen still had ten years still to go to accede to the throne and men were paid shillings as opposed to pounds a week when Charlie and Yvonne Elkins were married.

Last Thursday the couple celebrated their blue sapphire 65th wedding anniversary at their home in Pewsey.

They were married in 1943 at the register office in Devizes and went to live with Mrs Elkins' parents in the lock cottage in Wootton Rivers where her father was the lock keeper.

Mr Elkins, 85, was born at Appleshaw near Andover and his father was a farm worker.

The family moved to Little Bedwyn where Mr Elkins went to school, leaving at 14 to work with his father on the farm, hand-milking cows. "We had to work from 5am to 5pm seven days a week and all we were paid was 11shillings (55p) a week," he said.

Meanwhile Mrs Elkins, 83, who was born at Stratton St Margaret, had moved to Wootton Rivers with her parents.

She went to the village school and then went into service at Goldenlands Farm at Burbage.

Their careers brought them together and they moved to their present home in Pewsey when Mr Elkins took early retirement because of his health 23 years ago.

Mr and Mrs Elkins produced 11 children, four sons and seven daughters, and have so many grandchildren and great grandchildren they have lost count of the numbers.

They had a big celebration for the diamond wedding five years ago but celebrated their 65th anniversary quietly at home.