Diamond couple who met in Wishaw café celebrate 60 years of married life
A Wishaw couple have a loving sparkle in their eyes as they celebrate 60 years of married life. Arthur and Sandra Murphy marked their Diamond Wedding Anniversary in the company of their large family. Arthur, 77, and Sandra, 76, first met over the juke box at Johnny Gallagher's Cafe in Pather. The couple, married when they were teenagers in love at St Thomas's Church on April 24, 1965. The first place they called home after tying the knot was a caravan in someone's garden before getting a house in Craigneuk, and then settling down in Rannoch Drive in Pather as the family outgrew their original home. The couple would go on to have seven children, Sandra who was named after her mum and is now 59 – was the first to arrive, she was followed less than a year later by sister Lillian, 58. The couple's first boy arrived next, Owen, 56, then came Winnie (Winifred), 55. Sadly, their sibling Elaine who was the next of the children died less than two years ago, aged 49. Arthur and Sandra had two more children, Lesley Anne, 48, and the baby of the family Alex, who is 45. Daughter Lesley Anne, joked: 'There was no telly back then. They had seven children in the space of 15 years. 'They lived in Craigneuk for a few years, Winnie was born in Craigneuk and Elaine was born in 1974 in Rannoch Drive.' Arthur worked in Ravenscraig where he was a driver sub-contracted to British Steel, but with so many mouths to feed he was also a butcher in a shop in Gowkthrapple. 'He worked double shifts as he had seven weans to feed,' Lesley Anne added. 'He had three jobs at one time I'm sure. 'When Ravenscraig shut down he became a taxi driver in Wishaw, so he is well known. 'My mum worked as a cleaner at the Law Hospital as well as looking after all of us. Our granny lived local so we spent a lot of time there.' The family would enjoy holidays to Arbroath as well as trips to Ayr. Arthur and Sandra still enjoy getting away a couple of times each year. Arthur and Sandra have 11 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren with another on the way. The couple remain very independent but now live in a warden-assisted retirement complex in Overtown. Arthur enjoys gardening to wile away the time and Sandra has always loved the bingo and travels over to the one in Hamilton following the closure of the one in Wishaw. Lesley Anne puts the secret of their happy and lengthy marriage down to working hard for each other and for their family. She added: 'They are well-liked and have the best friends. They did it for the seven of us and we are so grateful.' The family are gathering in the retirement complex for a party to celebrate, before the diamond couple head over to Benidorm for a sunshine holiday. * Don't miss the latest he adlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here . And did you know Lanarkshire Live is on Facebook ? Head on over and give us a like and share!
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