It’s our Ruby Wedding. We were married forty years ago today in Wellesbourne Church in Warwickshire. It was icy cold and had snowed, so many people didn’t make it to the ceremony. We all look cold in the black-and-white photographs and I look thin. We went for a three day honeymoon in the Harp Inn in Old Radnor, which was run by the Landmark Trust. It’s a long time ago.
| Charles | Saumarez | Smith | 
Congratulations to you both. I trust rubies were exchanged. My wife and I stayed at the Harp Inn on our way back to London from a motoring holiday in Ireland. We crossed on the ferry on the day Princess Diana’s death was announced and the dumb amazement of all on board was extraordinary. The flowers increased the closer we drove to London (via York, as you do) and returning the car in central London became a nightmare for us innocent abroad colonials. There was a strange, contagious, collective grief that seemed to increase by the mile.
Yes, I remember that weekend only too well, as everyone must. We drove back to London to lower the NPG’s flag to half mast, not knowing that we had to wait for official instructions to do so.
A very happy anniversary to you. I was curious about the Old Harp and it looks lovely.
no chance of posting a picture of the happy day?
Well, now that’s an idea. No personalia is the rule, but I’ve already breached that. Charles
Calde congratulazioni Carlo and Romilly…
A milestone. Congratulations. It is our diamond anniversary in two years time. We have stayed at many Landmark Trust properties, always interesting, though went to the Lake District for our honeymoon, rather bleak in November.
Diamond is very impressive, even more than Ruby ! Charles
I was married for forty years. We married in 1966 and , having run out of money in the Lake district, spent most of our honeymoon in Scunthorpe with relatives. I think this is probably the only instance of anyone spending their honeymoon in Scunthorpe. Congratulations; enjoy the day.
Thank you. Old Radnor was definitely better than Scunthorpe, but still not very glamorous. Charles
Oh dear, this was my only venture into wedding photography. The photographs were black and white because I had not got to grips with colour. There are none of the reception by me because I hired a flash gun but had no idea how to use it. Any prints I made probably look old and faded because my dark room let light in. In the end I sent the negatives to Romilly’s mother to get prints made. A sorry state of affairs. Luckily Mark Ezra was there who was much more proficient so I hope he got some good shots. I think I made one quite nice one of Romilly signing the register. I don’t remember the cold at all. Congratulations!
Dear Amanda, Yes, I thought I remembered that there was a problem with the photographs. They are actually very good, including colour ones of the reception (presumably by Mark). Romilly is ultra glamorous in her grandmother’s wedding dress. We’ve just been looking at them. Charles
I certainly remember the dress, it was beautiful.
Congratulations! My parents were married for over 70 years before they both died at grand old ages and received the Royal acknowledgements. When a friend was being shown the card and letter, she asked, did you never think of divorce in all those years? And my mother, being a true Yorkshire woman quickly relied – ‘No, divorce never, but I often thought about murder!’
I’m not sure I would go that far ! Charles
Hello Charles. Great to see you at the National Gallery last evening which was the very day of our 35th wedding anniversary (coral apparently)! So we could have exchanged congratulations on January anniversaries and longevity of all kinds! Barbara
Dear Barbara, Yes, very nice to see you both ! Charles