"Fifty years ago today, I was swanning around Toronto, Canada while my eighteen-year-old sister, Eileen, was marrying her sweetheart, John Gautry. At the time, if memory still serves me correctly, she had two proposals of marriage on the table; one from an old geezer who owned a broken-down lambretta and the other from a 'quiet man' called John who rode a brand new, 125cc BSA Bantam. Naturally, she opted for the greater manpower of the two and seems to have never looked back since.
Just to remind you Eileen, on the day you married and walked up the aisle with your man, the Beatles had held Number One spot in the hit charts for seven weeks with 'I want to hold your hand.' Also; did you know that the Patron Saint of February 1st is Saint Brigid. She was also known as 'Brigid the Bride.'
On this, your Golden Wedding Anniversary, on behalf of all the Forde family, as its eldest I would like to say, "Well done! We all love you. What a marvellous achievement to have experienced before your hair turned grey." William Forde: February 1st, 2014.