Midlothian couple says tolerance is secret to 60 years of marriage as they celebrate anniversary
Ian and Delyth Parkinson, who live in Bonnyrigg, have spent 60 years together and have now been presented with flowers to mark their diamond wedding anniversary.
A Midlothian couple celebrating 60 years of marriage have revealed the secret to their long and happy relationship, saying that it all comes down to “compatibility” and “tolerance”.
Ian Parkinson, 85, and his wife Delyth, 87, celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary on September 10, surrounded by their family, after six decades of marriage, which have seen the couple move between 17 different homes.
The couple, who now live in Bonnyrigg, first met in London in 1964, when Delyth was working as a chartered accountant and Ian was serving with the Royal Navy.
Midlothian Provost Cllr Debbi McCall and His Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Midlothian Sarah Barron visited the couple at their home in Bonnyrigg to present them with flowers to mark the special occasion.
Speaking with the Evening News, Ian said he remembered being immediately drawn to Delyth, after she offered him a cup of tea while he was sleeping on a sofa at a friend's flat.
“My wife pushed the venetian blind open which separated the sofa from the kitchen and asked whether I’d like a cup of tea. It all started from there,” he said.
Speaking about their marriage, Ian recalled how he proposed to her: “I just turned to her and said, ‘come on please, would you marry me?’”
But for Delyth, something very important was missing from the proposal.
Ian said: “She said, ‘Get down on your knee first’.”
Luckily for him, she then said yes and the couple have spent a wonderful 60 years together.
The proposal came just hours before Ian was due to sail to the Far East for a year-long deployment, meaning that the newly engaged couple had to face an early test of their relationship.
Ian returned after his deployment, having two weeks of rest instructed by the Navy, and the pair married in Cheshire on September 10, 1966, with their married life seeing them move frequently as Ian's naval career took them across the UK.
They have lived in various locations, from South Wales and London to Cornwall, Dorset and Portsmouth, before eventually settling in Aberdeen where they spent almost 40 years.
Delyth continued her accountancy career, eventually setting up her own practice, while also pursuing her love of music.
A talented singer and pianist, she performed with the Haddo House Choral and Operatic Society in Aberdeen, even appearing in a Verdi opera.
The couple later discovered a shared passion for sailing, spending several years exploring the Baltic.
They moved to Bonnyrigg six years ago to be closer to their two daughters and now enjoy life surrounded by their three children and six grandchildren.
The family recently came to gather to celebrate the milestone, with 30 relatives attending a special lunch at the Prestonfield House hotel before further celebrations the following day.
Looking back on six decades together, Ian said their shared interests, particularly their family, have helped keep them close.
For Delyth, it is simply a case of the two clicking together and having the same outlook on life.
And their advice to younger couples hoping to follow in their footsteps?
“Tolerance,” Delyth said.
“Obviously, you know, you like each other, but I think tolerance is the main thing and never go to bed on a bad word.”
After 60 years, it seems their recipe for marriage is a simple but effective one. Find some who you click with, make each other laugh, be tolerant and above all, always choose each other.