Devoted Gwynedd couple celebrate 65 years of wedded bliss

Eric and Mair Jones spent their special anniversary reminiscing about their wedding day and the happy years they’ve shared together, looking through photographs, enjoying chocolates, receiving some beautiful flowers, and opening cards.

There was a special afternoon tea with a centre-piece celebratory cake and attended by family and friends at Pendine Park’s Bryn Seiont Newydd care home on the outskirts of Caernarfon where they have lived for a number of years. 

Eric and Mair Jones on their wedding day (Image: Submitted)
Mair said: “It was a special day being able to celebrate together with our family. I can’t thank the Bryn Seiont Newydd team enough for their efforts in helping us mark our 65 years together.”

The couple first got together after Eric, 87, met Mair, 85, while working on the construction of some new houses in Abersoch in the late-1950s.

"I was living in one of the nearby houses and Eric spotted me while working on the roof of the new properties and he saw me," Mair said. 

"I was working in the St Tudwal's Hotel at the time and we both worked long hours and Eric lived in Rhiw but we got chatting and it lead to us getting together and we got married."

The couple tied the knot at Abersoch's Capel y Graig on March 7, 1959,  and 65 years on from their wedding day, Eric and Mair are still going strong.

A newspaper clipping kept in the family Bible notes they were married by the Rev Idan Williams. Mair's bridesmaid was her sister Beti and the best man was Eric's brother Gareth.

The article adds the bride and groom were presented with two silver horseshoes on their way from the chapel by two nieces, Myfanwy Wynn and Elizabeth Ann.

Eric and Mair spent their honeymoon in London after a reception was held in the Vaynol Hotel in Abersoch for 40 members of family and friends.

Mair said it was her first visit to the city although Eric had been on a previous occasion. She said during their visit they saw a West End musical show.

The couple returned to Abersoch and Eric continued working as a builder and plasterer.

He also became a retained fire fighter based at the seaside village's fire station. Eric said he served for more than 20 years attending numerous blazes and other incidents before retiring.

Mair's pride and joy was her garden at their bungalow in Abersoch.

"I loved tending to the flowers and seeing them grow and bloom," she said.

She added Eric would mow the lawns and potter about in their greenhouse.

"Until it blew away in a gale," remarked Eric.

Eric and Mair had three children, daughter Beryl and sons Glyn and Harri, along with five grandchildren. 

Reflecting on their time together over the 65 years the pair said: "It's about being there for each other through the good and bad and never take each other for granted – that’s very important.

"We've looked after each other over the years and although our health now is not as good as it has been we've been quite lucky really. And it's good that we are still together under the same roof here at Bryn Seiont Newydd.

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“We have a loving family round about us which we are very grateful. Both Beryl and Glyn live quite near to Bryn Seiont and we see them regularly. Harri, lives in Aberystwyth but he keeps in close contact with us.

Mair and Eric moved to Bryn Seiont Newydd, a care home for people living with dementia, from Abersoch a few years ago and now enjoy arts and crafts, visits from pet therapy dogs and reminiscing about their life and marriage together.

Emyr Gibson, Bryn Seiont Newydd's creative practitioner, said: "I've known Eric and Mair since I started working at Bryn Seiont Newydd two years ago and enjoy chatting with them.

"It is a remarkable achievement for Eric and Mair to have been married for 65 years and I congratulate them for that and wish them many more years together."

Sandra Evans, Bryn Seiont Newydd manager, said: “We are privileged to be able to look after Eric and Mair in their twilight years and their love and continued devotion to each other is an inspiration to all of us.

“We were delighted to help them celebrate their big milestone anniversary which was a lovely occasion.”