Stanley and Mina Hogg are getting ready to raise a glass with their family to celebrate their diamond wedding.
The couple were born within half a mile of one another, Stanley at Simpson Memorial Maternity Pavilion and Mina, whose maiden name is Wallace, at home in West Port. Stanley went to South Morningside primary and Mina attended primary school in Stenhou
se.
The two were pupils at Boroughmuir at the same time, but did not know one other until after they left school.
Mina, 79, left at 13 and went to work in Jones Motorhouse, located on the site now occupied by Waitrose in Morningside Road.
Stanley, 82, left school at 15 and went to work in the stamping department of the Inland Revenue in Waterloo Place.
They met each other in the autumn of 1945 at the Plaza Ballroom, which was above the Jones Motorhouse, when Stanley was 18 and Mina 16.
However, in December of that year, Stanley was called up and sent to Egypt with the Army. He served with the Royal Army Service Corps stationed at GHQ Middle East in Cairo and rose to the rank of Sergeant.
They kept in touch by letter, and when he was home for a month on leave in June 1947 got engaged. Stanley then returned to Egypt for another year before returning to the stamping department in June 1948.
They were married on 10 June, 1949 at St Salvador's Church in Stenhouse and honeymooned at a B&B in Ayrshire.
They lived first with Mina's parents in Broomhouse and have spent most of their married lives in the capital with spells also in Glasgow, Dumfries and Penicuik while following Stanley's job with the Inland Revenue.
Mina trained for some time as a nurse, but stopped her training due to one of the family's moves. They now live in Gilmerton. By the time of their retirement, both were working for the Inland Revenue.
Stanley recalls highlights of their married years as the birth of their children and their first home after leaving Mina's family: "I remember our very first house in Glasgow, which was a second floor flat. It was just a bedroom, sitting room and kitchen but it had an inside toilet and in 1949 that was the height of luxury!"
The couple have four children, David (known as Stan) 58, Billy, 56, Linda, 54 and Norma, 45, and also 10 grandchildren, ranging in age from 11 to 30.
The couple's first great grandchild is due in August this year.
Stan said the secrets of their long and happy marriage were understanding and endurance. He said: "I think it's all about communication. My wife said not long ago – Stan and Mina – if you take the 'n' off Stan, it spells Stamina, and I suppose that is the secret. We had our first boy in 1951, our second in '53, our first daughter in '55 and Norma was nine years later, so it was definitely a question of stamina."
They plan to celebrate their diamond anniversary with a family occasion at Lothianburn Golf Club on 6 June. It will be the first of two celebrations for Mina this year – she will mark her 80th birthday in July.
The full article contains 544 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
