Life’s journey has taken couple from Angus to Africa and back home again

THEY’VE travelled far and their journey has taken them from the glens of Angus to the sun of South Africa.

Now Phyllis and James Spink are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.

Arbroath-born James was a young engineer when he first met Phyllis Henderson at the Locarno in Montrose in 1963.

They began dating, got engaged in 1965 and were married at Melville South Parish Church, Montrose, two years later.

Just a few weeks later, they emigrated to Benoni, a city on the East Rand in the South African province of Gauteng, where they lived for nearly 20 years before returning to Scotland.

“The children were growing up and it was time to come back to Scotland,” said Phyllis, 72.

“I’d been back on holiday down through the years but James hadn’t.”

The family moved to Perth and stayed in Almondbank where they ran a village store for a short time before

James, now 74, went back to engineering.

Before she retired, Phyllis worked at the Tesco store in Crieff Road.

The couple have a daughter, Fiona, who is a staff nurse at Perth Royal Infirmary and a son, Warren, who works for a double glazing firm in Perth.

Fiona has sons Joshua, Reuban and Dominic while Warren is step-dad to Steven, Samantha and Amy.

As for the secret of a long and happy marriage, Phyllis said it was quite simple.

“It’s all about give and take,” she said.

James and Phyllis on their wedding day and (above) as they are today.