Golden couple reunited with priest who married them
Fr Parkinson helps celebrate
A Gartmore couple marked their golden wedding with a Celebratory Mass conducted by the same priest who married them 50 years ago.
Hugh and Ellen Matheson’s 50th wedding anniversary took place on Friday, October 19.
The couple attended a special Mass with Father Harry Parkinson – who had the honour of conducting the wedding ceremony in October 1968.
Hugh and Ellen were the first couple to be married at the former St Patrick’s RC Church in Buchlyvie.
Hugh (79) was a self– employed builder, whilst Ellen (80) worked as a waitress and as a house keeper at the Covenanters Inn, Aberfoyle. Hugh is originally from Gartmore while Ellen came from Donegal, Ireland.
Family and friends attended the ceremony held at St Joseph’s RC Church, Callander, where the couple are now part of the congregation.
In a bizarre twist, Hugh and Ellen’s daughter, Moira and her husband Demetris were the final couple to be married at St Patrick’s 15 years ago before it closed.
By coincidence, their wedding ceremony was also conducted by Father Parkinson.
Father Parkinson, now retired, has remained in touch with the pair over the years and he travelled up from his home in Glasgow to do the honours.
Hugh completed his National Service in 1962 before returning home to Buchlyvie. The couple then met in 1964 whilst Hugh was carrying out work at the Covenanters Inn where Ellen worked at the time.
When asked about their secret to 50 years of marriage, Ellen joked: “You just have to grin and bear it”.
She added: “The Mass was beautiful and it was very good of Father Parkinson to come along.
“We thought it was a lovely story that we were the first couple to be married at St Patrick’s and Moira and Demetris were the last.”
The service was also attended by the couple’s sons, Hugh and Henry and granddaughters Ellen, Eilidh and Sophia.
Around 20 family members and friends attended the Mass and then joined the happy couple for a Chinese meal.