Golden couple remain on track
A couple ended up with a rushed wedding ceremony when the bride arrived late because of shut railway crossings - but they are celebrating after fifty years on the right track.
Beryl and Maurice Birch tied the knot at Aldridge Parish Church, The Green, on March 13, 1965.
Mr Birch, an artist, is the creator of the Aldridge on a Roll scroll and book of sketches that capture landmarks of the area.
They met while working at the Lander and Partner factory in Walsall.
The retired quality engineer says: "It was a beautiful sunny day, our wedding ceremony was supposed to take place at 3pm that day, but Beryl didn`t arrive at the church until 3.30pm, everyone was anxious and thought that I had been jilted.
"My brother Robert was my best man. I had forgotten to put on my watch and every few minutes I would ask him the time until in sheer despair he gave me his watch to wear until afterwards.
"Beryl lived in Leamore near Bloxwich, and between there and the church in Aldridge were level crossings where the railway crossed the road.
"She had to wait at these crossings until two rather long and slow trains had passed by and when she finally arrived at the church the vicar, the Rev Cartmel scolded her for being late because he had another appointment at 4pm.
"As a result he rushed through the service in half the allotted time. We held our reception at The Travellers Rest pub in Walsall Wood. We love each other as much today as when we first met."
The couple, now living in Mountford Crescent, Aldridge, marked the anniversary with a dinner with family at the Crown Inn, in Brownhills, followed by a gathering with friends at the Lazy Hill pub, in Walsall Wood Road.
They have two children Andrew, 51, and Melanie, 46, six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
