Largs couple set to celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary

The Rev Andrew Taylor and his wife May, who live in Raillies Avenue, are looking forward to seeing family coming up from Cumbria for the big day on Sunday.

The couple, who are in their nineties, first met when they were both in the choir at Linthouse Church in Glasgow, where they were married on December 3, 1953.

Andrew had also been conscripted in the army for four years before returning home.

Andrew was employed by the Donaldson Line as a marine insurance clerk and May worked for Glasgow Western Regional Hospital board.

Shortly after their marriage, Andrew felt the call to the ministry of the Church of Scotland and studied for five years at Glasgow University.

While he attended university, May continued to work until within three years their daughter Moira was born.

After five and a half years of study, Andrew was called to the Union Church, Greenock, which, on his retiral, united with St Andrew’s Church, also in Union Street, to form Ardgowan Parish which is now part of the Lyle Kirk.

Andrew and May spent 33 years with the Union Church, during which time he became well known in Greenock church and social circles.

Andrew was part-time chaplain to Greenock's Larkfield Hospital and then Inverclyde Royal, and also served as moderator of the Kirk's Greenock Presbytery - as well as being part-time chaplain to the Greenock Telegraph's staff.

Andrew was also involved in the printing works at the Greenock Telegraph, where he was a volunteer for 20 years, and he warmly recalls the workplace to be a very busy and happy place to be.

He was also an active Rotarian, serving as president of Greenock Rotary, from whom he received the prestigious Paul Harris Fellowship in recognition of his service to the community - and was additionally president of the Greenock Burns Club.

Andrew and May have lived in Largs since 1992 after the popular minister retired from the Union Church.

During the past 31 years, Andrew has served as a locum minister, interim moderator and as a 'pulpit supply' minister in times of holiday, sickness or during vacancies, and is well known in North Ayrshire churches - until recent years being inundated with requests to stand in at many churches in the district, including Fairlie Parish Church.

Over the years Andrew, who recently turned 95, has written many articles for both the Largs and Millport Weekly News and the Greenock Telegraph, over the years, and has recently turned 95.

The couple now have three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

May has always been much quieter than Andrew, but her support behind the scenes was worth so much to him and to others in the work he sought to do.

Andrew’s pastoral work over the decades - like his marriage - has also stood the test of time, and he was well known to many, telling the News that he has enjoyed every minute of his time in ministry - and revealing that the secret to a long marriage is care and understanding.