Kirkcaldy couple still in tune 50 years on!

Ella and Douglas Ritchie of the town’s Montgomery Street were married at 1pm on September 24, 1966, in Kirkcaldy Old Kirk by the Rev. John Sim.

On Saturday the happy couple celebrated their Golden Wedding at an organ recital at 12.30pm in the Old Kirk exactly 50 years on to the day.

And almost at the exact time that the blushing bride had made her trip down the aisle of the historic church, the organist, John Kitchen performed ‘The Processional March’ by William Harris, the tune which Ella entered the church to on her wedding day.

“It was absolutely lovely,” said Ella, “We both really enjoyed it and the organist was a very nice man.

“He told me that he didn’t know the piece we had asked for, but he had gone and learned it and said he really liked it and was going to use it again in some of his concerts, which was lovely.”

The music was used for the Queen’s procession at Princess Margaret’s wedding on May 6, 1960.

Mr Kitchen also played some other music the Ritchie’s listened to at their wedding, which was followed by a reception at The Ollerton Hotel.

Ella (75) and Douglas attended Saturday’s recital with around 40 guests who attended a cake and sherry reception in the Downie Lounge of the church on Saturday morning, arranged by their friends from the Old Kirk.

Both were stalwart members of the congregation all their lives, serving as elders for over 30 years, before the church amalgamated with St Brycedale.

They continued their association with the Old Kirk, with Ella becoming one of the first trustees when the Old Kirk Trust was formed, and they both say that the church has played “a huge part” in both their lives over the years.

Their Old Kirk friends presented the couple with a framed photograph of one of the church’s beautiful stained glass windows commissioned for Mrs Sim, the wife of the minister, and taken by Ian Ogilvy, the nephew of the organist who played at their wedding.

“It is very strange how everything has a connection and it has all come together in our Golden Wedding,” said Ella.

The couple are now busy preparing for a new chapter in their lives and will emigrate to Melbourne in Australia in November to spend time with their two daughters Alison and Helen and their families.

“We will really miss all our wonderful friends in Kirkcaldy, but we have been going out for holidays to Australia for the past 16 years and we feel now is the right time for us to make the move to be with our family,” she added.