‘One in a million’ Fife couple reach 70th wedding anniversary milestone

Anne Methven Fernie was born in Kirkcaldy in 1934, whilst John Samuel Robinson was born in St Pancras Hospital, London in 1933. John was an engineer in the Royal Navy and when his service brought him to Rosyth in the early 1950s, he met Anne at Dunfermline dancing.

The couple married at Kirkcaldy Congregational Church on then town’s High Street on April, 10 1954. John continued his career in the navy while Anne worked in retail, an industry she would continue to work in throughout her career.

John and Anne initially lived in Kirkcaldy but were soon on the move due to John’s navy service. The couple first moved back to John’s native England but then embarked on a jetsetting tour living in Malta, Singapore and Australia

However, they eventually returned to Scotland, settling in Bo'ness and before finally coming back to Hillend in Fife, where they currently reside. They have two children. Philip was born first in 1956 before daughter Carole was born five years later in 1961. John and Anne now have four grandchildren, Melanie, Rachel, Frances and Annie, and two great-grandchildren, Callan and Molly.

The whole family sent their congratulations to John and Anne. Tthey said: “Happy anniversary from the whole family 70 years is amazing”.

By reaching 70 years of marriage, John and Anne enter an extraordinarily rare group, which makes them one in a million. According to figures published in 2017, it is estimated that around 70 couples reach the milestone each year.