Newspaper Article 2003 – No time off work for young banker on his wedding day

No time off work for young banker on his wedding day

CHRIS WEBB

When Havelock North couple Bill and Doris Duncan met at school in New Plymouth in the 1920s, they could not have imagined that their friendship, and later marriage, would last into the next century.

But today, as they celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary with family and friends, Mr and Mrs Duncan are still very much the best of friends.

Times have changed since that Saturday in 1933, when a young bank employee didn’t even get his wedding day off work.

Mr Duncan says his job at the National Bank finished at noon, giving him two hours to rush home, get cleaned up and don his suit before going to New Plymouth’s St Mary’s Church to meet his bride.

“Then it was a two-day honeymoon – back to work on the Tuesday,” he laughs.

Mr Duncan worked for the bank for 43 years, working his way up from the most junior role to positions in management and administration years later.

Doris was responsible for running the household and looking after the children.

The young couple first came to Hastings in 1937, transferring to Waihi in 1957 and retiring back in Hawke’s Bay in 1969. Over that time they raised two boys and a girl, who have in turn given them 10 grand-children and five great-grandchildren.

Mr and Mrs Duncan have visited a number of countries on holiday, including Canada and much of Australia, and have both been involved in indoor and outdoor bowls.

Still living by themselves in a flat at Havelock North’s Summerset retirement village, Mr and Mrs Duncan are independent and in good health.

Mrs Duncan insists it doesn’t feel like 70 years at all, while Mr Duncan puts their long relationship down to compatibility and tolerance of one another.

Photo caption – CLOSE COUPLE: Bill and Doris Duncan celebrate 70 years of marriage today.   HBTODAY PICTURE: ANDREW LABETT