A Broughty Ferry care home was filled with romance and happy tears as two of its residents celebrated 70 years of marriage.
Gerry and Ena Smith held hands and sang songs as they marked their platinum wedding anniversary at Orchar Nursing Home.
Gerry, 91, and 88-year-old Ena even danced to some of of their favourite tunes.
And Gerry brought staff to tears as he regaled them with memories of the couple’s seven decades together.
He only moved to Orchar House on Monday so he could celebrate the special occasion with his wife, who has lived there for around a year.
Gerald, to give him his Sunday name, is well known in Dundee, having taught generations of children at St Vincent’s RC Primary School.
The Pitkerro Road school closed in 2018 and was demolished the following year.
He was 21 when he married the 18-year-old Davina in St Patrick’s Church, Dundee, on March 31 1951.
The couple initially set up home with Ena’s mum in St Andrews Street.
They were excited when they moved from there to a little one-bedroom flat in Crescent Lane at the top of Princes Street.
It was there they had their only child, a son, also called Gerry.
Gerry junior recalls the house had an outside toilet and no hot water.
“I remember the gas lamps on the street and the Leerie came round to light them at night,” he said.
The family lived there until around 1960, when they moved to Ellengowan Drive, which was also knocked down in 2019.
Veeder Root factory
Gerry began his working life as a motor mechanic but moved to the Veeder Root factory, now known as Stoneridge Electronics.
“He moved there from the garage because the factory was paying about three times the wages,” said Gerry junior.
“He stayed there till he was about 40 and the factory started discarding staff.”
Although Gerry had left school at 14, he decided to go to night school to gain the qualifications needed to start teacher training.
“He qualified as a teacher and worked at St Vincent’s school until he retired,” said Gerry.
“My daughter discovered a Facebook page last year where former pupils were reminiscing about my dad and what a good teacher he was.
“That was really nice to read and my daughter was able to tell them he’s still alive and doing well.”
Flax mill
Ena, meanwhile, was a weaver in one of Dundee’s flax mills.
She left there around the same time Gerry left Veeder Root and trained as a civil servant.
“She worked for what was then known as the DHSS in the social security side,” Gerry said.
“Mum moved into the care home about a year ago but dad only went in on Monday.
“He wanted to move in in time to celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary together.
“The home gave them a really good day and there were a few happy tears.”