Barrier Daily Truth

Tennis turned into a match made in heaven

Wednesday, 8th February, 2012

DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY: Joe and Beryl Blackwell celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary today.

 By Kurtis Eichler

Joe Blackwell and Beryl Francis first laid eyes on each other one fateful night in 1946.

They met at the Railwaytown tennis courts, a regular haunt for both, and were married six years later in 1952.

“Every Friday night we went down to the tennis courts,” Mrs Blackwell told the BDT. “We played a lot of tennis in those days.”

The Burke Street couple are celebrating 60 years of marriage but they still remember the day they were wed in the Nicholls Street Methodist Church like it was yesterday.

“It was hot...extremely hot,” Beryl recalled.

Joe said: “We had about 150 at the Burke Ward Hall for the reception before we took off to Sydney in the Comet that night.”

The couple reared two children, Jack and Leanne, and now have two grandchildren, Harrison and Will.

They say married life is all about enjoying each other’s company.

“You’ve got to get on with each other,” said Beryl.

Joe said that there was no boss in the relationship.

“We talk everything over,” he said.

To help them celebrate their diamond anniversary, two members of the bridal party are coming back to Broken Hill for the occasion.

They are Beryl’s sister, Kay, who lives in Wagga Wagga, and Joe’s sister Margaret, who resides in Tasmania.

The Blackwells will hold an open house from 2pm to 5pm today at the Zinc Bowling Club.