50th Wedding Anniversary celebrations for local couple

Bowerhill couple, Mike and Jenny Lane of Dowding Way, reached their Golden Wedding anniversary milestone on 10th March.

Originally from Guildford, Surrey, they moved to Chippenham in 1975, where he opened a branch office of his legal firm and she was his secretary for the first two years.  They had met through amateur dramatics and soon joined Chippenham ATS.  Before long, he was in Chippenham Round Table and she was in Chippenham Ladies Circle and they both served on the committees, including as chairman.  They also became involved with Conservative committees and Mike was elected as North Wilts Constituency chairman in 1983.

Over the years they have lived in Corsham (during which they did bed and breakfast for 4 years), Colerne, Henley and Bath and moved to Melksham in 2010.  Mike changed his career in the 90s and became a functions manager in charge of the Pump Room and the Assembly Rooms and also a guide at the Roman Baths, which he carried on until he was 72.  Jenny was PA/secretary to Stephen Bird, head of Heritage Services in Bath, for 20 years until retirement at 65.

Amateur dramatics continued as their main hobby until they were well into their 60s – Mike acted and Jenny directed and acted with the Pickwick Players in Corsham, at the Wharf Theatre in Devizes and with Ad Hoc in Corsham, who gave them a unique opportunity to be on-stage together and with their daughter, in the hilarious ‘Allo, ‘Allo.  (Mike played “It is I – Leclerc”, daughter Debra was Michelle, the French Resistance leader and Jenny was Edith, the café owner’s wife – who thought she could sing!)  Mike is currently chairman of the 41 Club in Chippenham and plays and arranges Melksham teams at bowls.

The family report, “They celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary on Saturday 11th March with a renewal of vows service at St.Bartholomews in Corsham, where Mike is a sidesman.  An address was given by the Rev.Roger Clifton, whom they had got to know in Colerne in the 1990s.  This was followed by a delicious tea party at the Bath and County Club.  There were 32 from family and friends, some of whom had managed to come down from Northumberland, despite the weather!  Their daughter, Debra Pasco, played the piano and sang some of their favourite songs by The Carpenters and the singing of the final song, We’ve Only Just Begun, was by their 12-year-old grand-daughter, Chloe Pasco, whose sweet voice didn’t leave many with dry eyes.”