ST Mary’s parish church’s Mothers Union has paid tribute to a pair of stalwarts who celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary last month.
Revd John Moore and his wife, Doreen, have been active members in the Barnard Castle community since arriving in the town in 1974.
Mrs Moore served as leader of the Mothers’ Union for more then three decades before stepping down last year, while her husband served for many years as Barnard Castle School chaplain and ran a talking newspaper for people with vision problems. He was also involved with the Dale Community Alarm Trust.
Members of the union presented the couple with flowers, gifts and a specially baked cake during their meeting on Monday, September 3.
Mr Moore said moving to Barnard Castle from the South had been a pivotal moment in their lives. He added: “I had no intention of coming up here, but that is the thing that changed our lives. We will never go back down South.”
The pair met while both serving as Sunday School teachers and got chatting about the subjects they were teaching where it emerged they both taught economics.
Mr Moore said: “That was our first conversation.”
Their friendship bloomed but it wasn’t until he completed military service that they were married at St Mark’s Church, in Forest gate, London, on August 30, 1958.
The couple attributed the success of their marriage to “caring for on another”.
Mr Moore said: “My work as a priest and as a school master would not have been possible without Doreen’s support.”
