60 years of happiness after chance dance hall meeting

Alex Wright was born in Edinburgh on 6 January, 1927 and raised on Causewayside, attending Niddrie Marischal High School, before leaving to work for Mathieson the butchers, on Ratcliffe Terrace, as a delivery boy.

Although his prospective wife, Myra Anderson, was also a pupil at his secondary school, the pair did not meet until their paths crossed at a dance hall in the Jewel in 1947.

Mrs Wright was born on 16 March, 1930 and raised in Leith Street.

On leaving school, she joined the creamery in Craigmillar, packing ice cream during the week before heading out to dance at weekends.

On one such occasion, she met Mr Wright, who caught her eye thanks to his pristine Navy uniform having joined up when the country went to war.

She said: "I didn't know Alex at all when we were at school. He looked good in his uniform that night though."

The pair went on to marry on 18 March, 1950 at Bristo Memorial Church in Craigmillar. They had their son Angus in 1951, who still lives in the city, with wife Maryrose.

Before Mr Wright joined the Navy as a stoker, serving most of his time in the Mediterranean, he worked on the railways and as a miner.

He returned to the railways after the war, working at St Margaret's engine sheds as a coal man, before going on to take up a position at the former Lillywhites sports shop on Princes Street, working there until his retirement.

Although Mrs Wright devoted much of her time to raising their son, she had a long and enjoyable career on the city's double-decker buses, working as a conductress for many years in the 1960s before she trained in 1972 as a driver.

She was a favourite with passengers who recognised her face over the years, including fishermen from Leith who were known to give her some of their catch on a Friday.

Mr and Mrs Wright have spent most of their lives together enjoying dancing, stepping out at the former Stewart's Ballroom for many years, and more recently for tea dances at the British Legion in Musselburgh.

They have also enjoyed annual holidays to Florida as well as many happy memories with the dogs they have homed and cared for over the years.

They are members of Duddingston Kirk.

Mrs Wright said: "I'm not sure there is a trick to being married for 60 years. We have had our ups and downs, but we have always gone out together, particularly for dancing."