Real lives: Laughter is key to couple's true love

May and Bill Hogg first met in 1944 at the Westfield Halls in Gorgie, through their shared of love of dancing.

They went on to marry on 25 June, 1946, in St Salvadores at Stenhouse, near to where they both lived.

Both came from large families – May had six sisters and a brother while Bill had two brothers and twin sisters.

Both are now the last surviving member of each family.

Bill had a long career on the railway and retired from there at the age of 65. May had various part-time jobs in the city.

But, outside work, they were regular visitors to the BMC club in Gorgie Road, where they could continue to enjoy their love of dancing. They have both been members there for several decades.

May, 91, now needs full-time care and is a resident of Colinton Care Home while Bill, 93, remains in their sheltered house in Gorgie Road and goes to visit his wife as often as he can.

The couple have three children, six grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter.

May and Bill celebrated 70 years of marriage in the lounge at Colinton Care home with their family and they received a card from the Queen in tribute to their very special anniversary.

To mark Valentine’s Day, their granddaughter Pauline has revealed what the pair say is the secret to their happiness – laughter.

She said: “My grandparents say that having a good sense of humour leads to a happy marriage.

“When my grandad retired from the railway at age 65, they did everything together, even going for shopping every day. My gran would say ‘Come on Bill, get your coat on and get the shopping bags at the ready’.

“My gran went to the local hairdresser every Saturday. Unfortunately she fell and broke her hip eight years ago,.

“Once she’d recovered, she wasn’t willing to give up her trips to the hairdressers, so she made my grandad go there with her every week. The poor man had to sit in the hairdressers, reading his papers for about an hour while she got her hair done. That is true love.”

Pauline added: “My granddad recently said to me “I just do what she tells me, that is the secret”, and it clearly works for them.”

The couple plan to meet up for a Valentine’s Day dinner today to celebrate being together for more than seven decades.