How well do we know people in our community

Bill and Mavis Jones

65th Wedding Anniversary.

Bill and Mavis married on the 16^{th of} August 1958. They met in the mid-1950s. Bill was an apprentice painter and decorator by day, and a Teddy Boy by night. Mavis worked in a bank and loved to dance They jived their way to their wedding two days after Mavis’s 21^st birthday.

After honeymooning in London, they returned to live with Bill’s mother in the family home in Milton, Staffordshire.

In June 1959 Karen, their daughter, was born.  Not long after they moved to a house “around the corner” with the luxury of an indoor toilet and bathroom.

Bill continued his painting and decorating career, starting his own business in the mid-1960s. Mavis returned to banking, making it to the managerial level. 

Football was Bill’s early passion. He played for Macclesfield Town as a semi-professional. His moment of fame came when the celebrated Stanley Mathews, one of the best footballers of his time, was unable to play. Bill replaced him for the game. Golf replaced football in the late 1960s and Mavis joined him.

After Karen and Derek married in 1979 they decided there was a lot more opportunity in Australia. They emigrated to Perth. Bill and Mavis were in the process of building their dream home opposite the golf club. They celebrated their 25^th anniversary there before deciding to emigrate to Perth to join Karen and Derek in 1985.

Thankfully they were able to recreate their dream home on a golf course with the addition of a swimming pool.

Bill continued painting and decorating, retiring at 65.  White overalled guests wielding paint brushes greeted him. “Burn the brushes came the cry.” With great relish they did.

Then Karen was asked to move to NZ to work at PWC in Auckland. The intent was to live in NZ for 3-5 years and then move back to Perth. But NZ weaved its magic on Karen and Derek, and they decided to stay which meant another move for Bill and Mavis. A search for a place to call home settled on Martinborough. “It feels like we’ve done full circle and now are back in the village community where we started our married life” says Mavis.

Mavis played bowls and Bill golfed around four times a week! Bill instituted a Juniors’ programme at Martinborough and coached the Juniors to some very successful wins. He also created the Martinborough Junior Open which attracted young players from around the region including Daniel Hillier who is doing so well on the DP World Tour. 

Bill has managed to hit his age at golf more than 200 times, a feat unsurpassed. Mavis wasn’t to be left out and had many successes at bowls for Martinborough and Greytown including winning the Wellington Region Champion of Champion Triples.

And now after 65 years of marriage there is reason to celebrate. “We received a message from the Queen on our 60^th”, said Mavis. “Now we’ve got one from the King.”