by Alan Quick

A COUPLE who met at a bus stop in Zeal Monachorum will tomorrow, Saturday, July 23, celebrate their Golden Wedding anniversary.

Tony Brealy (19), who lived at The Elms, in the village, was waiting for a friend to get off the school bus at the bus stop at the bottom of Rattle Street, when he saw Janet Adams (14), get off the bus.

There began the romance and it was when Janet was 17 that the couple got engaged, marrying at the nearby St Peter’s Church in 1966 when Janet was 20.

Rev John Godeck conducted the service and it was the first wedding to take place at the church since major restoration work was carried out on the church bells the year before.

Previously Tony had attended school in Zeal Monachorum and at North Tawton.

Janet and her family had previously moved to the village from Middlesex and she went to school at North Tawton.

Tony worked at the Ambrosia factory at Lapford for 18 years, starting as an office boy and then working in the store room and in production.

He went on to work at J Hoskins and Co in Crediton for almost 19 years and at Gregory Distribution at North Tawton for four years.

Janet was a shorthand typist and worked first for J Whippell and Co Ltd, clerical outfitters, before moving to Parnell Lang at St Thomas, Exeter and at French’s pet and garden outlet in Exeter, then at Babychic, part of the Heathcoat factory, at Crediton.

She recalled how she would catch the Babychic staff bus which called at many villages in the Crediton area and which saved her a great deal of money on bus fares.

The couple lived at The Elms, Zeal Monachorum for 25 years and it was in 1969 that son, Martin was born and in 1973 that daughter, Jo was born.

When the children became school age, Janet said she was lucky enough to get a part-time job in Zeal working for Bevan Farm Systems, which fitted nicely with school times.

After that she worked at J Hoskins and Co in Crediton for a short time.

Janet played netball in her younger years and Tony played football for Bow and Lapford until he was 37.

Tony also played cricket for J Hoskins and Co for a while and had been a church bell ringer at St Peter’s Church for about 20 years.

For the past 25 years the couple have lived in the village at North Star House, the same house in which Janet lived as a child.

The couple are proud that they have three grandchildren, Adam (23), Jordan (20) and Elliott (19).

Janet has been president of Zeal Monachorum Women’s Institute for 24 years and is also captain of the WI skittles team.

She is the secretary/treasurer for the village hall management committee and is a current secretary of Zeal Monachorum Parochial Church Council. Tony is also a member of the PCC.

Tony and Janet will host an evening family celebration to mark their 50 years of marriage at Hayne, Zeal Monachorum, tomorrow, Saturday, July 23.

Prior to that, however, their daughter, Jo, will be married at a ceremony at Hayne, earlier on the very same day, by choice, making it a day of double celebration.