A couple were King and Queen for a day when they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary at the Villa Bianca Ristorante, in Penrith’s Corney Square.
Mike and Gina Bracken donned their glittery crowns at the restaurant on Saturday in the company of friends and family, just a short walk from their home for 42 years at Portland Place.
They were married 50 years to the day before at the town’s St Andrew’s Church and on that day in 1974 enjoyed their reception nearby at the town’s George Hotel.
With both being Penrithians born and bred, Gina recalls that they had seen each other around town before starting to get more closely acquainted when Mike was doing a decorating job for her brother Fred Wilson — later to serve for many years as photographer for the Herald. “Mike gave me some tips on painting and decorating, which is a useful skill to have,” she said.
They were married about a year later, having got engaged at the Sportsman Inn, Troutbeck, and for the first eight years of their married life lived at Penny Hill Park, Penrith, before the move to Portland Place.
They had two daughters, Hazel — now Hazel Thompson, who works as a nurse and lives with her husband in New Jersey, America — and Heather, who lives in Carlisle and is a manager in social services.
Gina says bringing up the two girls was a major highlight of her marriage and she and Mike are very proud of both. She particularly recalls taking them to swimming events when both were very keen on the sport, before they went to university.
The couple have both been hard workers throughout their lives, with Mike having been a self- employed painter and decorator from the age of 15 and continuing to do the job until recent health problems following a fall.
Gina has worked in a variety of roles, including as a childminder, a support worker in social services, a cook and, for 25 years, a support worker with Eden Housing.
Away from work, Mike enjoys watching football and is a season ticket holder with Burnley FC, while Gina, like her brother Fred, is a keen photographer and enjoys walking. She has also enjoyed doing crafts in connection with her work.
