Burgoyne’s love travels far

HILLCREST residents, Jenny and Ben Burgoyne, will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on Friday 16 May.

The couple met in 1962, while working at HW Hall, a hosiery company in Rhodesia (now known as Zimbabwe). Ben was employed as a contractor on site and Jenny worked as a general office assistant. One day he asked her to join him for lunch and their relationship slowly grew from there.

Jen, who was born and raised in Durban, had moved to Rhodesia. Ben had moved there with his family from England when he was 13 years old.

Two years later they exchanged their vows at the Catholic Cathedral Church in Gwelo, Rhodesia (now known as Gweru, Zimbabwe).

Their marriage has been blessed with two children, Cherryl Freeman and Benjamin Garry Burgoyne, three grandchildren, Gemma, Kerry and Jessica, and a great granddaughter, Layla.

They raised their children in Rhodesia, and after they were both grown the couple moved to the Bumi Hills Safari Lodge in Zimbabwe, where Ben was employed as a general maintenance manager from 1994 to 1999. “This was a wonderful time in our marriage. We lived on the lodge and would often have elephants on our veranda. Once, we even saw baboons raiding a neighbour’s house. They just walked out with packets of food,” said Jenny.

Throughout their marriage Jenny followed Ben wherever his work took him, but she did not lose her independence. She managed to find general office work where ever they were.

A year later the couple moved to a tobacco farm, in North Harare, that was owned by Ben’s brother, Ian. There he also worked as a general maintenance manager for four years.

In 2004 they settled in Hillcrest. The couple admits that they have experienced “ups and downs during their marriage”, but they have still managed to share a wonderful life together.

“You develop a bond, like a friendship, and you become dependent on one another. You reach a point where you would be lost without one another,” said Ben.

When asked what the key to a successful marriage was Jenny responded, “Never go to sleep on an argument. You must always work it out. Be sure to kiss each other goodnight. No matter what. Communication is also important.”