Golden couple ‘met their match’ on the tennis court
The couple met socially on a few occasions at a private tennis court in Durban during in the late 1960s.
UMHLANGA couple, Desmond and Gillian Tobin celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on 6 March. The couple met socially on a few occasions at a private tennis court in Durban during in the late 1960s.
“I missed many shots when Des was on the other side of the net. He definitely was a major distraction,” said Gillian
“Lovely legs and a short dress didn’t help my concentration either,” joked Desmond.
They met up again when they both lived in Johannesburg and it was ‘game, set and match’ for the love birds. Soon after, they were married at St Charles Catholic Church in Victory Park by Fr. Tom Kelly.
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Now, 50 years later, the couple is as close as ever.
“We are still joined at the hip,” said Gillian.
“I don’t have a fool proof recipe for a long-lasting marriage. But I do know that one must be prepared to stand by the commitments made in the wedding vows and the renewal of these vows from time to time would be a bolstering input. Individuals are dynamic, so change in the tempo of life is constant and change is often difficult to handle. Renewed acceptance, compromise and support is definitely part of the recipe,” Desmond added.
Gillian is a born and bred Durban girl and Desmond is a proud Irishman who arrived in South Africa in 1960 with “missionary zeal”.
“I came to Durban to teach in a school for African students run by the Catholic Church. Catholic-run schools in those years had refused to follow the Government’s Bantu Education system and as a university graduate my task was to escalate the school to secondary high school level,” reminisced Desmond.
He made a career change in 1970 when he embarked on a career in human resource development and headed for Johannesburg to seek his fortune.
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Gillian graduated from Maris Stella in 1960 and went on to study domestic science and obtain a secretarial certificate.
Later in life, as a mother of four daughters, Gillian remained an industrious person.
“I developed an interest in perfumes and exotic fragrances. I eventually became a very committed agent for a range of fragrances and enjoyed some wonderful years of just having fun and fellowship with so many interesting and diverse women. It was a liberating experience,” she said.
The couple settled in uMhlanga in 2002. They enjoy family time at their uMhlanga home. They have 10 grandchildren and their regular visits keep Desmond and Gillian young at heart.
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