Most of their 54 descendants at ‘diamond’ party

“We shall just have a family party” said Mr and Mrs Arthur Griffey, of Midways, Long Lane, Northam, who celebrated their diamond wedding.

But that was a masterpiece of understatement, for they have seven daughters, one son, 22 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren, most of whom were expected.

Both Mr Griffey, who will be 84 this month, and his wife (82 in September) were born in Northam and it was in the Parish Church that they were married on April 2nd 1904, by then then Vicar, the Rev J Dimond Churchward.

For some time Mr and Mrs Griffey ran a dairy business in Northam, but the call of the land was not to be denied and in 1919 they removed to West Farm at Appledore. In 1940 they retired – that is they left the farm to occupy their present house, built on 10 acres of their own land. Their only son, Mr Reginald Griffey, carried on the farm for 10 years until, in 1951, he removed to Meadowview, Diddywell, which he still farms.

Looking back to their wedding day they said “We have had no regrets: we have travelled 60 years together without a fight.”

For the record their other children are Mrs Alice Heal, of Bideford; Mrs Viola Evans, of Appledore; Mrs Stella Gigg, of Norwich; Mrs Arthur Withecombe, of Northam; Mrs Reg Hopkins, of Raleigh; and Mrs Marjorie Ford and Miss Annie Griffey who live with their parents.

Gazette article dated 3 April 1964