Golden couple 'always happy with each other'

Mr Jackson, born in Fauldhouse, met his future wife at a dance at Stoneyburn Miners Welfare in 1957 after she selected him during "Ladies Choice", when the women chose their dance partner.

She said she chose Robert as her partner and "they instantly clicked".

Their first date was at the cinema and they regularly went to West Calder to go dancing, which was and still is a shared favourite past time.

On Hogmanay in 1958, Mr Jackson proposed to Dorothy before the bells rang and they were engaged for two years.

They married on October 1, 1960, at Stoneyburn Parish Church, before their reception at the Masonic Hall in Stoneyburn.

The three-tiered wedding cake was made by a family friend, making it particularly special.

Mrs Jackson described it as beautiful.

The couple's wedding day was a "beautiful and intimate" event where 120 friends and family feasted on a steak pie dinner before dancing for the whole night. Although there was free bar at the reception, it was available to everyone except the groom.

Mrs Jackson, 69, said: "The bar did not want him to get drunk so they closed the bar to him. I didn't drink so I was only on lemonade."

After the wedding, the couple spent a week-long honeymoon at Arbroath caravan site.

A year later, they became parents to a daughter, Margaret, born on November 6, 1961.

Two years later, they had another daughter, Wilma, and their son, Graham, was born in 1970.

The family has since grown with the addition of seven grandchildren and a great grandson.

Previously a miner at Whitburn Colliery, Mr Jackson, 70, now works night shifts at a warehouse.

After years caring for her children and grandchildren, Mrs Jackson now extends her caring nature working part-time caring for special needs children.

To celebrate their anniversary, the Jacksons were treated, by their children, to a four-day holiday in Donegal, Ireland.

While they were away, their children decorated their house and on their return, they were surprised with a big family party at their home to celebrate their 50th anniversary.

The secret to their marriage?

According to the couple it's "just being happy with each other".

Mrs Jackson added: "Arguments are obviously inevitable in a relationship but a woman gives it better than a man."