Lynne Mowbray

Trevor and May Want will celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary on Saturday December 14.

The Independent caught up with the couple, now aged in their mid-90’s, at their home in Ulmarra last week, to get their story and the recipe for a long and happy marriage.

Trevor and May said that they met in school and started courting in 5th year, at Grafton High School.

“We were in the same class at school,” said May.

“The thing that attracted me to Trevor, was that he was polite and had manners”.

Trevor said that he thought May was very beautiful and they shared a love of Latin, French and English.

“That’s what first attracted me to her,” said Trevor.

“She was very pleasant and would smile and talk to me. I was outgoing, but I was a bit shy with the girls,” he said.

May said that the first time he took her home, was from the end of a party in 5th year.

“There was another boy that wanted to take me home, but I didn’t like him, so I actually asked Trevor if he would take me home, because I trusted him,” said May.

“We liked each other, so from then on, we were an item.

WWII was on during the high school years and a lot of the senior boys left to join the army. We were 17 and 16 when WWII ended,” she said.

May said that their courting consisted of going to the movies on a Friday.

“My elder sister’s boyfriend worked at the theatre, and we used to get a free ticket, which was very good in those days,” said May.

After leaving school Trevor helped his father with their beef cattle on the family farm, around the Clarenza and Glenugie area.

May worked in the fashion department of Gerards department store.

“I was interested in fashion since mum was a dressmaker and always made us nice clothes, so I enjoyed my work,” she said.

The couple married on 14 December 1949 at Christ Church Cathedral in Grafton and honeymooned in what was the small fishing village of Coffs Harbour as well as Johns River, where they visited relatives.

May said that she was almost 21 and Trevor was 21, when they got married.

“I knew nothing about farming when I got married, said May.

 “We lived in town and my father was an electrician, so I had to learn to milk cows,” she said.

In 1950 Trevor began breeding Holstein dairy cattle, which excelled in high milk production. The Clarendon cattle stud became a major part of their lives, generating lifelong friendships and continues to this day.

The couple lived at Clarenza with Trevor’s parents when first married, until a 33-acre farm came on the market on the riverbank at Clarenza, in 1956.  (In 1971, they moved to their current home in Ulmarra).

In 1952 the couple were blessed with their first child Margaret, followed by Kathryn, Helen and Trevor. They now have 13 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

“When our first child started school at Swan Creek Primary School, Trevor said he’d better do the right thing and go and join the P & C,” said May.

“At the first P&C meeting, he was elected president, and he remained in the role the whole time our kids were at school and for some years afterwards,” she said.

Between 1968 – 1995 Trevor served as a member of several councils within the Clarence Valley and was president of the Ulmarra Shire Council between 1982 – 1988. This would also form a major part of their lives, as May would run the farm while Trevor was away representing and serving the community. This was real teamwork.

Trevor was a keen sports person from an early age and was a good sprinter and high jumper and has very happy memories of playing first grade cricket at Fisher Park and nighttime tennis at the Ulmarra courts, which he and May played together, throughout their marriage.

Reflecting on their 75 years of marriage and what made it work; May and Trevor made the following comments:

“We never argued with each other.

We had a shared Christian faith.

We were interested in playing and watching sporting events such as tennis and cricket.

I always supported him in everything. (I learnt to milk cows and could take over when he wasn’t there).

We worked together as a team.

You’ve got to give and take – and sometimes, don’t say what you think!