Royal treat helps celebrate diamond anniversary

Margaret and Frederick Gilbert, who is always known as Tom, shared their special day 60 years ago with Margaret’s twin sister Beatrice, who married Patrick O’Connor.

Beatrice, know in the family as Jane, and Patrick, sadly died several years ago.

The Gilberts , who met after Tom returned from active service in Korea when Margaret was 19, now live at Northfields in Biggleswade.

Tom, aged 81, worked at a farm in Tempsford and as a driver for Biggleswade Wall before his retirement and Margaret, aged 80, was a cleaner at the local police station.

The couple have five children, Mandy, Sheena, Richard, Helen and Michelle, nine grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

They had a big family get together on Saturday and Margaret was thrilled to receive a congratulations message t=from The Queen.

“It was absolutely brilliant,” she said. “I couldn’t believe it.”

She puts the secret of their success down to working together. “If you have an argument you have to get through it and talk it out,” she said.