52 Ancestors - Week 7 - Valentine's Day - Mary and John McMichael

Valentine's Day is a relatively new phenomenon for New Zealanders. I have no recollection of it growing up as a teenager  in the 1970s. As most of research is based on my local ancestors, that causes a problem. There is no-one who was born, was married or even passed away on 14 February.

However, I did inherit my Scottish grandmother's engagement ring in its heart-shaped box and after a few sums, I realise my father's parents, John McMichael and Mary King, probably hold the record for the longest family marriage. Their marriage would be perfect for a Valentine's Day tribute.

Firstly, the engagement ring. It is still in its original, tiny leather box lined with cream velvet and satin. Over 100 years later is starting to show its age. The box was originally navy blue, though the colour has faded and the gold tooling has worn off. The little hook on the side is quite bent, yet opens easily. The ring is gold with quite a complicated high chased bridge. Along the bridge are five of the tiniest diamonds I have ever seen. What is most interesting though, is that if I peer hard, I can still read the inscription: JMcM, MK and 14/9/1913, which may well be the date of John and Mary's engagement. I imagine that Mary only wore her engagement ring on special occasions, as though the inscription is tiny, it is still quite clear.

John and Mary were married in 1914. Family lore says the wedding was at Moniave, though the marriage was registered at Lochmaben where Mary's parents lived. Their marriage endured many hardships. While John was waiting to embark for war service in France, their baby daughter, Jean, died. Mary never really recovered despite later giving birth to two sons. Together, the family endured the Great Depression and the outbreak of the Second World War. After seeing the horrors of those muddy battlefields in Normandy, John especially feared for his sons, one of whom was already in the RAF.

Even post-war life wasn't easy. One son emigrated to New Zealand; the other never married but stayed in the Royal Airforce and travelled the world before returning to Scotland in the early 1960s to look after his parents. John passed away in 1970. He and Mary had been married for 56 years. Mary passed away five years later and is buried with Jean and John at Lochmaben.

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