John and Pauline Denham celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary on Friday 16th August 2019.
They first met each other in 1967 whist attending the Teacher Training courses at Neville’s Cross College. On completion of their courses, they were married in Elvet Church, Old Elvet, Durham City and honeymooned near Fort William in Scotland.
On their return they moved into their first home in Washington Crescent then on to the Woodham area in May 2008.
John was born on 4th November 1946, in Bannockburn near Stirling, Scotland. He briefly lived in Leicester and Darlington after his father was de-mobbed from the Fleet Air Arm and the family moved onto the new town on the 10th September 1951, when with his parents, Malcolm & Christina and brother Malcolm, they moved into a new house in Lee Green.
Pauline, (nee McLauchlan) was born in Seaham on the 13th March 1947, where she lived with her parents Robert and Elsie.
John and Pauline have three sons, John, born in 1972, Christopher, born in 1976 and Andrew, born in 1979. Each of the boys attended Vane Road Primary School and Woodham Comprehensive, before going on to university.
Pauline and John’s other interests have included gardening, caravanning, travelling and DIY.
John attended the town’s first school, in the Bede Crescent flats, and can remember sitting in class listening to the funeral of King George VI and watching the ‘Blue Bridge’ being constructed. He transferred to the new Sugar Hill Infants School and then the Junior School when they were completed.
In September 1958 he started at the Durham Johnston Grammar Technical School, where he also began his great interest and career in Rugby Union and played in each year team and in 1964, was selected for the Durham County Schools Under 19s. Aged 11, he joined the St. John’s Ambulance Brigade Cadets which met in the upper room of the building next to the Clarence Hall in Finchale Road. During this time, he attained his Grand Prior’s badge, the highest award possible in the cadets and was promoted to sergeant, he also joined the Boys’ Club, which was then held in a building where the Magistrates’ Court now stands.
Pauline and John each now attend the Xcel Church, which meets on the Aycliffe Business Park.
Teacher Training began in September 1966 at the Neville’s Cross College. On qualifying, he began his teaching career in 1969 at the Shildon Boys’ Secondary School. In 1971, he moved upstairs to the Junior School. When the Juniors and nearby Infant School were combined to form a primary school in 1982, John was appointed Deputy Headteacher.
From 1974 to 1977, John was secretary of both the Aycliffe Association of the NASUWT and the Newton Aycliffe’s Trades Council. John was a Governor of Vane Road Primary School from 1985 till 1989. He also became a Governor of Woodham Academy in 1985, retiring in April 2018.
In 1988, he was appointed Headteacher of Ferryhill Dean Bank Primary School and retired in August 2003.
Pauline began teaching at Woodham Burn Junior School. After leaving to have the children, she taught part time before taking a full-time post at St. Francis’ C of E Junior School, from where she retired as Deputy Headteacher in 2002.
At Xcel, Pauline is a leading member of the Reach Out Group which regularly goes into the Bethany Care Home on a Sunday morning to hold services for the residents. Three times a year residents from all the local Care Homes are invited to Xcel for afternoon tea and entertainment.
