A batsman always looks to landmarks during his innings. And that's what Audley and Marjorie Tomlinson are looking forward to next year when they celebrate their 50th year in holy matrimony.

Miss Madge and Missa Tommy are just two of the many names by which they are known. Their journey has taken them from Green Island, Hanover (from which they both hail), to places such as Gordon Town, Irish Town, Glengoffe and finally Temple Hall, where they have lived for over 20 years. They have seven children and 11 grandchildren.

Mr Tomlinson was employed at the Public Works Department (now the National Works Agency), for 37 years, retiring in 1992 as a senior works overseer. Mrs Tomlinson, on the other hand, is the consummate housewife. A fine seamstress as well, she holds the family together; a must with so many children. They all know her care.

They will be the first to tell you that staying together for as long as they have is by no means easy, but they maintain that the commitment they have to each other is stronger than any obstacle.

"You must be able to reason together and accept each other's faults. You have to know that when you are wrong, you must be able to say you're sorry," says Mr Tomlinson. His wife chimes in with some 'old-school' advice.

Teeth and tongue

"Teeth and tongue will meet, as old people say, but you have to learn to settle it. Another important word for them is compromise. You can't have things your way all the time," says Mrs Tomlinson. Showing your love tangibly is also a huge factor for Mr Tomlinson.

"When you have a wife, you must love her and support her all the time. For example, after every meal, I say to her 'Madge, I thank you'; stuff like that," he says.

They recommend that young couples should take time to understand each other and encourage each other in everything. And for Mrs Tomlinson, the icing on the cake is "a whole lot of prayer to back up everything".