65 years of marriage is an incredible achievement, and it is a milestone Jim and Betty Barham have been able to share in 2021.
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The couple were married at the Rupanyup Methodist Church on March 17, 1956 and they haven't looked back, with family, business, travel and sport defining much of their lives together.
Mrs Barham grew up in Murtoa, while Mr Barham was born and raised in Marnoo.
The pair first crossed paths at a Rupanyup Football Netball Club function when Mr Barham had to do some maths equations.
"How did we meet? That's a long story," Mrs Barham said.
"He played football for Rupanyup and I played netball for Rupanyup and some weekends we had square dancing events.
"I always wanted to meet this young lady and I did a calculation on the day," Mr Barham said.
"It was the days when the girls go one way and the boys went the other and stopped.
"And I had to do a quick calculation to see where I had to be to stop in the right place and that was that.
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"And I have been spot on ever since.
"She married me for a lot of things, but not my dancing."
From that dance, Mr and Mrs Barham took quite a liking to each other as they began a two year courtship.
THE EARLY YEARS
The pair, who are just five weeks apart from each other in age, continued courting for a year before the Mr Barham's proposal at Easter of 1955.
Around 12 months later, on March 17, 1956 the pair were married at the the Rupanyup Methodist Church, before a reception ceremony was held at the Rupanyup Hall.
"It was quite a good day weather wise. Most of the people in those days used to get married in the morning, reception afterwards and then went and played sport in the afternoon," Mrs Barham said.
"It wasn't the big huge fuss we have today.
"I came up with the measles on the morning of the wedding and I was not well at all.
"But, I got through the day and it only got better from then on."
The pair said there was around 100 people at the wedding before, they set off for their honeymoon, in which they travelled from Rupanyup, to Bendigo, to Bright, down to Lakes Entrance and then visiting the city for a sporting match.
LIFE IN MARNOO
After the wedding, the couple began building their lives in Marnoo with a thriving business and a family soon to come.
"We worked in my family's business which started in 1922," Mr Barham said.
"It was a general store in Marnoo and part of that was agency for real state, stock and insurance.
"We sold parts of the business in 1974, stayed on in part until 1987 and then came to Stawell where Betty and I started up the real estate in Stawell.
"It was all supposed to be part of the winding down process."
That real estate agency was of course to become J. B. Barham Real Estate, before Elders Real Estate Ararat took control of the business in 2021.
Marnoo was home to Barham's for better part of 30 years as their four sons Peter, Ian, Alan and Anthony grew up.
"There was always plenty of company," Mrs Barham said.
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"There was plenty of children and the town was full of kids.
"It was a real family town, just wonderful.
"The little old school out there is at about 10 students now, but it was up at about 70 in those days.
"All the kids played cricket and football with the local teams and we played golf at Wallaloo."
MOVING TO STAWELL
And since their move into Stawell around 34 years ago, the Barham's have been involved in many parts of the town.
"I have enjoyed my time in Stawell very much," Mrs Barham said.
"I was in 'riding for the disabled' as a volunteer for 25 years and that was great and met some great people."
The couple have also spent time working with the board of the hospital foundation, the Stawell Club as well as their commitment to the Stawell Uniting Church.
In their spare time the couple have also spent some time travelling across Australia and overseas.
They are frequent travellers to Rainbow Beach in Queensland, and they also took quite a liking to the United Kingdom on their travels.
"Overseas, we loved the UK, with Ireland, Scotland and England," Mr Barham said.
"We hired a car and did our own thing and it was great, it was wonderful.
"We were also at Lord's when Australia won the 1999 Cricket World Cup.
"I thought it was fantastic and it looked like we were getting beaten for a bit there.
"But we also had some good natured banter with some Pakistan fans behind us."
The couple are also the proud grandparents to ten children and the great grandparents to three little ones.
And despite their incredible milestone, the couple are still looking ahead.
"We have have a wonderful marriage, but anyone who tells you they have been married and never had an argument in 65 years, don't trust them," they laughed.
"On the whole it has been great. We have had fantastic support from our family and four great sons," Mrs Barham said.
"I have always said I have had great support," Mr Barham said.
"And I have always said everything I have done, is not by myself.
"We are very proud of all our children and they are great kids.
"We still have a few good years ahead we hope."
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