Tomorrow, March 28, is a special day for one of Aberdeen’s best-known couples.
It marks their wedding anniversary, and this year Ron and Peggy Finnie are celebrating 65 years together through thick and thin.
The couple founded Finnies the Jeweller on George Street, and nowadays can look back not only on the success of that much-loved shop, but also on decades of being able to give back to their community in all sorts of ways.
But amid the glitter and glamour of the gold and precious stones they’ve been surrounded by for six decades lies a lesser-known story.
The rags to riches story of Finnies founders
It would be easy to think that Peggy and Ron came from silver spoon backgrounds themselves to have built up such a successful business.
The reality is completely different.
Both came from humble and difficult backgrounds.
Ron, 89, was born in Elgin, one of four siblings.
Peggy says his father was “not wonderful.”
Ron’s mother’s tragically early death
Unfortunately, the family was broken up when Ron was five after the death of his mother.
Ron and his seven-year-old brother were sent to live in Fraserburgh with their father’s sister.
Eventually Ron ended up in the children’s home in Aberdeen because the Fraserburgh family couldn’t keep him.
Meantime Peggy, 85, was born in Sheffield and things were difficult for her too.
She says: “My father was illiterate, controlling and an alcoholic womaniser.
“My mum was a lovely lady. But it was a tough life, a job to survive.
“My sister is five years older than me, and looked out for me. She means the world to me.
Difficult early years prepared Finnies the Jeweller founders for life
“My father wouldn’t allow my mother to work, so we were poor with second-hand everything.”
The challenges of their early years made them both very strong, Peggy adds.
Although they grew up many miles apart, Peggy only had to wait until the age of sixteen before she met the love of her life.
Miraculously, they both ended up in Grimsby, where Ron had joined the RAF for national service and was stationed at RAF Binbrook.
He had trained as a watchmaker by doing evening classes at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen.
Ron was able to use his watchmaking skills with the RAF
At Binbrook he was put onto bombsight making because of his ability to handle small tools, as a watchmaker.
So how did Peggy, a Sheffield girl, end up in Grimsby?
Her father had moved to the town for work, and to try and buy a house.
Ron and Peggy met at a dance hall in Cleethorpes.
Peggy says although Ron was classically good-looking, it was his impeccable and respectful manners that won her over.
Three years later on March 28, 1959, they were married.
Peggy made her own wedding dress
Peggy recalls: “I made my own dress. It cost 30 shillings.”
The couple were given wedding presents which Peggy stored in a tea chest and would later sell to fund their fledgling business.
Ron was given £150 by his father, which would later enable him to rent a room in St Nicholas Street, Aberdeen to carry out repairs for other watchmakers.
The first work offer to come Ron’s way when he left the RAF was for a job in Bulawayo, Africa.
Peggy said: “Ron asked me if I wanted to go there, and I said, I’ve only ever been on a train between Grimsby and Aberdeen, no thank you.
“It was the best decision.”
The couple headed north to Aberdeen, where Ron ran his watchmaking repair business on St Nicholas Street, and Peggy worked as a dental nurse.
Becoming pregnant at that point wasn’t in the plan, but five months later, Peggy found herself expecting their first child, daughter Sarah.
Their landlord was unimpressed, and told them to look for other digs.
Peggy gave up work, and harsh financial times continued.
But the couple decided to open their own shop, Finnies, at 193 George Street.
At this point, Peggy’s inner talent for business came to the fore, and she cracked open that tea chest and sold their wedding presents to buy stock for their shop.
“It was a disciplined life,” Peggy says. “I would boil Sarah’s nappies in a jam pan at night in a rented property.
“We’d be up at 6am.
Hard work in the early days of Finnies the Jeweller
“Sarah would be in the back shop with Ron while I was front of house with customers.
“I learned to string pearls and would write to companies to ask for stock, sale or return.”
Finnies’ customer base grew by word of mouth, but still things weren’t easy.
Peggy said: “We worked and worked.
“If we couldn’t afford it, we didn’t have it. Everything was second hand.”
When it was obvious they needed bigger premises, they moved to Finnies current premises in George Street.
“It was a nightmare building, but friends helped us to do it up.
“We employed one, then two people.”
Finnies now employs 50 people.
Ron and Peggy had four children
Along the way, Peggy and Ron had four children, Sarah, born in 1960, Rebekah in 1963, Emma in 1966 and finally Matthew in 1972.
They lived in Cults and had a busy family life with the usual activities and getting deeply involved with the community.
Peggy says it was then that she came out of the shell so badly damaged by her childhood, becoming more outgoing instead of being nervous, stammering and withdrawn.
She said: “We built up a good circle of friends, and I got involved with Cults West Church Sunday school and ran playgroups and summer play schemes.
“I also ran art classes in Peterculter on Saturdays with a friend.”
How Finnies the Jeweller founders have been supporting their community for years
The couple’s support of their local community has been tireless.
She and Ron have always preferred to buy local and support local businesses with their custom.
Peggy started a social café in Inchgarth Community Centre and has seen it go from strength to strength.
The café was renamed Peggy’s Tea Room in her honour in 2010.
She’s a long time supporter of Friends of Anchor, the charity which supports funding of the Anchor Unit at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
For a week in 2010 she rolled her sleeves up and ran a charity shop in aid of the Manor Project in Tillydrone.
Help and support for St Machar from Ron and Peggy
The couple have greatly supported St Machar Academy in different ways including donating musical instruments and prizes for prize-giving.
And instead of having a big party on their 60th wedding anniversary, Ron and Peggy gifted the school a complete new sound system.
Peggy built up a collection of 500 teddy bears and sold most for charity.
The list is endless, so it’s hardly surprising that in 2009, Peggy was made an MBE for decades of service to her community.
She and Ron were both made burgesses of the city, while Ron is also a trade burgess.
Eventually they were able to build their big house in Cults but are now downsizing and it’s for sale.
Their nine grandchildren, aged 10 to 37, are their pride and joy and keep them on their toes.
Ron has health issues but Peggy is determined to care for him herself, despite her own health issues.
On their blue sapphire anniversary milestone, she said: “I’m a strong character and a go-getter, not always easy. I just want to thank Ron for the wonderful life we had together.”
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