CLIFF and Mary (May) Rayner celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on 14 April.
May was born in Fife, Scotland, in 1935 and came to Australia at the age of 12, living in Burnley. Cliff was born in Footscray in 1933.
Both their families ended up moving to Dandenong and lived not far from each other.
They met as teenagers, and would attend dances at the Dandenong Town Hall. It was through this association they became romantically involved.
Cliff was 20, and May was 18, when they first met, and Cliff was doing National Service as a member of the Scottish Regiment.
The story goes that the kilt he wore as part of his uniform caught May’s eye.
The pair dated for a year before marrying at The Scots Church, Dandenong, on 14 April 1956.
Children were born soon after; Daryl in 1957, Denise in 1959, Andrea in 1966 and Carole in 1968, all born at Dandenong Hospital.
Cliff was initially a fitter and turner, before studying further and becoming a production engineer. May started her working life as a comptometrist and costing clerk, later working in a variety of retail stores, and at one stage ran a shop selling jewellery, gifts and baby clothes.
In the 1980s they built a home in Cranbourne and ended up moving to Frankston, where they lived for 30 years.
In later years Cliff devoted himself to voluntary work with Legacy while May was heavily involved with the Pink Ladies at Frankston Hospital.
As well as four children, they have nine grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
May has been in care for a few years at Peninsula Grange in Mornington, and Cliff has recently joined her there.
A large number of family members gathered for a celebration lunch at Steeples with a cake to mark the occasion.
Along with well wishes from family and friends, Cliff and May received a letter of congratulations from the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, local member Zoe McKenzie, the Governor-General Sam Mostyn and King Charles and Queen Camilla.
First published in the Mornington News – 21 April 2026
