Well-known Mrs. Helen Fletcher of Harbour Road, Warwick had good reason to smile more beautifully than ever at her husband Derek on Sunday. After all, he was perfectly on time for the start of the thanksgiving service at St. Mary's Church, marking the golden anniversary of their marriage on September 4, 1958.

For a while it appeared the wedding on the appointed day might not take place. In a reversal of tradition, the bride was kept waiting at the altar for what seemed like an interminable time because it was the groom and his attendants who were late.

Coincidentally, that was the date that the Bermudiana Hotel burnt down. Derek, his best man and two ushers were all young police officers who had been called out to perform duty at that event. They did, however, arrive at St. Mary's 35 minutes late.

Derek was born in Wales and brought up in England. His late parents were George Thomas and Margaret Fletcher of Wales and England. Derek began his police career with the Birmingham City Police of England in 1951. He was recruited to Bermuda in 1957.

Not long after arriving he met and fell in love with a young banker, Helen Hill, daughter of the late Arthur and Beatrice Hill of Valley Green, Warwick. She was working her way up towards becoming a senior banking officer at Butterfield's, her rank when she retired in 1993.

Meanwhile, Derek was coping with the turbulent times wrought by labour unrest, the theatre boycott and the aftermath of the Belco strike. When he retired in 1981 with the rank of senior divisional sergeant, he joined the Bermuda Reserve Constabulary, spending the next five years as its executive officer.

He retired with the rank of reserve chief inspector to take on the job of Bermuda Supreme Court attendant until 1994.

The golden wedding thanksgiving service was conducted by the Ven. Andrew W. Doughty, assisted by the Rev. Don Moore.

Rev. Doughty cited Derek for his service to the Anglican Diocese of Bermuda since 1993 when he became a licenced diocesan lay reader, and has served continually in that capacity at St. Mary's.

Among the relatives and friends attending both the service and the celebratory tea afterwards in the church hall were a number of former police colleagues and fellow Free Masons, including retired Commissioner Penny Bean and District Grand Master R.W. Robert Rego.

Derek and Helen are parents of George Reese Fletcher, president and CEO of Ace Bermuda; and twins Sarah Elizabeth and Kevin Daniel.

Sarah is married and makes her home in Pennsylvania. Kevin is in the construction business.