The event was described by the Hamilton Advertiser in August 1894.
..........Mr. Dunn who originated from Kilmarnock had taken up the job of superintendent of the Tile-making on the Ducal estate under Mr. Matthew Walker. He was born in 1824 at Kilmarnock in Ayrshire and came to Tilework Cottage, Darngaber in 1850 and with his wife Margaret and remained there for over 50 years.
..........The couple had their Golden Wedding on 16th August 1894, in the Reading Room on Thursday evening, when a company of fully one hundred met to celebrate the Golden Wedding of Mr and Mrs Alexander Dunn. The Rev George Blair, M.A., Presided having on his right hand the bridegroom and bride; Miss Annie Mackie, the bridesmaid of the original ceremony and sister of the bride, Mrs. Thomas Mackie; and the Messrs Mackie, brothers of the bride. On the Left supporting the chair, were:- Mr. John Dunn, Porterhall, Lesmahagow the eldest son of the family, Mrs. Blair of the manse, Mr. John Fleming of Knowetop and Andrew Hamilton of North Quarter. The other tables presented an interesting sight, as they were arranged according to the different branches of the family, which numbers including grandchildren and great-grandchildren 75. A few friends from the neighbourhood were also present.
......... After a substantial and beautifully served tea, which was purveyed by Mr Barrie of the Store, the Chairman celebrated in a short speech the event of the evening. "Many years ago," he said, "according to the story I have heard, a cart of flitting passed through Limekilnburn. Seated on a mattress, there was a goodlooking young wife, who kept reminding the guidman that it was a lang dreich road. The young guidman kept comforting her heart by assuring her that "they would sune be there noo," On went the cart on the lonely road, for there was no station then, no Kirk, no 'Dublin', no soup kitchen, no post office. 'Woa-ho!' and the cart stopped at the auld schule. 'That's hit then,' said the young guidman, looking with a very feared expression in the guidwife's face. The guidwife looked and saw a little cottage in the middle o'some broken tiles, an' clay, an' heather, an' some threshes. "Aweel Sandy," says she, "ye can just turn the cairt aboot, an' tak' the family, which consists of eleven children - six sons and five daughters - forty-five grandchildren and two great grandchildren, the chairman concluded by offering in the name of the family and me back to Kilmarnock, for I'll never bide there." How Sandy got her to change her mind history does not say, but I expect a refreshment from the dominie helped a good deal. Be that as it may Sandy managed - what some husbands cannot do - to persuade the wife, "an' ca' on wi' the cairt." The worthy couple settled doon among the heather and the threshes, lived a hamely, dacent, guid Scotch life, brought up a large and respectable family, made many friends in their new abode, saw a stirring village rise about them and great glowering furnaces, singe the heather and melt the iron stone and after they had been married fifty years, invited to the reading room, their family and friends, who said - "Long life, health,. happiness and prosperity to the teuch auld couple, Mr and Mrs Alexander Dunn."
...........The chairman then went on to state that they were married fifty years ago that night by the Rev. William Ramage, of the Relief Church, Kilmarnock, now the Rev. Dr. Ramage of the United Presbyterian Church, Glasgow, from whom he read a letter, offering his congratulations to his old friends and hoping they might be spared to see their diamond wedding.
...........With the exception of one son, who was in Africa, all the family were present. After the pleasing strains of "John Anderson, my jo," played on their violinsby Misses McLare, Grierson and Pollock, the chairman called on Mr Fleming of Knowetop, who made a presentation of a purse of sovereigns to Mr and Mrs Dunn, the gift of the family and a few friends. Several other articles in gold had been already received at the house. Mr Dunn on rising to reply, was received with great cheering. He thanked them all heartily on behalf of his wife and himself.
..........Mr. Dunn died on October 2, 1901. Mr. and Mrs. Dunn occupied a most respectable and honourable position throughout the district and various parts of the country and colonies. Mrs. Dunn who died on the 15, April 1902 aged 78 years still lived at Tileworks Cottage Quarter.