WHEN Canon Thomas Nisbett and his wife Winifred planned to celebrate the golden anniversary of their marriage, they had a monumental problem facing them. It was how to pare their invitation list down to 400 people.

That's about how many family, friends and admirers packed St. John's Anglican Parish Church in Pembroke on August 5 to see the couple renew their vows at a Thanksgiving Service and to toast to their future happiness at a reception in a field adjoining the church.

The Anglican Bishop of Bermuda, the Rt. Rev. Ewen Ratteray, conducted the service, assisted by Archdeacon Andrew Doughty.

Canon Nisbett likes to reminisce about how he first met his future wife at her graduation exercises at the Berkeley Institute in 1949, and later that year at Cup Match in Somerset. She was then popularly known as Winnie Smith, the only daughter of Leon (now deceased) and Olive Smith of Somerset Bridge.

Thomas was the fourth child of the late Mr. and Mrs. Eli Nisbett of St. Monica's Road, Pembroke. He had been a lay reader at St. Monica's Church, North Hill, since 1947, was a skilled cabinetmaker and a former soldier in the Bermuda Militia. A romance by long-distance ensued, because Winnie pursued her education at Teachers College in Toronto, and Thomas went to England to train as a youth leader.

The couple have complemented each other well over the half-century, pursuing their respective callings. Until his retirement from the full-time ministry, Canon Nisbett had served 22? years as Rector of Christ Parish Church, Devonshire.

Previously they served in Barbados, St. James Church, and Somerset; in St. David's and St. George's as well as at Pembroke Parish Church. Also Canon Nisbett served as chaplain to the Governor, during the tenure of Sir Edwin Leather. Sir Edwin was among the many dignitaries at the celebration. It was August 5, 1954 that Thomas and Winifred were joined in holy matrimony at St. James Church in Somerset by the late Canon A.V. Sullivan. The marriage has produced two sons, Thomas, Jr., and Michael, and three grandchildren.

Winifred had five educators as her attendants, Leonetta Ratteray Blake as maid of honour, Sharon Simons, Helen Burt, Dorothea Fubler Parks and Rose Manders Davis. Rose is the only one who has passed away. Leonetta was unable to be at the reception because she was accompanying her husband to the 50th reunion of his class in Saskatchewan. Her 96-year-old mother, Mrs. Frances Burch, represented her at the celebration.

Thomas was served by brothers David and Ervin Nisbett, Reginald (Reggie) Ming, who is deceased, Leon Smith, the bride's brother, and Quinton Young.

Thomas Nisbett, Jr. lives in Broncton, New Brunswick, Canada where he owns a marketing company, Petrel Communications. It specialises in marketing special mobility products around the world, such as ambulances, police cars and buses for handicapped people. He is currently president of the New Brunswick Chamber of Commerce, a federation of 53 chambers around the N.B. Province.

Michael Nisbett is on the administrative staff at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital. His Bermudian wife and 18-month-old son were quite conspicuous at the celebration, as was the Canadian wife of Thomas and their two children. Other notable guests were Mrs. Olive Smith, Mrs. Nisbett's mother of Southampton, who two days earlier celebrated hr 96th birthday; Ivor Nisbett and wife Mary from Florida; Phyllis and Robert Elbridge of Connecticut; Monica Sams and daughter Jamila of Pennsylvania.

Canon and Mrs. Nisbett plan to donate monetary gifts they received to the St. Monica's Church Community Centre and the North Village Bandroom Fund.