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The first time that we met...
I remember it well.
1958.
I was lorry driving at the time.
and I was delivering on this factory in
Longton, in Stoke-on-Trent
and I saw this
nice young lady in the office as I passed the window.
And on this one particular day he came in
borrowed a magazine off me
and then bought me a new one a week after which I've still got.
And then
I asked him where he was going that particular day
and he told me and he said "would you like to come with me?"
and my friend said "No, but she'll come with you tonight."
and that was the start.
that was in 1958,
and the best thing I ever did.
We went to the pictures
in Stoke.
It was a Friday night and we went to the pictures.
and...
and he turned up in black drainpipes and pea green socks.
I can't remember the first film we saw.
How did I propose?
You know, I cannot remember.
I don't think I actually did propose I think I just...
I just assumed
and we just got married.
I cannot I rememberÉ I can't.
He didn't propose.
I think it was all done in a rush.
so no, he didn't propose to me.
Our relationship changed for the better.
We became closer.
It was just better.
Obviously, your life changes
because you're not going out with your friends
that sort of thing changes
but I don't know, you just sort of progress.
Our relationship over 50 years has grown stronger, yes, definitely.
I would say
we're happier now than we've ever been.
I'm 100 times happier now
than when we first met.
There's been loads of happy days, but to pick one out
I think really
it'd have to be
the birth of your first child.
That was a sort of magic moment. I don't think anything can beat that.
But we've had a lot since.
And I suppose there's 51. To get to 50 has been rather special.
We haven't had an easy life. We've had to struggle and...
well we've had no money.
I've had to feed five of them
one week, on a pound.
Because Granddad was out at work.
But we did it.
And I think we've through better for it,
struggling.
I think people
today
I think they go
go into marriage not serious enough.
I think when you get married, you're two separate people,
two different people,
and you've got to
become one really.
And I think
it's a lot of give and take on both parts but I think that's
maybe a bit lacking
today.
You know you it's so sad when you see somebody having a lovely wedding
and two years later down the road
they're separated.
I think that's very sad.
So I think, yeah, it's got to be something that's worked at from both sides.
It's a job in other words it's not just a
It's not just a "Will you marry me?"
"I will", and that's it.
You've got to work at it.
You know, like a friend of ours.
They had a massive wedding. They had the carriage and everything.
They had two children,
Christenings out of this world.
All the trimmings.
And now they've split up. You know, and you think that's only five years gone by.
You know, that's families split up, is't it?
Oh I enjoy being married, yes.
I think 50 years
has proved it.
I would just define marriage by saying
that I've just
acquired a best friend for life.