A couple who have lived in Abbots Langley for 54 years are celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary.
At 17, Marian was living in North Watford with her parents and sister when Fred and his family moved into the house opposite. Fred, who was a little older at 22 and owned a motorbike, instantly caught Marian’s eye.
The problem was that Marian’s Catholic parents had a strict ‘no boyfriends’ policy, so Marian had to devise surreptitious ways of seeing Fred. Fred had a younger sister so Marian would innocently say she was “off to see Sandra” and then Fred would haul her over the fence into his garden.
Their secret courtship finally came to an end when the two were married on November 23, 1963, at St Helen’s Catholic Church in Watford. The couple wed in an intimate ceremony on a bright, frosty morning but Marian says the wind was so strong that her veil is askew in the photos. After the wedding, they honeymooned in Torquay, which was surprisingly mild for the time of year.
While Marian was a cradle Catholic, Fred had been raised in the Salvation Army so he had to attend sessions before their wedding. Later, however, Marian decided to join Fred in becoming a member of the Salvation Army, which became the beating heart of their life as a family.
The couple have two daughters, Debbie and Karen, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. and Marian says one of the happiest times of her life was being a stay-at-home mother when her girls were young.
To celebrate their anniversary, the couple are going on a Mediterranean cruise.
When asked for her advice for a long and successful marriage, Marian councils: “Patience and give and take!”
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