City couples have golden memories of the festive season

Mistletoe can be blamed for a lot of things during the festive season but few people can attribute 50 years of marriage to the Yuletide plant!

Unlike Worcester couple Edith and Pete Watkins, who are celebrating their Golden wedding anniversary today.

They first met on Christmas Eve, 1948, when Edith's first words to her prospective husband were "Give me a kiss under the mistletoe"!

The handsome sailor, who was on a night out at the Park Inn, Dover, with his naval mates, said no. However, Edith, who lived in Dover, was undeterred and invited him to her brother's engagement party the next night.

"It wasn't love at first sight but probably the next time I saw him, yes," said Edith, aged 71, of Avening Close, Warndon Villages.

Pete, 75, who was born in Worcester, had joined the Navy in 1947, and was working on wreck disposal ships.

Love blossomed and the couple were married two years later, almost to the day, on December 23, 1950, at St Bartholomew's Church in Dover.

Pete was sent to Kenya soon afterwards and did not see his wife, by then two months pregnant, for two years. By the time he returned his son, Derek, was 16 months old.

Pete was then stationed at Rosythe, in Scotland, where the couple lived together before Pete was de-mobbed in 1954.

Returning to Dover, Pete was a First Class moulder at Dover Engineering Works for 32 years and Edith, a nursing auxiliary at Dover's Bucklands hospital for 23 years.

When they retired, they moved to Worcester to be closer to Pete's family and to their son Derek, who had moved to the city to work for his aunt and uncle.

They worked as cleaners for a while - Edith at Worcester Crown Court in The Tything and Pete at Worcester Technical College in Deansway.

The couple, who "never go anywhere without each other," believe give and take is the answer to their long and happy marriage.

"If one person expects to be giving all the time, or one person expects to be taking all the time, that's wrong," said Edith.

"It's true love that keeps you together for 50 years," added Pete.

The couple actually celebrated their anniversary last Saturday with around 80 family and friends, including their two grandsons, Jamie 25, and Dean, 22, at Archdales Social Club, Blackpole.

Boxing Day celebrations

THE secret to a long and healthy marriage is to never lose your temper, according to one half of a Golden couple.

Sidney and Joan Ayers are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on Tuesday, December 26.

"If you have a lot of give and very little take you can make it last," said Sidney, who is 69 years old.

"If we have a fall out, which all couples do, after we've had our say that will be the end of it."

The couple were married at Holy Trinity Church, Worcester, which stood close to Shrub Hill station, but has since been demolished.

They decided to marry on Boxing Day 1950, because it was the first anniversary of their engagement.

"We met in The Pheasant, in New Street, I think it was August or September, it's such a long time back," said Joan, 71.

"I was with my friends and he was with his. We were courting for about a year and then we got engaged. It was Sid's idea to get married one year later."

The couple, who live in Hawthorn Road, Tolladine, have five children and six grandchildren, who all live in and around the city.

As well as celebrating their Golden wedding this year, the family has a couple of birthdays on Christmas Day and Sidney's 70th birthday in January.

Joan said she would like to celebrate with her bridesmaids, but has sadly lost touch.

Sidney worked on the railways for 50 years in the goods car of freight trains. For six years, he transferred to Kidderminster during the winter months.

Joan was working in a grocery shop in High Street, Worcester, when the couple met, but when Malcolm, the first of thier children was born, she gave it up and has been a housewife ever since.

Not only have they brought up five children, but Joan's father also lived with the couple until he passed away, five years ago.

"My father lived with us the whole time, it didn't really affect the marriage, we hardly knew he was there," she said.

The couple say they've had a good marriage and look forward to many more years together.

"I don't think we'll ever divorce," laughed Sidney. "I don't think she'd let me!"

Love on parade at Norton Barracks

MORE than half a century ago with post wartime Britain rebuilding itself, a dashing young Private from the 2nd Battalion the Welsh Regiment attended a gathering of friends at Norton Barracks, near Worcester.

The young man, who had fought for King and country in India and Burma, met a rose of the Faithful City, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Kitty and Arthur Corns married on Boxing Day, 1950 at All Saints Church, Deansway, and are now celebrating 50 years of wedded bliss.

"I suppose the secret to a happy marriage is nothing more than still loving each other," said Kitty, now 69. "You have ups and downs in life, but if you care about each other you can see them through."

Back in Civvy street Arthur forged a career working for the Post Office, while Kitty brought up their only child, Alan.

Later, Kitty, worked for one of the city's best-known employees Kays.

"It is hard to believe we have been together for so long," said Arthur, now aged 74, "but we are lucky that we get on so well."

The couple enjoy an active life going for regular drives in the countryside and enjoying the benefits of their garden in Drake Avenue, Dines Green.

They intend to have a quiet celebration at home, with their son, who alos lives in Worcester, visiting.

"We will have plenty of time for celebrating when the weather gets better," said Kitty.

"We just want a nice Christmas and maybe a drink or two."