“If there was a secret, I would bottle it and sell it”: Devoted couple mark 70 years of marriage with platinum anniversary celebration
A couple is celebrating their platinum anniversary
Celebrating any wedding anniversary is a joyous occasion, but one remarkable couple have stood the test of time and are raising a glass to seven decades of marriage and friendship.
Edwin, also known as Eddie, and Shirley Amey tied the knot on Wednesday, June 6, 1956 at St Mary’s Church, Fratton, after meeting by chance when Shirley and her friend stopped by Eddie’s family home looking for his younger brother.
“She came round with a friend looking for my brother but he was out and that was that really - I started off by taking her to the pictures to see a film”, Eddie explained.
The 92-year-old said: “I feel very lucky. I made the absolute right choice and hopefully she feels the same. I don’t know there is a secret but it is just something you stick with. If there was a secret, I would bottle it and sell it. Just compromise when necessary and get through things as best as you can as best friends.
“We got married on a Wednesday so most of the men had to take a day off to attend but it was also the Epsom Derby which was a big thing back in those days so most of the men were more interested that.
“We had our honeymoon in Guernsey which was the first time we ever flew . We went to Eastleigh and it was a grass runway and we had a female pilot who was a war time pilot. At the ticket office we saw John Gregson the actor, so we were excited that we saw a celebrity on the way.”
Eddie, who was an engineer with the Ministry of Defence for most of his life, started his career in the city before getting a promotion which required him and Shirley to relocate to Bath for a few years, before moving to Fareham.
Over the years Shirley also worked part time while raising their two sons and daughter who are over the moon at their parent’s 70th wedding anniversary.
Eddie continued: “We had been married for 16 months when our son was born. It was a surprise I should say - We were living in rooms in Laburnum Grove and we were in the process of moving to different rooms in Meon Road. When we moved, she told me we were having a baby. It was a shock, especially for the landlady - she was expecting two but got three.
“We are a bit blase about it after 70 years but the kids are excited about it. One of them must have written to the palace (Buckingham Palace) because we got a letter from them which came out of the blue and they have organised a party with friends and family.”