Saturday, August 15, 2020

50 years ago today

 50 years ago I was putting on a grey morning suit ready to go to St Lukes Church in Hoylake for our wedding. I hadn't long graduated from Keele University and had spent the summer working at Hepworth Iron Works to earn money for the wedding and honeymoon. 

My good friend from college, John Wilde and I, had stayed at the flat in West Kirby which was to be Pam and my first home. We arrived at the church in good time to meet my brother Brian who was to be my best man and to have photos taken before we were went to the vestry with Morley Rattenbury who was the Minister at that time. 

 The wedding ceremony and the reception took place without a hitch thanks to Pamela's careful planning. I can confidentially say that all our guests were delighted and happy to be there to celebrate with us. It was a lovely summer day so we were able to have many photos taken in the grounds of Kings Gap Court where the Reception was held.

Unusually for that time, we had an evening reception as well as the Wedding Breakfast with the Eric Fenton Band playing a wide selection of music. As was tradition, I bought the first round in the evening and was grateful that most were drinking either beer or soft drinks. 

The next day Pam and I travelled to Slough with our good friends Glenys and John ready to go to the North London Terminal where we would check in for our flight to Mallorca and our honeymoon at Arenal Playa. As Pam reminds me, I had so few clothes, there was plenty of room in my case for souvenirs. I recall that the lock on my case was faulty and so it had string around it to keep it secure. 

When we returned, Pam and I were keen to start our lives together. We had very little money and only the bare essentials for life. It was over a month before we could afford a fridge and several months before Pam's parents let us have their 12” black and white TV. We had to wait until the end of September before I would receive my first month's pay as a newly qualified teacher. 

Over the 50 years since then we have had many triumphs and memorable moments. We have two wonderful daughters and two delightful grandchildren. Most important though, we have each other. Our love for each other is as strong as ever even if we don't always express it these days.  

Wherever you are reading this, please raise a glass to toast our Golden Wedding with us.  


1 comment:

vv said...

Congratulations, Keith and Pam. 50 years is a great achievement.

Pat and I had our 50th anniversary on 12 August! I would have been starting my teaching career at exactly the same time as you and we suffered the same relative poverty as you and Pam. I think (but not certain) that I earned £60 net for the first month and we rented a one bedroom flat for £2.10s a week. I wouldn't change any of it and expect you are the same. I think we rented a B/W television from Radio Rentals!