Diamond couple mark big day at family wedding

A diamond couple celebrated 60 years of marriage - and marked their big day celebrating another family wedding.

Roy and Olive Whitton, of Woolgreaves Avenue in Sandal exchanged vows on June 15, 1957, and were guests at the wedding of their granddaughter Jenny in Tuscany on the same date as their anniversary.

Speaking before flying out to Italy, Olive, 79, said: “Jenny knew it was around that time but did not know the exact date.

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“We were thrilled to bits when we heard and we hope they last as long as we do!

“We won’t be celebrating our anniversary that day but we will be having a party the night after.”

Olive met Roy, who is now 80-years-old, at a dance in Wakefield in 1955 when both were still teenagers.

Although they can’t recall the venue, Olive has vivid memories of Roy.

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She said: “I thought he was great, he was a lovely looking fellow then and he still is now!

“I did not hesitate when he asked me to dance.”

The pair married at St Mary’s Church two years later and spent a few relaxing days in Blackpool for their honeymoon.

They lived in Kettlethorpe before making the move to Sandal 48 years ago.

Roy worked at the Wakefield engineering firm, British Jeffrey-Diamond, while Olive worked at Sanderson and Clayton printing firm.

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They eventually had three girls, and now have four grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Following their retirement, the pair would travel all over the continent in their touring caravan, and while they still like to venture, they tend to stay a bit closer to home.

And like all long-lasting couples, they have their own secret to what makes for a successful marriage.

Olive joked: “You can’t give up at the first hurdle and you have got to have a sense of humour when you’re married!”