Couple celebrate 70th anniversary on Valentine's Day (From Swindon Advertiser)

Couple celebrate 70th anniversary on Valentine's Day

8:00am Tuesday 14th February 2012 in News

THIS Valentine’s Day is an extra special one for Arthur and Gwendoline Mercer as they celebrate 70 years of marriage.

The great-grandparents, who live in Covingham, met on a blind date when they were 16 years old and later tied the knot on February 14, 1942.

They got married at St Andrew’s Church, in Dagenham, but Arthur said the fact it was Valentine’s Day was just a happy coincidence.

The 91-year-old, who is a retired engineer, said: “It was just one of those things. We went around to the church to see what dates there were and Valentine’s Day came up.

“It was during the war and we were on rations then. All the family got together and used their food tickets. The neighbours helped too to make the going good.”

The couple had a chocolate sponge wedding cake and Gwendoline’s dress was made by the neighbours.

“She looked lovely on our wedding day,” said Arthur.

Their first date was arranged by one of Gwendoline’s friends and saw the lovebirds riding bicycles together.

“I knocked her off her bike and picked her up and picked the bike up too. I was with my wife right from that day,” he said.

The couple were courting for about two years before Gwendoline’s father suggested they tie the knot.

“When the war started I used to go around to her home and we used to sit on the settee and play cards with her parents,” said Arthur.

“One day her father said to me ‘it’s about time you got off my sofa, you’re wearing it out. Why don’t you two get married?’ Later on I proposed and she said yes.

“We have done everything together.

“We’ve been to South Africa three times and went to see her sister out in Canada.

“We have always been together and always got on together.”

Arthur and Gwendoline have three sons, Michael, Malcolm and Terry, as well as grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

They moved to Swindon 56 years ago when Arthur was working as a machine operator at Plesseys and transferred to the Swindon branch.

“I volunteered to serve in the war twice but they wouldn’t let me because of my job,” he said.

“I was in the Home Guard. I served towards the end of the war.”

The couple celebrated their 70th anniversary with about 50 friends and family at St Paul’s Church in Covingham on Saturday.