Norwich couple celebrate 70th wedding anniversary after marrying as teenagers
Gerald and Vera Gant celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary this Christmas. Byline: Sonya Duncan Copyright: Archant 2017 - Credit: Sonya Duncan
Teenage sweethearts are celebrating their platinum wedding anniversary today after enjoying 70 years of married life.
Gerald and Vera Gant celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary this Christmas. Byline: Sonya Duncan Copyright: Archant 2017 - Credit: Sonya Duncan
Gerald and Vera Gant, of Woodlands Road in New Costessey, met in 1947 at a dance in a ballroom on St Crispin's Road and were married at the City Hall before the year was out.
'It was one of those things,' said Gerald. 'You meet someone and you just know they're the right one.'
He added that he was 'not in the least' bit tired of his wife after so many years together.
However, Gerald is at a loss when it comes to whatever may be the secret to a long and happy marriage.
Gerald and Vera Gant celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary this Christmas. Byline: Sonya Duncan Copyright: Archant 2017 - Credit: Sonya Duncan
He said: 'I don't really know, we just pulled together. She keeps me in order and I keep her in order.'
The former RAF driver worked as a post man for 36 years before retiring while his wife began her career as a shop assistant before becoming a dinner lady at Larkman Lane Primary School, which is now the Norwich City Academy.
Most Read
- 1 House swap sees woman move into home infested with fleas
- 2 M&S to close 32 stores as part of move away from town centres
- 3 Sweet Briar Road 'still on track' to reopen by end of May
- 4 Your chance to meet The Bill star who has moved to Norfolk
- 5 £3,000 worth of beauty products stolen from Sainsbury's store
- 6 Norwich man wins jackpot on BBC game show Pointless
- 7 Eight-bed detached house in NR3 up for auction for £300k
- 8 High-end boutique reopens in its former shop
- 9 Woman with incurable cancer left devastated after car and jewellery stolen
- 10 Party in the Park coming to Norwich with global food, stalls and music
'I still love driving,' he said. 'When I was in the RAF I drove everything from small motorcycles to ten tonne cranes.
'Now I spend a lot of time in the garden as we have a big garden, and I love fishing too.'
Gerald and Vera Gant celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary this Christmas. Byline: Sonya Duncan Copyright: Archant 2017 - Credit: Sonya Duncan
The couple, who are both 88, have three children, Linda, Michael and Alan, nine grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren who all live in Norfolk and proves for a pretty expensive festive season.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip also celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary this year, becoming the first royal couple to celebrate such a momentous occasion.
Gerald and Vera's daughter, Linda, 69, has written to Buckingham Palace to tell them of her parents' celebrations and is hoping to receive a traditional congratulatory anniversary message from the Queen.
Though, there will not be a party for the couple this time around, insists Gerald.
'We've had enough of them over the years as it is,' he said.
Instead, to mark the special occasion, the large family of Gerald and Vera will be gathering for a celebratory meal.
