Chesterfield couple are still in love and happy after 72 years of marriage

Devoted husband and wife Roy and Pat Backhouse, of Boythorpe, will celebrate their big day on January 12. Roy, who is 90, said: “I love Pat very much and we are still as happy as anything.

"I can remember people that I knew at school kept saying it'll never last but we've outshone most of them!

"You’ve got to keep happy in yourself and your surroundings. We have a laugh together and we like old-fashioned comedians such as Ken Dodd, he was the cleverest fellow. We don’t like sick jokes and we don’t like swearing.”

The couple have a son David, daughters Ann and Christine, seven grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and four great-great-great grandchildren. A meal out with family members may be on the cards to celebrate their anniversary.

Roy said: “I first met Pat when I was 10 and singing in the choir at Chesterfield Parish Church.” Pat was nine years old at the time and visiting the church with her Sunday school and Roy later walked her home. Their friendship flourished and they got engaged before Roy’s 17th birthday.

Roy and Pat tied to knot at Chesterfield Register Office just before Roy started three years’ National Service. Theirs was the first wedding of the day at Chesterfield Register Office on January 12, 1954. The happy couple went to Pat’s mum’s home for breakfast and later celebrated with fish and chips at Bodens cafe and a trip to the Regal Cinema to watch Showboat.

They have lived in the same house in Hunloke Crescent for nearly 70 years, moving into their home after Roy completed his National Service with the Royal Corps of Signals.

During his working life Roy was employed at Sheepbridge Engineering, as a caretaker at Westfield Infants School in Brampton and on a tool stall in Chesterfield market hall before retiring in his late seventies.

On leaving school, Pat worked at Elliott’s sweet factory in Brampton and then at Trebor confectionery plant in Chesterfield. After marriage, she was employed as a machine operator at Robinsons & Sons, firstly at Walton works and then at Portland works clocking up around 25 years with the company.