Anniversary Speech - Ron told us: I took Ellen on a world cruise to celebrate our Golden Wedding Anniversary and I can honestly say these words and memories meant more to her! Thank you for helping me make my wife very happy...Ellen is my world!

Ellen and I first knew each other in St. Andrews Square where we lived, but of course she was only a kid to me....... I was seven and she was six when we left the flats to go to the Woodchurch to live in houses.......... we didn’t see each other for a very long time.

The next time was at the Kingslands Dance Hall..... I saw this gorgeous firebrand sitting and waiting to be asked to dance, so I strutted over....... and said real cool,........ “Hey chick wanna rock?”...... Ellen looked me up and down in my blue drape better known as a teddy boy suit and beetle crushers and replied ... “ Have you looked at yourself Ron.... you are as cocky now as you were in St. Andrews Square and when you get rid of that suit, you can try again...... “No way” I said...... “You don’t know cool”.

But I never forgot that twinkle....... and finally I grew out of the drape........ the next time I saw Ellen was in the Kingsland again she was with her pals,...... when I spotted her I recognised the smile and after a while I summoned up my courage and went over,...... when she smiled I could’ve somersaulted........ I squeezed in......or as you youngsters might say I hit on her.....and we hit it off right away...... I asked her for a dance and another and another.... then I asked her for a date and she said yes and we went to the pictures, I can remember the film..... ‘Picnic’ with William Holden and Kim Novak.

At this time 1956 she was seventeen and I was eighteen and I had my call up papers,...... yes I was wanted by my country and I worried about how I was going to keep hold of this doll..... While away for two years..... I didn’t think I had a chance but after a couple more dates and a few more dances,...... Ellen said she would write to me.

Off I went to Aldershot to be fitted for the Khaki battledress and the boots ... they would’ve crushed more beetles than my old beetle crushers..... after six weeks training I was allowed a weekend pass and off I went home...... true to her word Ellen had written a couple of times,.....but when I saw her she didn’t look as if she had missed me that much..... truth was she was always cooler than me....luckily for me we went to the pictures and we realised we liked being together..... I went back to camp like a love struck lethario....couldn’t have shot a fly never mind an enemy......... we started to write a couple of times a week......Iv’e still got the letters.......and here is an extract.........

Hello Ron......just a quick note as I am going shopping with my friends.........we are off to the Kingsland next weekend........Barbara.....the friend I was with when we met.......has a crush on a lad there and she wants me to go with her because he has a friend .......she wants me to talk to his friend so that she can talk to the lad she fancies.......

I was sick..

we had only had a couple of dates but I was smitten........and I remember the letter I wrote back ......and this is the confession bit....I wrote it straight away........ probably while Ellen and Barbara were still shopping...... I wrote.....Hello Ellen........how was your night out at the Kingsland......did Barbara speak to the boy she fancied?.......and did you speak to her friend about me?..........subtlety was never my middle name......and Ellen wrote back to me.......

Barbara left me alone all night with Jim .....again in brackets.....(her boyfriends friend )........I remember reading this line and nearly being sick I was green jealous........and then I read on and this is what Ellen had wrote......I spoke to him all night about you and me....and I told him about your drape and beetle crushers......and how you thought you looked dead cool in them........Jim laughed and said Teddie boys looked daft........and I said ‘ Ron might look daft in a teddy boy suit...you just look daft’ .....

I was estatic

But that sealed our fate to me and within six months we got engaged and eighteen months later married and then we had our great kids and then they had their lovely kids our grandchildren. So what can I say about Ellen and me......she is still my firebrand with a beautiful smile and after all these 50 years we still like being together........ In the words of a song we both like... ’40 years and betters’.....

What is the secret of a happy marriage?...for me it is Ellen.....and knowing my place....I know mine because Ellen told me.....Treat her like a lady, always open doors for her.....this also ensures they don’t swing back and hit you in the face when the lady has a bad day.....usually caused by you of course........Never ever get in the way, maybe go for a pint and a round of golf.....you may not feel like a round of golf but making the odd sacrifice is what marriage is all about.....give and take....you give, she takes...but the real secret of a happy marriage for me without a doubt......without regret.........without any joking.........is Ellen.......

Please all raise your glasses to the biggest joy in my life for the past 50 years .......

my beautiful wife.....

Ellen