Jim and Iris Markham talk about their life as they celebrate their platinum wedding anniversary.

Express & Star

Jim and Iris Markham from Walsall, talk about their life as they celebrate their platinum wedding anniversary.

Transcript

00:00Okay then, Jim and Iris, you're celebrating 70 years of marriage. That's fantastic, isn't it?

00:05That's correct.

00:06Which is the platinum, isn't it? Platinum anniversary.

00:09It doesn't seem that long, does it?

00:10No, no, that's it.

00:11It's just a lifetime.

00:13Has it fled? Has it gone quickly?

00:15Has it gone quickly, 70 years?

00:18Well, it's life, isn't it?

00:20Yes.

00:21You know, and that's been our life.

00:23Yes, absolutely.

00:24Raising a family.

00:25That's right.

00:26Yeah.

00:27So how did you meet? How did you meet?

00:30We met at West Brom Dance Hall, didn't we?

00:35Yes, in Adelphi.

00:36Oh, yes.

00:38It's since burned down.

00:40Yes, yes, yes.

00:42We usually went to the Gala Baths, but on that occasion, we couldn't get tickets.

00:51So then we went separately. Our groups couldn't get tickets.

00:57So we went to the other place, the Adelphi.

01:01Yes, and that's where you met, wasn't it?

01:03That's where we met, yes.

01:04Fantastic, fantastic.

01:06And you've been together for 70 years?

01:09Well, we met in 1951, January 1st, 1951.

01:15Actually, I had to go in the RAF.

01:22Oh, yes, yes.

01:23For two years.

01:24Right, right.

01:25Or it could have been a little bit sooner.

01:29That's it, yes.

01:30Because two years we were engaged.

01:34Three and a half years, really.

01:36Three and a half years.

01:37And was it love at first sight, was it?

01:39Well, I don't know whether that's how it is.

01:41You're like, someone's very nice, as far as I was concerned.

01:45That's good, yeah.

01:46You know, not a roughy, you know, just a polite person.

01:51So what's the secret, Iris and Jim, what's the secret of a happy marriage?

01:54Well, if you decide to get married, you have to decide that's for life, isn't it?

01:59It isn't for a couple of years.

02:02And you make vows and you should keep them.

02:04Absolutely.

02:05I'm sorry, but that's how I believe.

02:07Yeah, yeah.

02:08It hasn't always been fair to me.

02:12No, no.

02:13We've had...

02:15Punch.

02:16We haven't had punches.

02:21But there are times when things don't go straight forward, but you get over them.

02:29Well, that's like every marriage, isn't it?

02:30And especially when you have children.

02:32Yes, yes.

02:33Once you have children, that's definitely, you have to...

02:40And it really has been pretty happy, hasn't it?

02:43Good.

02:44Yeah, pretty happy.

02:46You have your down times.

02:49Well, it's many more years anyway of happiness.

02:52Yeah.

02:53And I'm sure I'll be seeing you again when it's 75th is the next one, isn't it?

02:5771.

02:58Oh, yeah.

02:59Well, 71.

03:0071.

03:01Look, I used to have daughters at uni and she finishes in three years and I would at

03:07least like to be there when she graduates.

03:10Well, I'm sure you will.

03:11That's lovely.

03:12That's a lovely thing to finish.

03:13Well, then you never know how far you're going to go, do you?

03:16Absolutely.

03:17Well, enjoy anyway.

03:19Congratulations.

03:20Thank you very much.

03:21Yeah.

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