By Julie Waters
LOVE can most certainly last a lifetime as Jean and Harold Walker proved when they celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary recently.
For this wonderful couple, both now aged 81, first met when they were just five years old in Carr’s Glen Primary School.
Distance may have kept them apart in those early years – they sat at different sides of the classroom – but true love reunited them when they were 17 years of age and they have never looked back.
At the age of 21, the happy couple were married on March 5, 1966, at St Silas church, on the
Cliftonville Road, in Belfast. They were thrilled when their family grew to include their children Pauline and Mark and latterly their grandchildren Robbie, Victoria and Charlotte and most recently their great-grandchild Lila Jean.
Their diamond anniversary was given the royal seal of approval when they received a special card from Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla.
The royal couple said they were delighted to send their ‘warmest congratulations and heartfelt good wishes on this happy occasion’.
Recalling how they first met Jean said: “We both went to Carr’s Glen Primary School together and we were in the same class from when we were five years of age. But we were separated for secondary school when I went to the Girls’ Model and he went to the Boys’ Model.”
The pair were destined to be together as they met many years later as teenagers and would go on to spend many a happy evening jiving in the Floral Hall ballroom.
Recalling their early years together Harold said: “We were 17 when we met up as friends, and we would mainly meet in the Floral Hall, in Belfast.”
Said Jean: “We enjoyed every Saturday night dancing, we were jiving. They were lovely, lovely years.”
When Harold later asked Jean to do him the honour of becoming his wife, Jean explained what attracted her to her husband. “I just loved him. He was a very kind, considerate man and we got on really well.”
Harold was equally enamoured with his soon to be bride and spoke highly of her many attributes including her ‘pleasant personality’.
As well as welcoming both their children, the couple spoke fondly of their many family holidays – in particular travelling to Cuba for their son’s wedding, as some of their fondest highlights of their time together.
As to the secret to their long and happy life together, Jean said: “I think it is the fact that we work well together and do things together.” Harold agreed saying: “We do get on well together.”
To mark their special anniversary, Harold and Jean said they were looking forward to celebrating with their family.
