Shropshire couple celebrate 69 years as man and wife

Friday 11th November 2011, 2:29PM GMT.

Ted and Georgina mark 69 years of marriage

“I’m a toy boy, by three years,” says 90-year-old Robbie Roberts, who has chalked up 69 years of married life with his Shropshire bride, 93-year-old Georgina.

“Sixty-nine years. I don’t know if it’s a record for Shropshire or not,” adds London-born Robbie, for whom romance blossomed when he was posted to the county in the dark days of the war.

Back then he was an airman at the airfield starting to take shape at RAF Rednal, near Oswestry, and they met when he and his colleagues went to a dance at Gobowen Village Institute in 1941.

“During a ‘spot’ waltz I spotted a beauty and cut in on her dancing partner. At the end I took her home, but we had our first kiss against the level crossing gate at the station in Gobowen. She was a very pretty girl and very attractive personality. ”

Ted Roberts – he was known as Ted back then – and Georgina Hassall tied the knot on October 17, 1942, at the chapel in Chapel Street, Oswestry, and the reception was at her home at 48 Woodside, Oswestry.

“I didn’t know she had so many friends and relations. My parents were down in London and couldn’t come. The bombing was very severe down in London,” said Robbie, whose full name is Edward Arthur Roberts.

A few weeks ago the couple moved from Oswestry to Yockleton Grange residential home at Yockleton.