A COUPLE who met while doing farm work during the Second World War celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary at the weekend.

Arthur and Joan Clifford (nee Norman), who now live in Ducklington, met in 1943 when Mr Clifford was working on a farm in Balscote and Mrs Clifford had been drafted into the Land Army to work the land replacing the fighting men.

The couple were married on December 16, 1944, at St Paul’s Church in Mill Hill, London.

Mrs Clifford, now 94, recalls she first met her future husband when he asked her if she would like to go to a farmers’ meeting in Bloxham.

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The now 91-year-old then stepped up his romantic efforts by offering to cycle into Banbury, eight miles away, and buy a record Mrs Clifford wanted. She recalls fondly he did not ask her to pay for it.

Mrs Clifford stayed in the Land Army until it was demobilised in 1949.

The couple moved to Sutton Courtenay after the war, where Mr Clifford worked on a farm for the rest of his career and Mrs Clifford worked in a number of jobs including a nursery and in the building trade. She also periodically helped her husband out on the farm and took time out to have their daughter Ann Rolls, now 65.

The couple moved to Ducklington four years ago.

Asked about the secret of their long marriage, Mrs Clifford said: “Arthur always says it’s because we share everything. Even if we have a chocolate bar we always break it in half.”

They celebrated on Sunday with a party at the Four Pillars hotel in Witney with 60 people attending.

Gemma Rolls who is married to David Rolls, Mr and Mrs Clifford’s grandson, said: “It was a lovely day, it was very touching.

“My husband stood up and did a toast and Joan stood up and spoke and it was lovely to see how many people attended.”

Oxford Mail:

  • Joan and Arthur Clifford mark their 70th wedding anniversary with their family, back row from left, Gemma, David and Harrison Rolls; middle from left, Ann, Joshua and Tracy Rolls, and front, Alfie Rolls

Ann Rolls, the couple’s daughter, said: “It went very well.

“Mum and Dad met all their friends and people travelled from Scotland, Norfolk and Lincoln.

“People also came from Sutton Courtenay where they used to live and some of their friends stood up and gave a toast on behalf of all their friends. It was really, really lovely.

“The Four Pillars did us proud they couldn’t do enough for us. I actually wrote to the general manager there yesterday and thanked him.”

Donations were collected on the day for the Guide Dogs for the Blind charity.

The couple have two grandchildren, David Rolls, 37, who lives in Carterton, and Tracy Rolls, 34, who lives with her mother Ann, in Ducklington.

They also have three great grandchildren, Harrison, three, Alfie, seven, and Joshua, aged 12.


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