5:00pm Thursday 29th July 2010
A COUPLE from Headington say the secret to six decades of wedded bliss is not to rush into marriage.
Beryl and John Warland today celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary.
The tied the knot 60 years ago at St Andrew’s Church, Headington.
They will celebrate the marriage milestone tomorrow with a family party in their garden.
Former Army PT instructor Mr Warland, who later notched up 50 years’ service at Pressed Steel, in Cowley, said: “You have got to make sure you’re compatible and you’ve got to be quite sure of one another and be sure you’re going to like and love one another.
“I think people do rush into it and hope it’s going to be alright.
“But you have to know before, you have to have that feeling that the person is the one for me.”
The couple met at a dance at Holyoake Hall, in Headington, more than 60 years ago.
Since they exchanged vows, they have enjoyed all sorts of dancing from quick step to ballroom, practising regularly at the Royal British Legion in Marston.
Mr Warland, 85, said: “We’ve had a very happy marriage. We’ve had a lovely time, a lovely life and a lovely family.
“I can remember when I first met her. It was a Saturday night and I saw her going around on the dance floor with another chap. I thought she looked like a very nice girl, so I excused the chap and took over and that was the beginning.
“She looked lovely. She had nice dark wavy hair. I was in the Army at the time and I wrote to her during the week. I did miss her a lot.”
The couple honey-mooned in Jersey for two weeks.
They designed and built their own bungalow in Stadhampton before moving back to Oxford, living in London Road, Headington, before moving to Hawthorn Avenue 21 years ago.
The couple had four children, Alan, Graham, Fred and Carol, and now have five grand-daughters and a grandson.
Mrs Warland, 81, a former tailoress, whose maiden name was Pitt, said: “It’s lasted 60 years, so it must have been love at first sight.
“Like everyone we’ve had our ups and downs but you need a bit of give and take.”
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