Britain's oldest newlywed groom dies

Sid and Iris Ratcliffe were no ordinary couple.

They charmed the nation when they became Britain's oldest newlyweds in a touching ceremony last December, but now Iris is in mourning after losing her soul mate, her husband, her Sid, aged 97.

Between them they had 187 years on the clock and married after a 13-year romance.

They met at a bus stop on Bridgnorth Road and love blossomed, but Iris turned Sid down for marriage until finally giving in last year and giving him the happiest day of his life.

"We had a lovely 14 years," Iris, 91, said today.

"He said the wedding day was the best day of his life.

"Sid was active even in his 90s, he did all the cooking, he did everything - I never had to do anything.

"And he loved a pint of bitter and a drop of whiskey - that was the last drink I gave him on Sunday night."

Sid passed away on Monday but leaves behind a host of memories from everyone who met him.

The former tool room supervisor at Chubb in Wolverhampton grew up in Bradley and counted none other than Wolves legend Bert Williams among his childhood friends.

"They bumped into each other just a few years ago and Bert recognised Sid even though they hadn't seen each other for so long," Iris said.

As a Wolves fan he used to watch Bert play at Molineux and was also a keen snooker follower, meeting Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry.

And after meeting Iris he and his bride-to-be spent their time holidaying around the world, with frequent trips to Majorca and Cyprus as well as an unforgettable jaunt to New York for his 90th birthday.

Iris' daughter Pam said 'social animal' Sid was the most positive man she had ever met.

"He wasn't just a glass-half-full man, his glass overflowed," she said.

"In his heyday he was a cross between Bruce Forsyth and Bobby Ball - absolutely full of life.

"Sid was an inspiration and leaves a lot of happy memories with a lot of people.

"Oh and he was a snappy dresser too."

That dress sense was very much in evidence on their wedding day when Sid donned a pink shirt and jumper for his big day.

Cheeky Sid asked for the registrar to speak up during the service and said 'yes I certainly do' when asked if he would agree to marry Iris.

There were tears and laughter in abundance during the beautiful ceremony at Wolverhampton RegisterOffice, where friends and family delighted in Sid and Iris' long overdue day.

After first appearing in the Express & Star, news of their wedding spread around the UK and even the globe, with a host of national and international news organisations wanting to hear about Britain's oldest newlyweds and learn of a true romance which pulled at the heartstrings.

Sid's funeral, which takes place at Bushbury Crematorium next Friday at 3.45pm, will be a celebration, with black outfits banned.

Iris said: "It'll be how Sid would have wanted it to be, a celebration.

"He'd love to be there himself. I just wish I could tell him what we're doing, he'd be so happy."

Pam added: "Everyone knew Sid and Iris in Wolverhampton, they went walking round hand in hand.

"And until recently they were both very independent together.

"They loved their home and I lost count of the number of times I walked into their conservatory and they were sitting hand in hand, fast asleep.

"The thing I love most about them is how they gave each other 14 years of happiness at a time when most people's lives are over."

Or, as a heart-shaped sign which adorns their beloved conservatory puts it, 'they lived happily ever after'.