Express & Star

Perton couple still have the 'sparkle' after 60 years

It's not often you can say that the Queen recognises Perton residents.. well she did earlier this month with a card to Mary and Bob Law to mark their Diamond Wedding Anniversary.

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So, where did it all begin?

Mary, then Mary Weston, and Bob grew up and went to school together in Claverley. Whilst not childhood sweethearts, their families were well known to each other, and the couple started courting with Bob 'popping the question' during Mary's lunch break when she was working at Beatties, Wolverhampton. Not down on one knee, rather a stroll to Millers Jewellers to buy a ring – which if you know Bob is just his under-stated, no-nonsense, get the job done style!

The date for the nuptials was set – Saturday, August 7, 1954 at All Saints Church, Claverley. The bride wore a family wedding-dress set off beautifully with a bouquet of carnations and stephanotis, and supported by four bridesmaids dressed in lemon gowns. This was followed by a wedding breakfast for 100 guests at the Village Hall which included a 3-tier wedding cake made by Jacobs (yes, as in cream cracker fame!) for the princely sum of £15! The wedding even made the Bridgnorth Journal with the headline 'Blacksmith's Daughter Weds'. And to think that both the bride and groom arrived at the church not knowing if the other would have turned up following a lovers tiff the night before!

And so, on to a weeks honeymoon in Morecambe travelling by train (although they had to stand all the way as it was so busy) all for just £17 for the entire week! You'd be lucky if that would get you a decent meal for two at today's prices!

The couple returned from honeymoon and set up their marital home in Rudge Heath, and the Law family started to grow – starting with Simon, followed by Lynda, Margaret and Andrew (who, being born in April 1967 makes him a world-cup baby!). The family moved from Claverley to 'Old' Perton in December 1967, eventually moving onto Perton in 1978, when Perton was fields and you needed a good pair of wellies to battle the mud!

Over the years, their legacy has continued to grow and they now have nine grand-children and 12 great grand-children, many of whom, together with all of the bridesmaids, family and friends celebrated the milestone at The Firs in Codsall on 20 July with £525 given to the Prostate Centre at New Cross Hospital instead of gifts to the couple. After 60 years of marriage, we're sure they don't need any more pots, pans, sandwich toasters, towels or fondue sets!

This was followed a few weeks later with Sunday Lunch for immediate family at Sir Jack's Restaurant – a fitting end to the celebrations with both Mary and Bob being lifelong Wolves fans.

Congratulations Mary and Bob – true Pertonians!

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