A much-anticipated Caribbean cruise had to be cancelled but married life has been plain sailing for a Greenfield couple.
Jim and Sylvia Barber, both 81, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on September 10 but the devoted couple have known each other for more than 70 years.
They first met as school children, love blossomed as teenagers and following Jim’s National Service in Malaya the pair married at St Thomas’s Church Moorside in 1960.
Since then they have become proud parents of Chris and Susan and now dote over five grandchildren and three great-granddaughters.
“We have been friends forever,” said Sylvia. “And we are still best friends now. But it is all about patience – lots of it.
“We must have been about eight when we first met,” she recalled. “We were all kids growing up together at Strinesdale.
“It was very rural back then and we would spend time hay making at Holroyds farm. We had a wonderful childhood.”
For a first official date Jim took Sylvia to the Palladium cinema in Oldham to watch Three Coins in a Fountain.
They began married life at a house in Grove Street – since demolished – at Mumps bridge later moving to Springhead and then to their present home 15 years ago.
Jim, a former Blue Coat School pupil, was a member of the Royal regiment for two years. He served an apprenticeship as a plant fitter before starting employment with George Dew for whom he worked for 46 years.
Sylvia, who worked at Pac a Mac in Oldham before her children were born, was an auxiliary nurse at the Royal Oldham Hospital later taking up a nursing position at Dr Kershaw’s Hospice in Royton.
As for many others lockdown has been hard for the Crowthers restricting opportunities to see see their grand kids: Alison, Louise, Michael, Niamh and Lucy and great grand kids: Phoebe, Isla and Holly
“Jim also loves his bowling down at Friezland so he has missed that,” added Sylvia. “But we are lucky to have a lovely garden which we enjoy.”
Jim travelled extensively working for George Dew and the couple have enjoyed a number of lovely holidays.
Their latest cruise was scheduled for September 1 to mark their diamond anniversary.
“That’s on hold now and normally we would have had a party for our anniversary,” said Sylvia.
“But that seems unlikely. However, it will still be a special day because we have so many memories.”
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