Blyth couple will celebrate diamond wedding anniversary with family

John and Barbara Storey, from Blyth, got married on March 28, 1964 at St Nicholas' Church in Gosforth, and will be celebrating their 60 years together with close family at an event next Saturday, and with a message from the king.

The couple have one daughter that lives in Wales and another that lives in Sussex, but both will be travelling back to Northumberland to mark the occasion. They also have five grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Karen Ray-Gain, the couple’s younger daughter, said: “My dad always said that the key to marriage is to be happy and if you are not happy then obviously it is not working.

“He makes her laugh a lot and they have a very, very positive outlook on life.

“My dad has always said to be happy and to be positive, and that has rubbed off on me and my sister.”

The couple’s first date was to Whitley Bay Ice Rink after they met through a friend in 1959.

Barbara, now 81, has done various jobs throughout her life, including working in a hospital’s maternity unit looking after newborns overnight. John, 83, was once a firefighter, a job that eventually took him abroad.

Karen said: “In 1977 there was a big fireman strike so he got a job abroad in Algeria. My sister and I were young then and we all moved to Algeria for four years.”

After that, the couple lived in different parts of the Middle East, including Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, and Bahrain. John began working in fire safety for oil companies before retiring around 10 years ago and moving back to Northumberland.

Karen said: “They have always had a base up north to come home to. They now live in Blyth and they still try to stay as active as possible.”

Now, John spends a lot of time tending to his garden. Karen said: “When he was younger, he used to do a part time gardening job.

“His gardens always look amazing. They have got just a small one in Blyth but it really does look good.”