Diamond Walsall couple deferred wedding for a week due to church bell-ringing

BELL-RINGING prevented devoted Walsall couple Peter and Georgette Norton from tying the knot on the day they wanted to.

The couple had planned to wed on Saturday, April 2, 1955 in St Margaret's Church, Great Barr, but were told that, due to the bells being rung at the church to mark Easter that day, they would have to push the ceremony back another week.

"We had to wait because we were told we couldn't marry before the bell-ringing," said Peter, now aged 86, who surprisingly took up bell-ringing himself 30 years ago.

"There were also a few problems with sorting out the wedding documents, as Georgette is from France and we had trouble changing these. But it was only a short delay and we were married the following week."

Sixty years – and one week – on, the couple are still going strong and today (Thursday) they are celebrating their Diamond wedding anniversary.

Peter and Georgette – who had moved to Walsall from France to live with her mother and stepfather – tied the knot on April 9, 1955.

It came four years after the duo locked eyes on one another during a dance at Great Barr War Memorial Hall.

Peter added: "It wasn't love at first sight, but we got on very well and continued seeing each other after that day."

After the marriage – and a honeymoon in Paris – the two moved into their home in Hobart Drive, where they still live today.

Peter worked for the Royal Air Force between 1947 and 1949, where he serviced airplanes. He then moved on to work as a designer at Hercules Cycle, which later opened up in Walsall – and continued there up until retirement at the age of 65.

Georgette, now aged 82, has worked as an accountant, an English to French translator for Chrysler, in Coventry and a French tutor for adults at Park Hall School, which she only gave up last year.

The couple have one daughter – Suzanne, aged 50 – along with two grandchildren, Christopher and Rebecca and a three-year-old great granddaughter, Eliza.

The devoted duo used to enjoy games of badminton but today enjoy gardening.

And when asked for the secret of a happy marriage, Georgette initially replies with one word: patience.

"We just get on together and we have never argued about money or anything like that," she added.

"There's no reason in particular – we just like one another and that helps."

And Peter replied: "We have just kept ourselves busy. There have been little breaks here and there from when we've travelled and I think that's made us stronger."

The couple were set to mark their special milestone with a small gathering of friends and family at their home. Read more here:evening dresses