When a sailor on shore leave gate crashed the 21st party of a Falmouth lass, little did he realise it was the start of a loving relationship that would last over 60 years.
On November 21, the couple Bob and Anne Richardson from Falmouth celebrate their Diamond 60th wedding anniversary with family and friends who have prepared a special surprise for them.
Anne is Falmouth born and bred but Bob is originally from Scotland and was chief electrician on the SS Devon when it docked in Falmouth in 1962.
“We were in a pub when he heard music from upstairs,” said Bob. “I asked what the music was for and the barmaid told me that a girl was having her 21st birthday party so my friends decided to go upstairs to investigate.
“I saw Anne and I asked her for a dance as it was her 21st and then we arranged a date.”
The party itself was in The Royal which is now the bank opposite The Grapes.
“I was in there because I was a hairdresser” said Anne “and the hotel owner was a client of mine and it was where I worked.”
“We made a date on the Monday night on The Moor and we hit it off,” said Bob. “We started writing when I was away at sea and couple of years later we were engaged in Scotland.”
Bob resigned from the ship in 1964 and came down to Falmouth and bought the house in Bosemeor Close, Falmouth plot 65 where they have lived all their married life.
“We’re the only ones around here that have lived round here that long,” said Anne.
“Some of them have changed scores of times.”
They were married at Pikes Hill Methodist Church in Falmouth, which no longer exists, with their reception at St Michael’s Hotel.
The couple have two children, Lynne and Bobby who were both born and brought up in the house - both of them attending Falmouth School.
The couple both had local businesses in Falmouth before retirement and are both still active in the community now and well known Anne has been President of the Boslowick WI and is still an active member of Budock WI as well as the Methodist Church in Falmouth.
She owned and ran Cut Above hairdressers in Swanvale for many years before her retirement. She served her apprenticeship at Mayfair hairdressers on Market Street and worked in M&S Falmouth as the staff hairdresser before opening her own salon.
Bob, although born and raised in Scotland, has lived in Falmouth for over 60 years.
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