Diamond wedding anniversary celebrations for Bexhill couple

BEXHILL couple, Sid and Jeanne Randall, are celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary on 12th February, and to commemorate this very special occasion they will be holding a party for family and friends at Bexhill's Conservative club.

And for those wondering what the secret of a long and happy marriage is, Jeanne's advice is really very simple, "you just have to work at it."

She added: "People think that it's all going to be sunshine and roses, but life doesn't go smoothly all the time; you can't part at the first argument '“ otherwise we wouldn't be here celebrating our 6oth anniversary."

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Sid and Jeanne were bought up in Dagenham, Essex, and their meeting was thanks to Jeanne's Dad, who ran a local amateur football team, 'Burnham United'. He signed Sid up to play as the teams centre forward, and Jeanne subsequently went to see him play.

Jeanne was Burnham United's first-aider, and Sid was to literally fall at her feet when, during one match, he fell and cut his hand on a piece of glass that was laying on the ground near the goal mouth.

Jean went to his rescue to administer first-aid and said: "I went with my sponge to clean him up and put a bandage on."

Shortly after this they had their first date, a trip to the cinema, and it was three years later whilst on holiday in Somerset with Jeanne's Mum and Dad that Sid popped the question.

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They married at St John's Church in Dagenham, and Jeanne wore a stunning white satin dress, which was kindly loaned to her for the day, set off with a magnificent bouquet of red carnations.

Jeanne said: "People didn't have a lot of money back then, both the dress, and the veil were borrowed. "

And, despite the wedding being held in what can sometimes be a very chilly month of February, Jeanne said: "The weather was perfect - it was a lovely sunny day."

Jeanne's mum was happy for the reception to be held at her house, and with around eighty family and friends attending, Jeanne said it was, "quite a houseful."

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They had one son, Chris, and when he was six years old Jeanne and Sid decided to go into a newsagents business together - but the extremely early morning starts were not favourable.

Sid said: "The newspaper delivery's came at 4.30am and those early mornings were just too much!"

They then chose to go into a grocery business where they stayed up until their retirement - proving that being married and working together is possible.

Jeanne said: "We were together 24/7 for all those years."

Chris later married and he and his wife, Regan, gave Sid and Jeanne two grandchildren; nineteen year old Joe, who is studying Physics at Sussex University, and fourteen year old Mairead, who attends Heathfield Community College.

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It was shortly after Chris took the decision to take up a job offer and move his family to Sussex, that Sid and Jeanne made the decision to move South too.

Jeanne said: "We did the journey back and forth for about a year but the roads, and the M25 were too much. We wanted to be near the family and to see the grandchildren, so fifteen years ago we moved to Bexhill."

The couple still enjoy their life in the locality, and are both active members of Edgerton Park's indoor bowling club. Sid also regularly has a boys night out playing snooker with friends at the Conservative Club.

The celebratory party at the Conservative Club promises to be a real family affair as, along with family and friends sharing in the celebrations, some of the entertainment for the evening will be provided by Sid and Jeanne's talented family.

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Son, Chris, is a vocalist in one of the bands performing at the party called, 'Going South', and his son Joe will be playing lead guitar in his band, called 'Special Blend'.

In addition grand-daughter Mairead, whom Chris said sings regularly under the direction of her singing tutor, jazz singer Helen Sheppard, will also perform.

He said, apart from the celebrations, the evening promises to be a, "cross generation of entertainment."

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