Diamond joy as happy Redditch couple celebrate 60 years of marriage - The Redditch Standard

Diamond joy as happy Redditch couple celebrate 60 years of marriage

Redditch Editorial 13th Oct, 2019   0

IT was a Diamond Day in Astwood Bank this week when Redditch couple Ken and Ilfra Goddard celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

The couple were married at Headless Cross Chapel on October 10, 1959, and to mark and on Thursday, 60 years to the day, a letter from The Queen arrived at 1pm marking their 60 years together.

The couple met on Weston Super Mare’s pier in the summer of 1958.

Ken, who was 28 at the time, was a mechanic on the pier and struck up a conversation with Ilfra, who was 19.




He asked her to have a go on the Big Wheel with him but unbeknown to Ilfra, he got his friends to stop the wheel while they were both at the top which meant Ilfra had to spend time talking to him – and they never looked back.

Ilfra was from Ham Green on the outskirts of Redditch, and Ken visited her many times before proposing.


After marrying they lived in Weston Super Mare before moving to Headless Cross in 1962.

They have three children, four grandchildren and one great grandchild and have lived in family homes in Headless Cross, Batchley, central Redditch and latterly in Astwood Bank.

Ken has had many jobs since Weston Pier, including a milk man for Quinney’s Dairy, forecourt attendant at Bradley’s Garage and delivery driver for Ernest Apps and Groves & Banks.

Ilfra spent much of her time as a mother working as a dinner lady at Birchensale Middle and the old Bridley Moor High School, and then in retail at Owen Owen and Alders.

Ken was always a very keen gardener and their children fondly remember the lovely gardens with fish ponds and garden gnomes. Their grandchildren also spent many days with them after their retirement with summer trips to Weston each year.

Although Ken’s health has suffered in recent years, they both reside in Eastwood Court, Astwood Bank and have a lovely community of friends there who joined the family to celebrate with them on Thursday.

And their secret to a long and happy marriage? Always try to agree with each other.

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