A loving 87-year-old husband has kept the same postage-stamp-sized photo of his wife in his wallet ever since she gave it to him on one of their first dates—all the way back in 1950.
Sprightly Ken Aveyard, from Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, was just 17 years old when he received the beautiful black and white picture from his sweetheart Margery, who was 16 at the time.
Little did the teenage Ken know but that very same image would remain in his trouser pocket, protected by countless wallets, for the next 70 years, right up until today.
The retired salesman, who celebrated 65 years of marriage to Margery on March 17, said he has cherished the photo all these years because of its sentimental value.
“The photo of Margery is very important to me, it means an awful lot,” Ken said. “She gave it to me in the early days and it’s just something that has stuck with me.
“At the time it was a lovely gesture from Margery and I liked her a lot, so I decided to put the photo in my wallet. As the years have gone by my wallets have changed, but the photo always remains.
“It’s certainly something I’ll keep forever.”
Ken and Margery met as teenagers in 1950 when they were both working for the same firm, Yorkshire Egg Producers. He would collect eggs from farms across Yorkshire while she worked in the office.
They had only spoken in passing for some time before they got chatting at a charity cricket match, which sports-lover Ken was playing in, and hit it off.
The young couple got to know each other by going dancing on Saturday nights and then to the cinema on Sunday evenings.
It was during one of these early encounters that Margery gave Ken the photo, which has the words, ‘To Kenneth with love from Margery,’ written on the back.
He responded by giving her a picture of himself, which Margery has also cherished all these years, although in an album as opposed to in her purse.
“I think it’s lovely that Ken has kept hold of the picture all these years,” said Margery, 86, speaking on the day of her 65th wedding anniversary. “It makes me feel very loved.”
“My photo of him is very special too,” she added. “I’ve kept it all these years as well, although not on my person as he has.”
Shortly after getting together, Ken was called up for National Service aged 18, and served as a driver with the West Yorkshire Regiment at barracks in York.
After that, he returned to work at the Yorkshire Egg Producers, where he worked for 25 years before taking a role as a traveling sales representative for a sweet company. Margery continued to work for the egg company for the next 40 years.
The couple got married in 1956, and their son Adrian was born shortly afterward.
Ken and Margery celebrated their 65th anniversary with a steak dinner and a bottle of wine. They also received a card of congratulations from the Queen.
Ken said: “It’s been a lovely day, I’m very grateful. We’re just in love now as we were when we first met.
“We have had a good marriage and, hopefully, it will continue for some time yet.”
In retirement, the couple enjoys traveling and has been to America, Italy, Portugal, and France.
“Hopefully when things get back to normal we can get back to traveling again,” Ken said.
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