Grantham golden couple say laughter and looking on bright side of life is key to happiness

A couple are celebrating 50 years of marriage after meeting at a dance when they were teenagers.

Lance and Ann Gilbert, of Harrowby Lane, Grantham, were just 17 and 18 years old when they met at the John Wise club in George Street, Grantham, in April 1967.

After courting for three years, the couple were married at St Wulfram’s Church in July 1970, with a reception at Westgate Social Club and a honeymoon on the East Coast.

They lived in Queensway for 13 years before moving to Harrowby Lane, where they have lived for the past 37 years.

During that time, they had three sons, Dale in 1972, followed by Carl in 1974 and Johnny in 1981.

To support the family, Lance, who celebrated his 70th birthday on Tuesday, worked as a roofer before moving to Autocraft Engineering, where he worked for 30 years before his retirement five years ago.

Ann worked at Witham Contours, a lingerie store on Harlaxton Road, for 29 years before getting a job at Asda in Grantham, where she remained for 17 years before retiring five years ago.

The close family enjoyed lots of caravan holidays and plenty of family days out. They particularly enjoyed travelling to see their family “up North”.

The retired couple now enjoy walking together and gardening.

Ann is also a big fan of puzzles and swimming, whereas Lance is well known for keeping racing pigeons, which he has done since 1972.

The couple also regularly enjoy coach holidays to Scotland.

They also love to spend a lot of their time with their five grandchildren, Jessica, 17, Sam, 15, Scarlett, 12, Archie, nine, and four-year-old Finley. Their sixth grandchild is due in November.

To celebrate their golden wedding today, the couple had booked to go to Filey in Scarborough for a long weekend with the family, but it was cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.

They are instead having a barbecue at son Johnny’s house with the grandchildren.

Ann, 69, said: “All that matters is that we are all here and all healthy.”

When asked what the secret to a long marriage is, Ann replied: “I know it’s an old cliche to say but you need to give and take. We also just get along really well and think alike.

“We also like to laugh at the same things and know not take everything so seriously.

“We like to look on the bright side of life.”