Diamond day marks sixty years of love (From Witney Gazette)

Diamond day marks sixty years of love

8:38am Friday 16th February 2007 in Witney By Tim Hughes

A WITNEY couple who celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary this week said they were as much in love now as they were when they met all those years ago.

George Kilham met his wife-to-be Stella, both now 80, at the Cross Keys pub, in Witney, while she was waiting for transport to take her to an RAF dance in 1946.

The transport never arrived, but George, who was in the Marines, showed up with friends. After a long conversation, it became apparent that the pair liked one another, and a year later, they married.

The couple, who live in Westfield Road, have two children - Brian, 59, and Alan, 47 - and two granddaughters - Clare, 14, and Rebecca, nine.

Mrs Kilham, who has lived in Oxfordshire all her life, said: "When I saw George, it was love at first sight."

Earlier this month, the couple joined family for a small pre-60th wedding anniversary lunch at The Harvester, in Kidlington.

Asked what has so far been the highlight of their marriage, Mrs Kilham, said: "There isn't anything in particular that stands out. We have two lovely children and two lovely granddaughters, which we see all the time. Both George and I are still in love now as we were when we married. We have our little arguments here and there - but then who doesn't?"