Hartlepool couple who tied the knot 60 years ago celebrate their diamond day

Retied joiner Dave, 81 and Dot Ferguson, 82 said “I do” on Easter Saturday, April 1, 1961, in St Oswald’s Church, in Hartlepool.

Sixty years, two children and five grandchildren later, the couple are still happily married.

Their daughter, Julie Parker 59, has said the secret to her parents’ successful marriage is “compromise, caring for each other and remembering you’re still in love”.

She said: "They go for walks together and on nice days they would go down to Old Hartlepool, where my mum is from.

"They would go down there, take a little picnic and sit on the seafront, watch the boats come in and out.”

The couple, from Hart Station, also enjoy going on holiday in Torquay, in Devon, and there are hopes they will be able to go away later this year when pandemic restrictions ease.

Dave and Dot, whose maiden name was Armstrong and who used to work at the University Hospital of Hartlepool, met at a teenagers’ dance in Hartlepool when Dot was 17 and Dave was 16.

The pair wed four years later and while they shared many happy moments together, they also had to overcome some obstacles.

Their first challenge came only a year into their marriage when Julie was born.

She said: “Probably the first challenge was me being born because my mum was very ill. I was poorly as well, so that was a big challenge for them.

"My mum was told she couldn’t have any more children after me. That’s why there is a big gap between my brother and me. He is nine years younger.”

Julie, who has been married to her husband Geoff for 36 years, has said Dave and Dot’s marriage has definitely been an inspiration for her and her brother Tony, 50, who works in health and safety.

She added: “It makes you think how you’ve got to work on things, you can’t just swap and change your mind about your marriage. It’s all compromise sometimes.

“My dad always says they’re very lucky, because they have a lovely family and we’ve never brought any trouble to the door.”