When Barry Leveton was waiting for a train at Harrow-on-the-Hill station in London in the 1950s, he didn’t expect to take the first step in a 60-year marriage.
But the now 84-year-old, from Costessey, noticed a young woman he had met six months earlier at a supper party and struck up conversation.
It resulted in a missed train, an exchange of telephone numbers and, three years later, after a first date at the cinema, a 60-year-long marriage to Maureen Leveton.
Mr Leveton said: “When I first met her I thought she was a lovely lady and good company but it was the second meeting when I noticed we had something in common. The relationship developed - it doesn’t happen instantly.”
Mrs Leveton, now 80, said: “I thought he was a friendly chap and was pleased we had met again.”
They are now celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary, though a planned tea party has been put on hold due to coronavirus.
Instead, they will hold a quiz with their family and host a coffee morning at Norwich Synagogue, where Mr Leveton is currently president and Mrs Leveton a former president, both on video app Zoom.
The couple said the secret to a long marriage is not getting cross with one another, being loving and learning to live together.
Mrs Leveton added: “Having different interests rather than the same ones can be good for a long marriage as it brings an extra dimension and more variety.”
After marrying at Wembley Liberal Synagogue, Mr and Mrs Leveton set up home in Norwich, where Mr Leveton has run the family picture restoration business, Leveton and Sons, which was founded in 1887 and is now based in New Costessey, since 1952.
He is currently working from home as the shop is closed due to coronavirus.
Mrs Leveton is a retired business studies lecturer at City College Norwich, where she worked from 1980 to 1997, and volunteers as an usher at the Theatre Royal.
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