Billingshurst couple mark 70 years of marriage

Victor and Dorothy Denman, of Coombe Hill, met through a chance encounter near Dial Post almost 75 years ago.

This week they celebrate their platinum wedding with friends and family.

Victor, 91, said: “My home town was Newhaven and we were asked to moved out of there during the war, so in 1940 we moved up to the other side of Dial Post with some relatives.

“In the December one or two local chaps were out for a walk one Sundays and we spied these two girls and the boys got talking to them.

“One of the sisters arranged through him a blind date. It was really, because it was at night.

“Dorothy came and met me the following week and from then we’ve never looked back.”

But war soon took them apart as Victor was sent on National Service. Victor said: “Dorothy used to write to me every day. There used to be a nice big pile for me.”

He was granted leave once a year and the couple married at St George’s Church, West Grinstead on July 30th 1945.

When his service ended in 1947, the couple went onto have three children, Margaret, Angela and Simon. They now also have five grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

Victor said: “If you have words, of course you never go to bed on a row. Always make it up. Other than that it’s just being fond of each other.”

Dorothy added: “We always kiss each other when we get up in the morning.”

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