Hospital's first baby becomes golden boy

A few years on and he's celebrating 50 years of marriage - Dennis and wife Betty mark their Golden wedding anniversary tomorrow with a party at Sidley Social Club.

The couple "both born and bred in Bexhill" first noticed each other while out walking their dogs in Western Road.

"I was with my friend" remembers Betty, "He was with his friend. And then he started throwing snowballs at me."

It was a mischievous move but it worked; "It was good fun. We walked round to the seafront and he just followed us around."

The day they married in a packed St Peter's Church was just as wintery; "It was a bitterly cold day and the bridesmaids were absolutely frozen. The church was full because in Bexhill everyone knew us."

Dennis worked as a gardener in Egerton Park, earning four pounds a week; "Then I saw a job advertised in the Highways Department for five pounds a week so I started there and stayed."

Betty left school at 15 and worked in the haberdashery department of Green's Drapers in Sackville Road, and later in the British Telecom building in Clavering Walk.

Their recipe for successful marriage? "Everyone has their ups and downs and has an argument but we always make it up pretty quickly afterwards. We have been very committed to each other.

"We have had quite a good marriage really.

"We enjoy our life. We love to go away on a caravan holiday and take our Jack Russell Pippa with us. She loves caravan holidays too."