A couple from High Wycombe have celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary at Royal Star & Garter.
Margaret and Gordon Beaumont enjoyed a party and cake with family and other residents at Royal Star & Garter on Wednesday 10 April.
The Home provides loving, compassionate care to veterans and their partners living with disability or dementia. It is also launching new services to reach out into the community.
Margaret is a resident at the Home, while Gordon, who is an Army veteran and lives nearby, visits his wife twice a day.
Margaret was a third year Cambridge University student studying maths when she met Gordon in 1949. He had recently completed his National Service with the Royal Signals, and was commencing his course after deferring university entrance.
The couple tied the knot on April 10 1954 in Stockport, and lived in Coventry. Margaret taught at a girls’ grammar school while Gordon worked as a research chemist for manufacturers Courtaulds.
Among the guests at the great grandparents’ platinum anniversary party at Royal Star & Garter were their two daughters, sons-in-law and friends. They all enjoyed a special lunch and cake made by kitchen staff at the Home.
The Wellbeing Team at the Home edited a copy of the reminiscence newspaper Daily Sparkle, to make the Beaumonts’ anniversary front-page news. Margaret and Gordon also received a card from Their Majesties The King and Queen.
‘I’m very lucky’
Margaret, 94, said afterwards: “I couldn’t have chosen a better person to spend my life with. I’m very lucky.” Gordon, 95, added: “We had a lovely day with family at Royal Star & Garter. Staff look after my Margaret and they look after me whenever I’m in the Home.”
Daughter Anne agreed. She said: “I’m so grateful for not only the care and love that Royal Star & Garter gives Mum, but the care and love they show to Dad whenever he’s with her. They had a wonderful day celebrating their anniversary with family and friends, the Home did a great job organising a beautiful party for them.”
The couple enjoy taking daily walks around Royal Star & Garter’s spacious garden to keep fit. Gordon credits daily exercise, a frugal diet, teetotalism and the support of the NHS and care system for his long and happy life.
Royal Star & Garter in High Wycombe is welcoming new residents. For more information on this, the new services running from the Home, or to work there, go to www.starandgarter.org/hw