Eastbourne couple celebrate 60 years of wedded bliss

An Eastbourne couple who got engaged within a week of meeting at a Christian beach meeting have recently celebrated 60 years of wedded bliss.
Alan and Pam celebrating their 60th Wedding anniversary at South Street Free Church ibn Eastbourne (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-180917-113241008Alan and Pam celebrating their 60th Wedding anniversary at South Street Free Church ibn Eastbourne (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-180917-113241008
Alan and Pam celebrating their 60th Wedding anniversary at South Street Free Church ibn Eastbourne (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-180917-113241008

Alan and Pamela Elmes held a 60th wedding anniversary tea party at South Street Free Church in Eastbourne town centre on Saturday (September 15) to mark the milestone.

The couple met in Kent in 1957 when Alan, who had left the Royal Air Force in November 1955, was working with Christian churches which held beach children’s meetings.

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Pam was on holiday for the month of August, from Martins Bank in London.

Alan said they met in church on the Sunday, then went for a day out to Folkestone the following Saturday, which is when he proposed.

Pam accepted and they got engaged on the Sunday.

They married the following year on September 13 1958 and lived in Ashford for six months before moving to a flat in Worthing.

They went on to have six children and moved to Eastbourne’s Blackwater Road where they have been residents for 33 years.

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They now have 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Alan said, We have had 3,120 roast dinners and Pam has ironed approximately 18,720 shirts.

“In all we have had a wonderful time and I have learned that the secret of a happy marriage is to look for and marry Pam Sadler.”

The couple are long standing members of the South Street Free Church in South Street and were joined by family and friends for their celebration tea.

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The couple said they were also delighted to receive a card from Her Majesty the Queen congratulating them on their wedding anniversary.

People also took to social media to post messages of congratulations.

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