Dunholme couple celebrates 70 years together - with a letter from Her Majesty

Dennis and Joan Hall met in Market Rasen in 1943 - and were married on April 5, 1947.

Mr Hall said: “I worked as a telegram boy and would see Joan when I delivered telegrams to her father’s pub, the Greyhound.

“She says she fell in love with me then. I knew she must have taken a shine to me as she used to bring me a sixpence when I delivered a telegram.

“I only earned 15 shillings a week - so it was quite a bit of money to me!”

It wasn’t long before Mr Hall was called up by the Royal Navy - which is something Mr and Mrs Hall ventured into together.

Mr Hall said: “Joan was stationed at HMS Rosheath in Helensburgh in Scotland and I was posted near Cape Town in Africa on HMS Newcastle, and was there for two years. I returned in January 1947 and had to walk from Lincoln to Market Rasen - it was a very hard winter and there were no trains or buses. We were reunited and married at Caistor Registery Office on April 5 of that year.”

And the couple’s big day was a royal affair, with ‘warm congratulations’ in a letter from the Queen - who also got married to the Duke of Edinburgh in 1947.

Dennis and Joan celebrated their 70 years together with friends and family - including their 20 grandchildren and great-grandchildren- on Saturday April 8 at Market Rasen Cricket Club.

And what’s the secret to so many happy decades together?

Mr Hall said: “I married the most wonderful woman - and we have never fallen out.”