Love, honesty - and a bit of luck - key for 'platinum' couple

Ernest [known as ​Jeff] and Joyce Hand are celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary, which sadly they have not been able to celebrate fully due to Joyce recovering from shingles, but they have had a card from His Majesty King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

The couple first met in 1951 when Joyce, now 92 was working in her father’s post office and grocery store in Ingoldmells at the time, while Jeff was working on his eldest brother’s farm in Addlethorpe, near Skegness.

They met at Addlethorpe Chapel, and Jeff, 90, said it was “love at first sight” when he saw Joyce there, and they began courting straight away.

Joyce has been playing organ at the chapel since she was 12 years old and she still plays the organ to this day.

The couple were married at the same chapel on September 17, 1953, and honeymooned by visiting London for a few days, and then on to Bournemouth.

Sadly, they were not able to celebrate their honeymoon as they would like either, as Joyce was recovering from hepatitis at the time!

They had three children – Philip, who was born in 1954, Kevin in 1957, and Karen in 1960. Philip sadly contracted MS and passed away aged just 33, leaving his wife Beverley and daughters Victoria and Nicole.

The couple have five other grandchildren – Florence, Silas, Bertie, Charlotte, and Emily – as well as three great-grandchildren; Isla, Orla, and Agnes.

They moved to Alvingham in 1961 and Jeff took over his father’s farm in 1965, with Joyce helping out, where he continued until his retirement at the age of 65, but he said he “didn’t retire to do nothing” and continued to take on DIY projects for their family.

Jeff and Joyce then moved to Quarryside in Louth in 2000, where they have lived ever since.

Both keen singers, they were both members of Louth Methodist Choir for 30 years, and Jeff was also a member of Louth Choral Society and Louth Male Voice Choir (LMVC) until his retirement, with Joyce serving as the organist at Alvingham Methodist Chapel.

When it comes to their secret for a long and happy marriage Jeff said that the key is to have plenty of love, honesty, and a little bit of luck”.