Diamond anniversary delight for Burgess Hill couple

The couple, who married 60 years ago on March 31 in Burgess Hill, will be celebrating the milestone with their close family and friends.

Don and Hilary Plummer first met back in the 1950s at a train station where Don was pushed towards Hilary after a friend of Hilary’s wasn’t interested in him.

Hilary said: “She wasn’t having any of it, she said “get him off me” and pushed Don in my direction.

I can’t remember what we said, but we started dating and it just went on from there.”

The family ­orientated Don and Hilary Plummer say that they don’t think they have a secret for a long marriage, except that they have been very lucky.

Hilary said: “We started off intending that it should last, the things that have happened to us over the years have made it that much easier really.

“We made our vows on that day, and far as we were concerned it was going to last a life time and up till now that’s how it’s happened.

“I suppose we’ve had luck during the years with the family.

“We have a very close family, I guess that’s what it is.”

The couple are parents to two daughters, Sandra, 55, and Linda, 52, and grandparents to three grandchildren aged between 24 and 33.

They currently only have one great grandchild but they are keeping their fingers crossed for some more great grandchildren in the years to come.

Hilary, 80, reminisced about the memories of the past 60 years together.

She said: “We’ve both been in good health and I suppose we couldn’t wish for much more really.

“We didn’t set our heights so high that we couldn’t achieve the things that we have achieved did we?

“We managed to buy our own home.”

Don, 82, joined in the reminiscing and said: “It might have looked, at first, as if it was going to be difficult but it all worked out; and fortunately, because we did all the things we thought we would be able to do.”

Hilary continued: “I think we have achieved everything we set out to do, I don’t think you can ask for anything more than that.

“We haven’t been rich but we’ve had enough. We’ve always had a nice comfortable home.”

The couple moved out of Sussex to Tunbridge Wells in 1958 after their wedding, when Don’s Civil Service department opened up a new office, but moved back to Sussex after three years due missing the county.

“The couple now live in Don’s family home, in Burgess Hill which was originally owned by his grandfather and is also the house Don was born in.

Hilary explained that the house went on the market after Don’s mum moved out of the home into the care of Don’s younger brother.

She explained: “Because our children and grandchildren were grown up, we thought it was the opportunity to come back so we bought it.

“It was built in 1927 when Don’s granddad bought it and it’s been in the family ever since.”

The couple have said they are planning a family meal on a date close to the anniversary; but may also hold an open house event on the day of the anniversary for close family and friends to come by and have a catch up over a drink.

Don Plummer will be celebrating his 83rd birthday next month, just one week after their diamond wedding anniversary.