Diamond wedding celebrations for Tom and Joan

Tom and Joan Jordan, who live in the Sackville Apartments, first met at a dance in 1945 at Rhyl, North Wales, where 18-year-old Tom was stationed as a soldier.

Tom said: “When I first saw Joan I thought gosh, she looks lovely.”

But Tom was too shy to pluck up the courage to ask Joan for a date and persuaded his friend to ask her out for him. Tom said: “Things were different back then – people are quite brassy nowadays!”

The young couple “courted” for six years and despite being parted for long periods due to Tom being posted to the Middle East, their relationship blossomed and they married on July 7, 1951.

The stunning bride and bridesmaids’ dresses were the result of a few clothes coupons and the expert sewing skills of Joan’s cousin, Edna. Joan said: “It wasn’t easy to get material back then but Edna did me proud.”

The couple have two daughters, Lyn and Melanie, and three grandchildren, Jonathan, Charis and Eleanor.

Tom made catering his profession, working as a banqueting manager in the UK and the Persian Gulf and counts the Queen among the many who have sampled his fare. The couple went on to own a restaurant in Bournemouth and enjoyed a number of years living on the Costa de Sol before moving to Bexhill 17 years ago.

Now prominent members of the Sackville Road Methodist Church, Tom and Joan’s special celebrations began on the 60th anniversary of the big day, July 7, 2011, with friends at the Cooden Beach Hotel. This was followed by a party organised by the couple’s daughters for family and friends in Fareham.

Tom and Joan also arranged a diamond wedding party at Parkhurst Hall. Guests included fellow church members, the Reverend Peter Timms, friends, Bexhill Mayor and Mayoress Stuart and Romanie Wood. Along with a sumptuous buffet, expertly prepared by Tom, guests were also entertained with a number of solo performances which, with Sylvia on the piano, included Ken Hutchinson singing Love Changes Everything and Doreen Carey with True Love, from the musical High Society.

Other tributes paid to Tom and Joan included the Rev Timms, who spoke of the many ways the couple help and care for the church, its garden and its congregation saying they “look after the people of this church”. And of their marriage he said: “They are a lovely example of what it means to care for each other. They care for each other in a very special way.”

Joan said the recipe for a long and happy marriage is very simple: “Lots of love together and never go to sleep after having a quarrel - always try to resolve your differences beforehand.”

In August the happy couple will be enjoying an 18-day cruise around the Mediterranean.