Local couple celebrate 60-year wedding anniversary

Ernest and Beryl Coles celebrated 60 years of marriage on 8 March

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A local couple celebrated their 60-year wedding anniversary on Thursday (8 March).

Ernest Coles, 83, and his wife Beryl, 80, (née Peters), both from Rochdale, celebrated the big day with a small family get-together and also received a card from the Queen.

Beryl and Ernest met outside the Carlton dance hall when he was 19 and she was 17. Ernest and his friend came to Beryl’s rescue after she fell down some steps, but he took all the credit. They began courting straight away – and after trying out Beryl’s cheese and onion pie, Ernest knew she was a keeper.

Ernest then began his National Service in the Army and was posted in Hong Kong. Absence must have made the heart grow fonder and they married on 8 March 1958 at St Mary’s Church, Balderstone.

Ernest said: “Marriage can be difficult when you are first starting out and setting up a home with a young family.”

Beryl continued: “As long as you always be honest and keep loving each other, your marriage will get stronger.”

They have lived in the same house in Wardle for nearly 50 years and have three children, Anthony, Maureen and Alison. They also have six grandchildren aged between 26 and 30, Helen, Nicholas, Alex, Emma, Zoe and Richard, and three great-grandchildren, Sebastian, Ralph and Ruben with another on the way.

Daughter Alison said: “The family would like both of them to know that they mean the world to us and they have taught us so much.”

Both were born in Rochdale during the 1930s. Beryl has two siblings, a late sister, Ethel, and a brother, Jimmy, whilst her husband has four brothers, Harold, Leonard, Ronald and Henry, and two sisters, Audrey and Irene.

Ernest was a self-employed joiner and Beryl had several jobs including working in a cotton mill, in Marks and Spencers, as a cinema usher, making Christmas crackers at home and as a dinner lady. She tried to work so she could be at home as much as possible with her children.

Ernest continues to work with wood: he has a tool shed and lathe and he makes beautiful ornaments and toys. He is also a season ticket holder at Rochdale AFC. Beryl enjoys various crafts including crocheting and loom knitting.

Together they also love gardening, dancing and have spent many years touring with their caravan.