Rushden couple celebrating 72 years of marriage after meeting over a pint

She was in the Land Army and he had just been demobbed
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A couple who met over a pint in a village pub will celebrate their 72nd wedding anniversary today (Friday) at their Rushden home with a slice of cake.

Lily Fogg and Roland Nicholson were both at the bar at the Railway Hotel in Sharnbrook (now the Fordham Arms) when land girl Lily was ordering her usual half pint.

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Roland, now 96, questioned her choice of drink, striking up a conversation with his future wife, suggesting she might drink a sherry instead.

Lily and Roland NicholsonLily and Roland Nicholson
Lily and Roland Nicholson

Feisty Lily was eventually bowled over by cricketer Roland, marrying in nearby Melchbourne where the groom's parents ran the village stores and post office.

Lily, 99, said: "It is was a wonderful wedding. I couldn't have had a better wedding. We had so many presents we didn't know what to do."

Roland said: "The whole village came out and there was a dance for everyone - we missed that because we'd gone off on honeymoon to Bournemouth. My mother used to do so much for the village - at Christmas she gave everyone a present."

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But Lily, who grew up in Chorley, Lancashire, had vowed she would never marry because of her sister's experience.

The happy couple emerge from the church at MelchbourneThe happy couple emerge from the church at Melchbourne
The happy couple emerge from the church at Melchbourne

She said: "I always said to my dad that I would never marry because my sister had a terrible husband. I wasn't going to marry anybody, I said I'm not going to get married, but he (Roland) was very good and looks after me well. He makes me laugh."

Roland had purposefully cycled the six miles to Sharnbrook in the hope to meet a land army girl - 300 women had been using Sharnbrook House as a hostel replacing men who were on other war service work.

After their encounter over a pint, the couple courted for a year before deciding on a September wedding due to the prospect of better weather.

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Lily, who had worked making parts for Spitfires before her move to Sharnbrook, said: "We always went to the pub after work and I always had half a pint.

Roland and Lily on their wedding dayRoland and Lily on their wedding day
Roland and Lily on their wedding day

"He came over and said what are you drinking that for? You should have a little drink, but I always drank beer."

Marrying at Church of St Mary Magdalene on September 3, to mark their nuptials, Roland's Melchbourne village cricket team formed a guard of honour using stumps for the newlyweds to walk under.

He played for his village side tending the grass and captaining the XI until his work as a surveyor - a job he had learnt in his years in the Royal Artillery - took him away across the UK.

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Moving with his role in the Ministry of Works, the couple lived in Hertfordshire and Devon before retiring back in Roland's home county, moving to Higham Ferrers 12 years, finally downsizing to a flat in Rushden.

Lily and Roland with sons Keith and PaulLily and Roland with sons Keith and Paul
Lily and Roland with sons Keith and Paul

The couple, who shared a love of the outdoors and travel, have two sons, Keith, 70, who lives in Higham Ferrers, and 60-year-old Paul, who lives in Paignton.

As well as their two sons, Lily and Roland have six grandchildren - Gary, Mark, Callum, Emma, Martine and Yvonne - and great-grandchildren Jordan, Skye, Kacey, Molly, Tyler, Leyton, Zachary, Ava and Joshua.

Roland still enjoys gardening with the help of son Paul, but Lily has now hung up her golf clubs despite her love of the game due to ill health.

And the secret to their long and happy marriage? Lily put it down keeping busy.

She added: "We have always enjoyed doing things together - and he makes me laugh."

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