They met at a cafe where teenagers congregated and, 60 years of marriage later, enjoy cruising and being with their family.

Now Joan and Bryan Pusey living in Frodsham, the pair first encountered each other in the summer of 1951 in Stockton Heath, Warrington. Joan lived there and Bryan lived in nearby Moore.

Joan was only 14 and they used to go dancing at the local church hall in Stockton Heath.

Then, when Joan was older, Bryan, who was three years older, was allowed to take her to the dance halls in Warrington where the big bands played.

Bryan went to Boteler Grammar School in Warrington and Joan went to Lymm Grammar.

Bryan left college in 1954 having specialised in production engineering. He got a job at De Havillands, now Airbus in Broughton, Chester, working on Comet airliners and by the age of 22 was promoted to foreman.

However, the aircraft industry was shrinking and in 1960 he joined IBM in Liverpool and worked there for many years.

He has also had a love of building, designing and renovating houses which he has been involved with for more than 40 years.

Joan left school and started work at Joseph Crosfield’s in Warrington, now Unilever. When they married she had to leave as the firm did not employ married women in those days. So she found a job at the big American air-base at Burtonwood.

Diamond wedding couple Joan and Bryan Pusey of Frodsham who tied the knot on Easter Saturday April 20, 1957
Diamond wedding couple Joan and Bryan Pusey of Frodsham who tied the knot on Easter Saturday April 20, 1957

They married on Easter Saturday, April 20, 1957 at All Saints Church in Daresbury where Bryan had been born.

The couple could not afford a house at that time so they lived with Bryan’s mum in Moore.

Having saved hard they finally moved into a new house in Upton, Chester in 1959. This was ‘touch and go’ though because the builders put up the price by £50 and they didn’t think they would be able to afford it.

They left Upton in 1967 and moved house to Ashton Hayes and then subsequently to Frodsham where they have settled.

For 10 years they also ran the Westerland hotel in Frodsham and Joan was the main chef.

Now both retired they enjoy cruising and being with their family. They have a daughter, a son and three grandchildren all who live locally.

There is a celebratory dinner for friends and family in the offing with a huge fruit cake made by Joan for the occasion.