Jim and Iris Markham from Walsall, talk about their life as they celebrate their platinum wedding anniversary.
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00:00Okay then, Jim and Iris, you're celebrating 70 years of marriage. That's fantastic, isn't it?
00:05That's correct.
00:06Which is the platinum, isn't it? Platinum anniversary.
00:09It doesn't seem that long, does it?
00:10No, no, that's it.
00:11It's just a lifetime.
00:13Has it fled? Has it gone quickly?
00:15Has it gone quickly, 70 years?
00:18Well, it's life, isn't it?
00:20Yes.
00:21You know, and that's been our life.
00:23Yes, absolutely.
00:24Raising a family.
00:25That's right.
00:26Yeah.
00:27So how did you meet? How did you meet?
00:30We met at West Brom Dance Hall, didn't we?
00:35Yes, in Adelphi.
00:36Oh, yes.
00:38It's since burned down.
00:40Yes, yes, yes.
00:42We usually went to the Gala Baths, but on that occasion, we couldn't get tickets.
00:51So then we went separately. Our groups couldn't get tickets.
00:57So we went to the other place, the Adelphi.
01:01Yes, and that's where you met, wasn't it?
01:03That's where we met, yes.
01:04Fantastic, fantastic.
01:06And you've been together for 70 years?
01:09Well, we met in 1951, January 1st, 1951.
01:15Actually, I had to go in the RAF.
01:22Oh, yes, yes.
01:23For two years.
01:24Right, right.
01:25Or it could have been a little bit sooner.
01:29That's it, yes.
01:30Because two years we were engaged.
01:34Three and a half years, really.
01:36Three and a half years.
01:37And was it love at first sight, was it?
01:39Well, I don't know whether that's how it is.
01:41You're like, someone's very nice, as far as I was concerned.
01:45That's good, yeah.
01:46You know, not a roughy, you know, just a polite person.
01:51So what's the secret, Iris and Jim, what's the secret of a happy marriage?
01:54Well, if you decide to get married, you have to decide that's for life, isn't it?
01:59It isn't for a couple of years.
02:02And you make vows and you should keep them.
02:04Absolutely.
02:05I'm sorry, but that's how I believe.
02:07Yeah, yeah.
02:08It hasn't always been fair to me.
02:12No, no.
02:13We've had...
02:15Punch.
02:16We haven't had punches.
02:21But there are times when things don't go straight forward, but you get over them.
02:29Well, that's like every marriage, isn't it?
02:30And especially when you have children.
02:32Yes, yes.
02:33Once you have children, that's definitely, you have to...
02:40And it really has been pretty happy, hasn't it?
02:43Good.
02:44Yeah, pretty happy.
02:46You have your down times.
02:49Well, it's many more years anyway of happiness.
02:52Yeah.
02:53And I'm sure I'll be seeing you again when it's 75th is the next one, isn't it?
02:5771.
02:58Oh, yeah.
02:59Well, 71.
03:0071.
03:01Look, I used to have daughters at uni and she finishes in three years and I would at
03:07least like to be there when she graduates.
03:10Well, I'm sure you will.
03:11That's lovely.
03:12That's a lovely thing to finish.
03:13Well, then you never know how far you're going to go, do you?
03:16Absolutely.
03:17Well, enjoy anyway.
03:19Congratulations.
03:20Thank you very much.
03:21Yeah.