A couple from Bromley who have had tea with the Queen are celebrating their own platinum anniversary as they married 70 years ago today.
Stan and Eileen Martin married on May 10, 1952, at St Peter’s Church in Forest Hill and now live at their home in Keston.
The pair have had many adventures and even met The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at a tea party in Bromley ten years ago.
This was part of a series of visits the Queen made across London to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee.
The borough had sent out a flyer asking if there were any couples in the area who were celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary that year.
Mandy explained: “My mum and dad along with two other couples got invited to the event.
“They actually got to meet her majesty and sit with her while she had a cup of tea.
“It was something really special.”
Mandy has decided that she is going to request another telegram from the Queen to go along with the card that Stan and Eileen received for their diamond anniversary.
When asked if their daughter knew what their secret to a long marriage was, Mandy said: “My dad would definitely give a jokey answer.
“I think they are just a good balance, can compromise and it’s just love basically, cheesy but true.”
The couple first met in 1946 at a dance at Ivydale Road school in Nunhead.
“They used to regularly go dancing classes at Goodrich Road School and Dulich bath hosted these events, they sometimes used to dance to the famous Tedheath band,” Mandy said.
The couple celebrated with a party on Sunday at Mandy’s house in Woldingham, complete with cake, balloon arches and their family.
They have two children, Steve, 67, and Mandy, 61, three grandchildren, James, Claire and Alex and four great-grandchildren, Harvey, Grace, George and Arthur.
Today Mandy and her partner are taking Stan and Eileen on a tour around where they used to live in Peckham so that they can reminisce about their memories.
Stan was in the navy for a short time at the end of World War two then he worked in London for the rest of his life in stockbroking.
Mandy said: “My dad is amazing; he does the lion's share in the house and Eileen directs.
“He has always enjoyed football and even played for Dulwich Hamlet in his twenties.
“He is glued to sport and has supported Arsenal all his life but his main loves now are his garden.
“He has always been a busy man and has an amazing sense of humour.”
Eileen started work when she was just fourteen and then went on to work for Freemans the mail-order company.
“She enjoys watching shows about serial killers and doing crosswords and jigsaw puzzles.
“They are both also avid scrabble players and are quite sharp," Mandy added.
Mandy described her parents are massively family orientated and the couple had the best time seeing everyone on Sunday.
We wish Eileen and Stan the best platinum wedding anniversary.
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