Love is blind for diamond pair

It was love at first sight for war evacuee June Richardson and Scottish-born Robert Scott when they first met in 1952.

Mrs Scott moved to West Yorkshire when she was just eight years old after being evacuated from Kent, while Mr Scott moved to England after his gamekeeper father got a job in the area.

One of Mr Scott’s work pals was stepping out with a friend of Mrs Scott and the couple’s fate was sealed when a blind date was set at Huddersfield Dance Hall in 1952.

Mr Scott was 22 and Mrs Scott 19 and an 18 month courtship followed. Mrs Scott said: “I fell in love with his eyes”.

“It was love at first sight,” added her husband.

The couple were married on Boxing Day 1953 at St Mary’s Church in Honley. They bought a house in Leeds Road before moving to Woodsome Drive, where they have lived for 54 years.

Mr Scott worked as a railway fireman before doing his national service from 1949-51 before embarking on a career as an engineer for 30 years. Mrs Scott worked in the mill.

The pair had two boys, Kevin and Gary, and have two granddaughters. They enjoyed camper van holidays throughout the UK with their children, later visiting destinations as far afield as Puerto Rico and Yugoslavia.