Dewsbury couple celebrate 70th wedding anniversary with afternoon tea party
A couple from Dewsbury have celebrated their platinum wedding anniversary with an afternoon tea party surrounded by friends and family.
Malcolm and Jean Ramsden, who were both born in Dewsbury, tied the knot on October 29, 1955, after meeting four years earlier at a church dance at the Parochial Hall in Westtown.
Malcolm served with the Army Royal Signals Corp and was stationed in Malaya before touring Northern Ireland. He was also sent to the Suez Crisis before returning home to work as a bricklayer.
Jean started work in the mills around Dewsbury before working as an usherette at the Playhouse for many years. She then became the manager of the Carlyle sweet shop before delivering letters as a postwoman.
In the late 1970s, Malcolm used his bricklaying skills to build a house in Dewsbury big enough for the couple and their five children, Clive, Julie, Lorraine, Lesley and Glenn. 48 years later, Malcolm and Jean still live there.
The couple, who also have seven grandchildren and six great grandchildren, celebrated their 70th anniversary with an afternoon tea party and some bubbly, and danced to The Anniversary Waltz.
They also received a card from King Charles III commending them on the monumental achievement, following on from two previous congratulatory cards from Queen Elizabeth II after their 60th and 65th anniversaries.
Malcolm and Jean said: “What a lovely surprise this celebration was for us. We would like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to everyone who made it happen and everyone who has wished us a happy anniversary.”
2025 is an extra special year for the loving couple as they both also celebrate their 90th birthdays, with Malcolm already hitting the milestone on October 2, before Jean blows out her candles on November 28.
In a joint statement, the couple’s children said: “Not many people get the opportunity to celebrate a 70th Wedding Anniversary so we feel very fortunate and blessed to be able to do this as a complete family.
“Our Mum and Dad are our mentors, our rock and our bond. They have worked very hard all their lives to support us and guide us through many life lessons, so it is important for us to acknowledge this and express our appreciation of everything they have done for us throughout the years to enable us to achieve our own goals in life.
“We love you both very much.”