Platinum wedding joy for Jean and Ivor

A COUPLE living in Ipplepen reached a momentous milestone on September 6: their platinum wedding anniversary.

Jean & Ivor Osborne, both 93, celebrated 70 years of marriage last week and were thrilled to receive a card from Her Majesty the Queen congratulating them on the achievement.

On September 6th 1952 Jean and Ivor were married at Wolborough Parish Church in Newton Abbot.

Ivor was one of six siblings, four brothers and a sister, who, having lost their parents at an early age, were brought up by aunts and uncles.

Ivor attended Highweek Boys School. Upon leaving he was called up for National Service in the Royal Air Force, billeted with the singer Des O’Connor whom he remembers was already entertaing the other servicemen.

On his return he went into the building trade, and was with the railway for a time before going to work at Seale Hayne as Estates Manager until he retired.

Jean went to Bell School, in Newton Abbot and could often be found at Wolborough Church with her parents, where her father sang in the choir for 50 years.

On leaving school, she went to work for Madge Mellors, the famous bakery and cafe.

Jean, who was brought up in Gladstone Place, then relocated further down the street to Robins chemist, which soon became Franklands, staying until retirement after more than 30 years.

Both Jean – who had and had two sisters and a brother – and Ivor have outlived their siblings but are both in contact with their nieces and nephew’s. As a couple they have three sons Gregory, Robert and Stuart, nine grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.

Jean and Ivor were keen members of Ipplepen Parish Church. The couple have lived in the village for more than 50 years and met by chance in Queen Street one evening by Jackson fish shop, which was run by Jean’s aunt.   

The pair arranged a date for the following  weekend, a year before they married.

lvor built his own first house on what was called a pioneer estate where all the owners pitched in with building.