Dave and June Allo celebrate their diamond wedding Image: JON GUEGAN
It was the summer of 1960 and Mr. Allo was a 26 year old with a lack of funds who had to take a second job.
“I was working as an air traffic control assistant at the airport and the wages weren’t good, so I took a part-time job at airport garages cleaning cars. The boss’s sister said she had a girlfriend, a dance teacher, and suggested that I take her with me. So I went to her house to pick her up; she was a very attractive lady. She was very nice and I’m glad I left, ”said Mr Allo, recalling some unforeseen problems on that first date.
“Back then, girls wore swirled skirts with lots of petticoats underneath. I had a small Fiat and the petticoats went up so I couldn’t see through the windshield. I had to ask June to get her out of the way. But I thought she was a good catch and 18 months later we were married. We’re still together after all these years – but she doesn’t have those skirts anymore. ‘
When they first met, June was a 23-year-old London-trained dance teacher who already had a taste of her blind date. She said, “His picture was in the window of Senett and Spears” [a former camera shop and department store]. He’d been in the Navy and I thought he was a pretty handsome man. He wasn’t bad looking so I decided to leave. ‘
The couple soon became engaged and married on Monday, September 18, 1961, in St. Mark’s Church. The newlyweds went to Annecy on the Franco-Swiss border for their honeymoon and returned to Jersey to begin their married life. Mr. Allo qualified as an air traffic controller, which resulted in a 34 year career. Ms. Allo, who had just opened her dance school in St. Aubin, stopped teaching two years after the birth of her daughter Suzanne in 1963, followed by Jonathan in 1967. They now have three grandchildren – Richard who works for a local law firm and is a musician; Rebekah, who works for an energy company in the UK; and Sarah, who is about to study music.
The couple continued to be active later in life, with Mr. Allo following his passion for motor boating, which he taught, and Ms. Allo joining the Jersey Amateur Dramatic Club and continuing to dance. They also enjoyed traveling, including returning to their Annecy honeymoon destination. Mr. Allo finally had to withdraw from his hobby due to an injury and since the outbreak of the pandemic the couple has run at least five kilometers every day – if the weather permits.
The still happily married couple gave one piece of advice: “Don’t rush and think carefully before getting married,” said Mr. Allo. ‘And learn to give and take.’
Ms. Allo agreed, adding, “Don’t go into your pockets and have your own hobbies; it gives you something to share. We’ve had ups and downs like everyone else, and yes, it’s about give and take. ‘
The couple are celebrating with family and friends this weekend, including a special Sunday lunch tomorrow at La Place.
