A Salisbury couple who met when they were teens are celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary.
Frank and June Cannell have lived at Archer’s Court retirement apartments for over eight years and on Tuesday April 5, they celebrated their platinum wedding anniversary with family and other residents.
Taking pride of place at the top end of the table, Frank and June, aged 89 and 88 respectively, were happily sitting next to each other, proudly displaying the card they had received from the Queen.
As June was quick to point out, it was not the first royal card they had received as congratulation messages from the Queen are also sent out for diamond anniversaries, and to those who have been married for 65 years.
Frank and June’s love story began when June was just 15 and Frank was 16.
June lived in Alderbury at the time and Frank lived in Salisbury. They first met at a local youth club in Salisbury city centre.
They met up a few times but the romance gradually fizzled out.
However, a year later, they met up again at the same youth club and this time, their relationship began to blossom.
Frank was away a lot as part of the national service and June was still living in Alderbury.
She said: “I used to walk to the local telephone box on a Friday night and wait for him to ring at the allotted time.”
They also used to write letters to each other most days to keep their romance alive.
Frank had already asked June’s father for her hand in marriage, and they fixed the date for April 5, 1952.
After his national service, Frank worked at Boscombe Down for 37 years as a helicopter engineer. His work often took him away, but June said that she learned to cope with his absences.
The happy couple went on to have two children who are now grown up. Christopher is the oldest and then came his brother Stuart. The family say they are all very close and supportive of each other.
Asked about her secret to a long and happy marriage, June said: “Tolerance and loving someone else more than yourself.”
Frank agreed and said his wife had always been understanding, but also joked: “I was away quite a lot”.
They both admitted that marriage is hard work but after 70 years together, the couple still maintain a clear respect and affection for each other.
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