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Couple 70 years on and still going strong
A FORMER Whitby couple who ran Sneaton's Wilson Arms are toasting 70 happy years together.
The whirlwind romance of Daniel Howkins (91) and his wife Ivy (90) reads like a true love story.
But 70 years on, the former co-owners of the Wilson Arms pub, are as happy together now as when they first met.
The couple will celebrate their platinum wedding anniversary with a family party at The Village Leisure Hotel in Coventry on Wednesday.
They moved to the Whitby area in 1979 with their only child Frances, her husband Brian Platt, along with their daughter Karen Nightingale, who lives in Whitby, and her brother Martin.
Up until recently the Howkins, who ran the pub for five years before handing over the reins to their children, were still regular visitors to Whitby to catch up with their family and many friends from the local area.
They met on a blind date at a village hall dance in 1936, at the age of 18 and 17 and have been together ever since.
Daniel proposed to Ivy after being told he would have to leave to fight for his country in the Second World War within 15 days.
They married at the tender ages of 21 and 20 at All Souls Church in Coventry in December 1939.
Mr Howkins said: “The secret to a long and happy marriage is having a very content life and just enjoying one another’s company.”
Mrs Howkins added: “There is no secret – it’s just love and growing up together, it feels like we have always been together.”
Daniel spent six years serving for his country as a soldier in the Royal Engineers and rarely saw his wife and daughter, Frances.
His active time as a soldier saw him through Northern Ireland, Israel and Egypt.
He missed four early years of his only child’s life and always kept personal mementoes of her development with him as good luck charms.
While serving in Palestine he bought Frances a doll and put it in his rucksack but the building was blown up, killing his comrades and destroying the doll, but he escaped unhurt.
Mr Howkins was recently commended for his services in the war by the Veteran Association who awarded him a badge.
Ivy is the only remaining child of 10 other siblings, and during the war she worked in a factory which made aeroplane parts and brought up their daughter in his absence.
Karen Nightingale, granddaughter to the couple, said: “They are part of a generation that we should be proud of and inspired by.”
The couple have two grandchildren, five great grandchildren Jessica, Amber and Olivia Nightingale and twins Noah and Eden Platt.
Their daughter, Mrs Platt, said: “We are very lucky as a family to have our parents, grandparents and great grandparents still with us.
“It’s such a bonus to be celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary.
“It’s made this Christmas very special.”
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Weather for Whitby
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
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Temperature: 1 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: West
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