A COUPLE born and bred in Romsey are celebrating 65 years of marriage as they reflect on more than 150 years of the family living in Latimer Street.

Garry Owen and Mary Jean Webb, from Romsey, will be marking their blue sapphire anniversary on Friday, September 2.

The couple live in the same property that Mr Webb was born in, in 1934. Number one Latimer Street has historically been a butchers, originally owned by Garry’s great grandfather Tom Webb in 1870 when the family first moved there.

Hampshire Chronicle:

Mary was in Garry’s sister June Webb’s class at the Romsey Convent. When asked if it was love at first sight, Garry laughed and admitted that his wife of 65 years was actually one of three convent girls he used to “chat up” on the Totton to Ower bus, along with Diane and Sylvia.

The pair parted ways in 1953 when Garry went off for two years of national service. Upon his return in January 1955, a 21-year-old Garry thought it time he found himself a “nice girlfriend” and so looked up Mary who was working in a florist at the time and living in Millbrook.

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Mr Webb said: “When I found her, I didn’t look for anyone else. I still remember the dress she wore and card she gave me when we met again.”

The relationship grew from there, with Garry taking Mary on a first date to see comedian Frankie Howerd, which the retired butcher described as “a bit risqué.”

After two years of dating the pair got married in 1957 and now have two children, two grandchildren and a new born great granddaughter.

Garry retired from being a butcher in 1989 after the birth of his son, allowing time for the couple to travel with their caravan.

The 88-year-old said: “It feels pretty good to look back on 65 years together. We’ve had some lovely times together, including about 25 years of travelling and caravanning. We’ve got plenty of memories because I take videos and pictures.

“We love travelling together and our caravan was very good. We used to go to National Trust homes and gardens like Edenvale in Cornwall.” Mr Webb said Cornwall, the couple’s honeymoon destination, is still one of his favourite spots.

To celebrate the occasion on Friday, September 2 the Webb’s have invited a few friends round. Garry and Mary are not the only couple in the family to reach such a milestone with Gus and Beryl Webb, Gus being a grandson of Tom Webb, celebrating 70 years of marriage in North Baddesley last year.

Hampshire Chronicle:

Garry’s great grandfather and Gus’ grandfather Tom moved from Latimer Street to Bell Street in 1890 when he went bankrupt due to bad debts. The Latimer Street property was back in the family again in 1928 when Garry’s father Leslie Edgar Webb bought it before getting married to Garry’s mother in 1929 and having their first of three sons in 1931. The family lived over the top of their butcher’s shop in a flat.

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The Webb family has always lived and owned businesses both in and around Romsey since the 17th century, including the farm at the Little Testwood where Garry spent much of his childhood. The farm has since become Totton football field.