A couple who married in 1964 are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary in advance, proving those who doubted them wrong.

Mick Vacher, 77, and June Rawlins, 76, from Compton and Twyford, met riverside at Twyford Lock in 1961, now known as Compton Lock. 

Mick said it was “love at first sight” when he first saw his future wife.

Mick attended the Secondary Modern Boys School in Romsey Road and was in the 4th/5th T A battalion at Newburgh House Winchester, and June went to Compton Church of England Junior School. 

“We lived a mile apart from each other,” said June.

They married on November 7, 1964 at Winchester Registry Office. They have fond memories of the day and how young they were, and they said the weather was “drizzly” but “apart from that it was a wonderful day”.

June and Mick Valcher June and Mick Valcher (Image: June and Mick Valcher)

“I remember a very silly hat I bought”, said June. 

"Friends took the wedding photos, and each photo had the case of the camera in it, only a few of them were fine!”

Mick was 17 and June was 16 when they married, and people said it “won’t last”.  But the couple decided to 'stick together to prove them wrong'.

They lived in Chandler's Ford, Highfield Southampton, West End and Bitterne before they moved to Oliver’s Battery when they retired in 2007 with Mick retiring from his job as a safety officer at the National Grid.

They have two children together: daughter Pauline, 59, a retired hairdresser who lives in Spain with her partner John, and son Andrew, 57, a plumber who lives in Southampton with his wife Sarah.

To celebrate their anniversary, Mick and June are travelling to Spain to stay with their daughter for a month. They are looking forward to relaxing and hopefully some warner weather. 

“Pauline lives not far from Alicante airport, in a beautiful apartment near the beach," said June.

And what's their secret to a long and happy marriage? 

“Tolerance and understanding are important on both sides," said Mick. "It’s give and take, be happy, life is too short, and sparing time for yourselves is key." 

  • This article was written by Alexandra Stapleton from the University of Winchester.