Oaklands Care Home organises Diamond Wedding party for couple

Farmer’s son Tim Chittock’s future wife Carol was dating one of his best friends and he was going out with another woman when the couples met at Diss swimming pool.

Mr Chittock, 85, christened Kenneth Charles but always known as Tim, recalled there was an “immediate, electric attraction” between him and Carol and, after a few more nights out as a foursome, they quickly ditched their partners and got together.

Sixty four years later, they both agree their love is “as strong as ever” and they happily celebrated their Diamond Wedding with a party for family and friends at Oaklands Care Home, in Scole, near Diss.

The Oaklands team surprised them with a personalised Diamond Wedding Vase and a bouquet of flowers.

Mr Chittock, a resident at Oaklands, was born in Bedingfield, near Eye, in 1937, one of twin boys. He went to Bedingfield Primary School then on to Debenham High School. Throughout most of his life he worked in agriculture.

His wife was born in Victoria Road, Diss, in 1944; her family owned a tobacconist and sweet shop and used to make their own home-made ice cream.

She went to Diss Church School and then on to Diss Grammar School. Most of her working life was in offices and then at the local doctors’ surgery. She finished up as an account manager at DFS in Diss.

Mr Chittock recalled that to calm his nerves he spent the morning drilling on his wedding day (20th April 1963) before he changed into his wedding suit.

The sun shone on their noon wedding at St Mary’s in Diss. After the wedding a meal was served in the Corn Hall, Diss for around 100 people. Their honeymoon was spent in Torquay, Devon, to which they bravely travelled by train, a scary new experience for both of them to travel such a long distance.

The couple have two sons John and Julian, and four grandchildren, Sophie, Lauren, Amber and Alex. Times were not easy at first as money was short when they first got married; they had to live in a tied cottage, but they both worked hard and had success in buying and selling houses, eventually owning their own outright.

They agree that the secret to a long and happy marriage is loving each other through everything that life throws at them, always working together in the home and garden and constantly being by each other’s side, accepting each other’s faults and forgiving any blemishes that have come along.

Their love is as strong now as it was in the beginning.