A couple who met on Boxing Day 70 years ago will celebrate their milestone with family and friends.

Edna and Tom Street met in the Swakeley Arms, Shepherds Bush, on VJ Day (Victory over Japan Day) in September 1945.

Edna arrived in Hammersmith and Fulham from the north with no belongings and went to the pub to celebrate victory over the last-remaining Axis power where Tom caught her eye as they were going in and managed to order drinks, despite large crowd.

They married on Boxing Day the following year when rationing was still enforced, but were able to pool their resources together for the wedding party.

After they married Tom was out of work for 10 weeks due to the coldest winter on record for three centuries, but made ends meet by using his blowtorch to defrost frozen pipes and taking up other odd jobs.

Mr and Mrs Street moved to Barnes in 1961 where they remained until Edna’s dementia progressed and moved into Sutton Court Care Centre together in June 2015.

Your Local Guardian:

The couple on their wedding day (September 2, 1946).

Their daughter Lesley Patching told the Sutton Guardian: “Edna was in catering as a waitress and worked until she was 80 years old and worked at the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square for 30 years.

She also worked in Sotheby's serving at lunch and dinners in the director’s dining rooms and on many occasions Royalty and heads of state including Princess Diana.

“Her life was extremely busy toing and froing between work and family often working for aristocracy in their homes this included Royalty, The Queen and the Queen mother among many more.

“For their Golden wedding we celebrated with them and their Diamond wedding celebrations we had family gathering to which many attended my sister Gillian’s home in a marquee. They have had a great life and we are very lucky children and great grandchildren alike.

“Edna's sister Ena will be attending a small gathering at the Centre to celebrate their big day along with her family.”

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