Ron and Dot Williams celebrate 70 years of marriage (From Stroud News and Journal)

Ron and Dot Williams celebrate 70 years of marriage

1:00pm Wednesday 10th February 2010

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WHEN Ron Williams left Wales for the Stroud valleys, a fortune teller predicted that once he had been in Gloucestershire for three days, he would meet his future wife.

And today, Wednesday, more than seven decades later, Ron and Dot Williams are one a very rare number of couples lucky enough to reach their platinum wedding anniversary, which marks 70 years of marriage.

"This old woman said that once I had been in Gloucestershire three days, I would meet a girl and I would marry – and it came true," said Ron, now 93.

"She could tell fortunes. She could tell what was going to happen."

Ron, who lived just outside Bridgend near Swansea, relocated to Stonehouse to escape a life in the coalmines.

He lodged with his sister and her husband, who was Dot’s cousin, and was soon introduced to the other half of the family in Randwick.

After he met Dot, who lived in the Lagger, Townsend, he visited regularly on his bicycle and they became a couple.

Ron, then 20, was an engineer at RA Lister & Co in Dursley and Dot, then 15, was a seamstress at a clothing manufacturer in Brick Row, Stroud.

The couple married at St John the Baptist Church, Randwick on February 10, 1940.

They decided to wed early because Ron thought he would be conscripted to fight in the Second World War but in the end he was not allowed to go to war because he worked in manufacturing. The couple lived in Randwick for about 10 years before moving to Midland Road in Stonehouse, where they stayed for just over 50 years.

Ron retired as a setter at Hoffman’s in Stonehouse in 1981 and Dot retired as a domestic helper at Standish Hospital in 1982.

The couple, who moved to their current home just off Brick Row, Stroud 10 years ago, had two children, Mary, now 65, and David, who died 14 years ago. They also have four grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

Dot, now 88, said: "The secret to our marriage is real love. He is the only one for me and I am the only one for him."

They will celebrate with about 40 family and friends at The Old Crown in Paganhill at the weekend.

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