Ilminster couple enjoy 60 years together (From Chard & Ilminster News)
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Ilminster couple enjoy 60 years together
2:50pm Friday 27th January 2012 in Ilminster
JOHN and Estelle Coles are celebrating their diamond wedding. PHOTO: Steve Richardson.
ILMINSTER couple John and Estelle Coles celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary yesterday (Thursday).
The couple have played a key role in the town’s life through firefighting, family, football and the forces since marrying in the Minster in 1952.
To mark the occasion, John and Estelle held a coffee morning for 12 people and will follow this with a lunch for family and friends at the Shrubbery Hotel on Sunday.
The couple met after Estelle moved from her native Paignton to Ilminster in 1949 to work as a civil servant in the New Road offices of the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance. They got together at one of the weekly dances in the George Hotel – later the venue for their wedding reception.
John worked for Minsterstone for 23 years, served as a training NCO in the Royal Engineers from 1951-53 and joined the electricity industry in 1969, where he remained until he retired in 1994.
He also served as a retained firefighter for 24 years, played football for Ilminster, Seavington and Barrington, and was in the Lions Club of Ilminster for 15 years.
Estelle worked at Marshalsea’s Garage in Ilminster, Gooch and Housego and Phoenix Engineering in Chard.
