Former florists celebrate diamond wedding anniversary (From Warrington Guardian)

Howley couple celebrate diamond wedding anniversary

3:20pm Sunday 31st July 2011 in News By Vicki Stockman

DIAMOND darlings Vera and Sam Clark have shared a blooming beautiful 60 years of marriage together.

The couple, of Wellington Street, Howley, have seen their lives intertwined like the floral designs they have worked on through the years as they ran Clark’s Florist in Padgate for many years.

But it was at a dance where the couple first met.

Vera, aged 79, said: “We met at the Carlton Club when Sam had his Marine uniform on. I think I fell in love with the uniform as well as him.

“He was my first love.”

But with Sam, now aged 83, away with the Marines, the couple could not marry until 1951 when they wed at Christ Church Padgate.

“It was quite a windy day and so my veil wouldn’t fly away Sam had to put his foot on it,” added Vera.

“We went off to St Helier in Jersey and when we arrived with confetti falling out of my hat we found out there was a flower festival.”

After working at Toffs Confectioners, Carters Cafe and Hancock and Wood for Vera, and after Sam had left the Marines and gone on to work at Taylor Woodrow, the pair, who had lived in Thelwall for almost 50 years, decided to set up the floristry business after the birth of their two children.

Vera added: “My husband worked for Taylor Woodrow and they wanted to send him abroad. I didn’t want him to go so we started our own business.

“We worked at the Chelsea Flower Show as part of the Interflora team and won a gold medal and also worked at Tatton Park and Southport flower shows.

“We worked seven days a week, long hours but we enjoyed every minute of it with very good staff.

“Five of the girls I trained have all got their own flower shops now. I have done the weddings for the daughters of some of my brides before I retired.”

Sam was forced to retire from the shop at the age of 72 after having two strokes, but he is back to health thanks to a research project he took part in.

“He is a complete miracle man,” said Vera.

“He was asked if he could be a subject for Manchester University research on the brain. They came every week for years and they still come and see him. They completely unscrabbled his brain so he can read and write.”

The couple celebrated their wedding anniversary on Thursday with their family and a Chinese banquet.