Roly and Janice Hamments celebrate 50 years of marriage

CONGRATULATIONS to Roland ‘Roly’ Hamments and his bride of 50 years, Janice.

The Thatcham couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on Saturday, October 19, with a host of family and friends.

They were wed exactly half a century ago in Wembley, following a whirlwind romance.

Mr Hamments was a catering officer in the merchant navy when he came across Janice and her friend enjoying a night out.

He said the pair were obviously well refreshed so he drove them both home and dropped them off - but not before getting Janice’s telephone number.

For her part, she recalls being smitten by his “piercing blue eyes” - and the rest, as they say, is history.

Mr Hamments said: “We went on a couple of dates but then I had to go back to sea for 10 months.

“I rang Janice on Christmas Day from somewhere in the Mediterranean and said: ‘If you’re feelings are still the same as mine, girl, how about we get pensioned off?

“And that was it.

“And I wouldn’t change her for the world.”

The couple, who have two sons and four grandchildren, have lived in Thatcham for the past 19 years.

They celebrated on Friday night with a family meal in Newbury and then, on Saturday night, with friends and family at The Taste of England pub at Henwick between Newbury and Thatcham.