Double celebration this Christmas for West Berkshire platinum couple

James Hutton, who is 89 and his wife Violet, 88, who live in Wash Common, tied the knot on December 25 1943 - in the same year that Mussolini resigned, Casablanca received an Oscar for best film and a pint of beer cost just 1p.
Now the couple, who married at the Emmanuel Church in Paddington while Mr Hutton was on a ten day embarkation leave from the Army in the Second World War, are looking forward to an extra special Christmas this year.
Speaking to the Newbury Weekly News last week, the pair reminisced about their lives together.
The pair met when they lived opposite each other in Paddington and courted for a year before Mr Hutton plucked up the courage to ask for his sweetheart’s hand in marriage - by writing her a love letter.
Mrs Hutton wrote back to say ‘yes’ and the rest ,as the saying goes, is history.
Mrs Hutton who was an 18-year-old working in a munitions factory in London when the pair met said: “It was very special getting married on Christmas Day, we were on rations and all our family and friends and the rest of the community saved all their coupons to get me my wedding dress and the fruit for my wedding cake.
“He used to play cricket in the street outside my house and he used to catch my eye. I used to think, he’s a bit of alright.”
Mr Hutton added: “It was a truly amazing day and one I’ll never forget. I think the reason we have lasted so long is a mutual love and understanding, we just get on.
“Back then it was customary for the groom and the father-in-law to go for a drink in the pub before going to the church.
“We had a grand reception in Violet’s house afterwards surrounded by friends and family, it was lovely.”
However, just six months into their marriage, Mr Hutton, who served in the Assault Royal Engineers, was called to Normandy - weeks after the D-day landings.
Mrs Hutton said: “He must have been away for a year and every night I used to kiss his picture and hope he would come home. I used to worry about him all the time. It was a very difficult time.”
One of the pair’s favourite pastimes while living in war-torn London was to visit the theatre and once a month they would treat themselves to a box at the London Palladium, which cost the princely sum of £5.
This year they will celebrate their platinum anniversary with another trip to the theatre - this time to watch Jack and the Beanstalk at the Corn Exchange on Boxing Day.
They will then continue their celebrations into the New Year with five days of dinner and dancing in Bournemouth.
The loved-up couple, who have three daughters - Brenda (67), Linda (65) and Jacqueline (58) - swapped the capital for the quieter surroundings of Newbury in 1982, where they have lived happily ever since.
In the 80s, Mr Hutton worked as a volunteer at the Heart Foundation in Newbury, while Violet worked at Oxfam in the town.
They are currently awaiting their third card from the Queen, having received one on both their Diamond and 65-year anniversaries.