Hampsthwaite couple mark 60 years of marriage

Hampsthwaite couple Les and Sylvia Wilson last week celebrated their diamond wedding with their two sons Shaun and Tim and their families at a small gathering.

They said of their recipe for a successful marriage: “We are good friends and look after each other and enjoy the same interests.”

Les and Sylvia were married at St Thomas a Beckett Church, Hampsthwaite on July 21 1962 and had their reception afterwards at the village Memorial Hall.

Les is the youngest of eight children of the late Joseph Harold and Ethel Georgina Wilson of Hampsthwaite and Sylvia, the eldest of two children of the late Albert and Elsie Bramley also of Hampsthwaite.

Les (John Leslie), 85, was born in a cottage on the High Street, Hampsthwaite in 1936, and Sylvia, 80, at Arcadia Farm (now Felliscliffe House), Grayston Plain in 1941.

Les’s family moved to Finden Gardens, Hampsthwaite about 1939 and Sylvia’s family to Finden Gardens around 1947 where they both grew up as children and teenagers.

After dating Sylvia for a few months, Les recalls asking her father Albert for her hand in marriage when she was 18, but was told to wait until she was a little older, which he did.

Following their marriage, they honeymooned in Weston Super Mare and lived for a short period with Sylvia’s parents and then moved into a newly built bungalow when the Dale Close estate was built, and have lived there ever since.

Although not the oldest resident currently living in the village, Les is believed to be oldest one born there.

Both Les and Sylvia have participated in village life and activities in various ways over the years.

Les is a painter and decorator by trade and followed his father who was also a painter and decorator. He did two years national service in the army from 1957 to 1959.

After demobilisation from the army Les continued as a painter and decorator, then joined Securicor for a while and was the maintenance supervisor at the Hotel St George, Ripon Road in Harrogate for many years until his retirement.

Sylvia started work after leaving school as a secretary in the Borough Engineer’s Office in Harrogate.

She also worked as the school secretary at Hampsthwaite C of E primary school and worked for many years for estate agent Oswald Lister & Son and later Lister Haigh of Knaresbourgh until her retirement.

Les and Sylvia have two sons, two daughter-in-laws and four grandchildren.