She was the little sister of Chris’s friend Jennie. In October 1957 Jill went with Chris and his friends to a Jazz concert in London as Jennie was unable to go. He didn’t see her again until 2 years later when he saw her walking down the road, now grown up and extremely attractive!


It was only when Chris started his National service in 1960 that he and Jill began writing to each other. They went for a drink before he was posted to Libya and the romance blossomed by letter (he still has them all!). On his return in 1962, they began dating in person and were engaged in 1963. They married at St Martins Church in Ruislip on 24th October 1964 at 2.30pm.

In 1968 they welcomed their first daughter Janette followed by Nickie in 1970. 60 years of marriage and almost a lifetime of knowing each other, they are celebrating their Diamond anniversary in Lagos where Nickie and her husband Jez have a villa. Janette and Husband Wayne and all 4 grandchildren, Hannah, Emma, Layla and Joel have flown from the UK for the celebrations and as they have been so fond of the Algarve for many years it seemed the most fitting place for the close knit family of 10 to celebrate this wonderful marriage.