The Big Day 50 Years ago....
Hello and a big welcome to Beryl and Rons Golden Wedding Anniversary website to celebrate 50 years of wedded bliss.
We will be adding photos and stories to the site over the run up to the big day. Stories about how they met and family life over the years.
We will be adding photos and stories to the site over the run up to the big day. Stories about how they met and family life over the years.
Please feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of each post. It would be a nice memento for Beryl and Ron to receive wishes and comments from friends and family.
Looking forward to meeting you all at the party.
Love
Diane, Paul and Debbie
x
Love
Diane, Paul and Debbie
x
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CHESTER BRIDEGROOM AT RHYL
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JOHNSON - DAVIES
The Rhyl Journal September 25, 1958
____________
JOHNSON - DAVIES
The Rhyl Journal September 25, 1958
The wedding took place on Saturday, September 20, at the English Presbyterian Church, Princes Street, Rhyl, of Miss Beryl Davies, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Davies, 21 Marsh Road, Rhyl (late of Liverpool), and Mr. Ronald Vincent Johnson, only son of Mr. and Mrs. S. Johnson, 18 Bythom Close, Christleton, near Chester. The bride has been employed as a clerk with the British Railways Good Dept. in Chester, while the bridegroom is a costing clerk with the firm of Dutton and James, Chester.
The service was conducted by the pastor, the Rev. G. Evans and organist, Mr. Glyn Williams, accompanied the singing of the hymns "o Father all Creating" and "Praise my soul the King of Heaven" and played the Bridal and Wedding Marches.
Given in marriage by her father, the bride looked radiant in a full length gown of white nylon lace over taffeta with a shoulder length veil secured by a coronet of orange blossom. She carried a bouquet of pale pink carnations and lily of valley.
She was attended by Mrs. N. Newman, sister of the bridegroom, who wore a ballerina length gown of pink brocade: Miss. J. Boden, cousin of the bride, who wore a gown of blue brocade, and Miss Julie Davies, four year old niece of the bride, who was attired in a dress of white nylon. All three carried bouquets of multi-coloured freesias.
The bride's mother wore an ice-blue brocade two-piece suit with pink and black accessories and a spray of pink carnations, while the bridegrooms mother chose a turquoise and black figured two-piece with pink and black accessories.
The best man was Mr. Neville Newman, brother-in-law of the bridegroom and the groomsman was Mr. J Davies, brother of the bride.
The reception was held at the Queens Hotel, Rhyl after which Mr. and Mrs. Johnson left for their honeymoon in Newquay, Cornwall, the bride travelling in a sax blue brocade dress and jacket with beige accessories. On their return, they will take up residence at 10 Woodlands Avenue, Chester.
The service was conducted by the pastor, the Rev. G. Evans and organist, Mr. Glyn Williams, accompanied the singing of the hymns "o Father all Creating" and "Praise my soul the King of Heaven" and played the Bridal and Wedding Marches.
Given in marriage by her father, the bride looked radiant in a full length gown of white nylon lace over taffeta with a shoulder length veil secured by a coronet of orange blossom. She carried a bouquet of pale pink carnations and lily of valley.
She was attended by Mrs. N. Newman, sister of the bridegroom, who wore a ballerina length gown of pink brocade: Miss. J. Boden, cousin of the bride, who wore a gown of blue brocade, and Miss Julie Davies, four year old niece of the bride, who was attired in a dress of white nylon. All three carried bouquets of multi-coloured freesias.
The bride's mother wore an ice-blue brocade two-piece suit with pink and black accessories and a spray of pink carnations, while the bridegrooms mother chose a turquoise and black figured two-piece with pink and black accessories.
The best man was Mr. Neville Newman, brother-in-law of the bridegroom and the groomsman was Mr. J Davies, brother of the bride.
The reception was held at the Queens Hotel, Rhyl after which Mr. and Mrs. Johnson left for their honeymoon in Newquay, Cornwall, the bride travelling in a sax blue brocade dress and jacket with beige accessories. On their return, they will take up residence at 10 Woodlands Avenue, Chester.
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How it all started - 1953
Ron started working for British Railways in April 1953 after finishing his 2 year National Service with the RAF in Dee 1952. He couldn't settle into his previous job training in accounts so decided upon a change. He was employed at Chester General Station in the station masters office which also include the Enquiry Office.
Everyone traveled by train in those days, so as you can imagine it was an extremely busy period. A very romantic time by all accounts as this was the age of steam and the railways were in their hayday.
Beryls parents moved to Rhyl, because her father had transferred his job as Railway Electrition from Liverpool to Rhyl. Beryl who was 18 at the time initially decided to remain as a Civil Servant at Derby House in Liverpool and was staying with her Grand Parents. But she missed her family so much that it wasn't long before she resigned from her job and followed them to Rhyl. (2 weeks in fact!!). Beryl managed to find employment as a Trainee Enquiry clerk at Prestatyn Station for the summer season. It was at this point that the scene for their inevitable meeting was set, because Beryl was sent for training at Chester Station Enquiry Office for one month.
The romance did not really begin until Beryl returned to Chester after her summer in Prestatyn and she had finished with her Liverpool boyfriend.
Courting in those days was completely alien to the present day. No comfortable cars etc. but walking in the rain, sitting in windswept shelters and the back row of the cinema. Good night kisses where left at the front door with parents shouting "Its' time you were going now son."
Then running up the never ending road to catch the last train home, arriving with minutes to spare to jump on the last bus back to Christleton. If the train was late, then it was another walk home. "That was true love."
In the following years they saved up to get married. Weddings were extremely expensive and housing options were completely different from today. It was not easy to get a mortgage, so it was almost impossible in those days to acquire accommodation. Most couples lived with their parents, took rented rooms or rented a flat once they got married. Giving them time to save up for a deposit on a place of their own.
Unfortunately the proposed wedding date had to be postponed for one year, because during 1957 Beryl had been seriously ill with chest problems and had spent 4 months in Abergele Chest Hospital, whilst Ron had also had major back problems for six months which ended up in surgery for repairing a slipped disc at Clatterbridge Hospital. So as you can imagine their courtship had to be conducted by letter writing as phones in those days were few and far between. Also hospital rules were very strict and phone calls to patients were simply not allowed. But thankfully they both recovered well and finally made the wedding in 1958.
Once they were married, they managed to find accommodation through a friend of Rons family in a semi-detached house in Parkgate Road, Chester for 3 guineas a week. At the time Ron earned £8 per week and Beryl £4 per week. For those of you who have no idea what 1 guinea was worth, it was roughly equal to £1.05 in old money. Therefore the weekly rent was approximately £3.15 per week from £12. I suppose it's all relative in todays money.
This arrangement was quite successful, but the couple who owned the house were elderly, so it was not ideal for a young married couple.
So the decision was taken to move. They managed to find a large bedsit in Hough Green, Chester and they lived happily there until August 1960, when they finally managed to save up the deposit for their own house. They had worked and saved hard for a 20% deposit on a brand new 3 bedroom semi-detached house in Boughton, Chester. The cost of the house then was around £1500, a snip at todays prices! In fact they even had just enough left to have an immersion heater installed, so that they could have hot running water. What luxury ;-)
Of course they had to wait some time before they could fully furnish the house. By relying on second hand furniture from other people. It was a while before they could afford to carpet the stairs and other rooms, but this was the norm at the time as every newly married couple were going through the same thing. It was not easy to get credit in those days, so if you wanted something, you had to save for it. But saying all that, it was a wonderful feeling to have their own house in such a nice neighbourhood.
This was a new housing estate at the time, so the majority of people living their were newly married and all around a similar age. Which also meant they the started families more or less around the same time.
On June 15th 1962. Beryl gave birth to a beautiful daughter, Diane Elsie Johnson.
Four years later on October 12th 1966, Paul Anthony Johnson popped into the world ;-)
There were lots of children of similar ages in the road and it was one big happy family, with lots of parties for the kids and the adults of course.
In those days all of the mums were at home as they were forced to give up work when you had a child. Not the case anymore.
Ron started working for British Railways in April 1953 after finishing his 2 year National Service with the RAF in Dee 1952. He couldn't settle into his previous job training in accounts so decided upon a change. He was employed at Chester General Station in the station masters office which also include the Enquiry Office.
Everyone traveled by train in those days, so as you can imagine it was an extremely busy period. A very romantic time by all accounts as this was the age of steam and the railways were in their hayday.
Beryls parents moved to Rhyl, because her father had transferred his job as Railway Electrition from Liverpool to Rhyl. Beryl who was 18 at the time initially decided to remain as a Civil Servant at Derby House in Liverpool and was staying with her Grand Parents. But she missed her family so much that it wasn't long before she resigned from her job and followed them to Rhyl. (2 weeks in fact!!). Beryl managed to find employment as a Trainee Enquiry clerk at Prestatyn Station for the summer season. It was at this point that the scene for their inevitable meeting was set, because Beryl was sent for training at Chester Station Enquiry Office for one month.
The romance did not really begin until Beryl returned to Chester after her summer in Prestatyn and she had finished with her Liverpool boyfriend.
Courting in those days was completely alien to the present day. No comfortable cars etc. but walking in the rain, sitting in windswept shelters and the back row of the cinema. Good night kisses where left at the front door with parents shouting "Its' time you were going now son."
Then running up the never ending road to catch the last train home, arriving with minutes to spare to jump on the last bus back to Christleton. If the train was late, then it was another walk home. "That was true love."
In the following years they saved up to get married. Weddings were extremely expensive and housing options were completely different from today. It was not easy to get a mortgage, so it was almost impossible in those days to acquire accommodation. Most couples lived with their parents, took rented rooms or rented a flat once they got married. Giving them time to save up for a deposit on a place of their own.
Unfortunately the proposed wedding date had to be postponed for one year, because during 1957 Beryl had been seriously ill with chest problems and had spent 4 months in Abergele Chest Hospital, whilst Ron had also had major back problems for six months which ended up in surgery for repairing a slipped disc at Clatterbridge Hospital. So as you can imagine their courtship had to be conducted by letter writing as phones in those days were few and far between. Also hospital rules were very strict and phone calls to patients were simply not allowed. But thankfully they both recovered well and finally made the wedding in 1958.
Once they were married, they managed to find accommodation through a friend of Rons family in a semi-detached house in Parkgate Road, Chester for 3 guineas a week. At the time Ron earned £8 per week and Beryl £4 per week. For those of you who have no idea what 1 guinea was worth, it was roughly equal to £1.05 in old money. Therefore the weekly rent was approximately £3.15 per week from £12. I suppose it's all relative in todays money.
This arrangement was quite successful, but the couple who owned the house were elderly, so it was not ideal for a young married couple.
So the decision was taken to move. They managed to find a large bedsit in Hough Green, Chester and they lived happily there until August 1960, when they finally managed to save up the deposit for their own house. They had worked and saved hard for a 20% deposit on a brand new 3 bedroom semi-detached house in Boughton, Chester. The cost of the house then was around £1500, a snip at todays prices! In fact they even had just enough left to have an immersion heater installed, so that they could have hot running water. What luxury ;-)
Of course they had to wait some time before they could fully furnish the house. By relying on second hand furniture from other people. It was a while before they could afford to carpet the stairs and other rooms, but this was the norm at the time as every newly married couple were going through the same thing. It was not easy to get credit in those days, so if you wanted something, you had to save for it. But saying all that, it was a wonderful feeling to have their own house in such a nice neighbourhood.
This was a new housing estate at the time, so the majority of people living their were newly married and all around a similar age. Which also meant they the started families more or less around the same time.
On June 15th 1962. Beryl gave birth to a beautiful daughter, Diane Elsie Johnson.
Four years later on October 12th 1966, Paul Anthony Johnson popped into the world ;-)
There were lots of children of similar ages in the road and it was one big happy family, with lots of parties for the kids and the adults of course.
In those days all of the mums were at home as they were forced to give up work when you had a child. Not the case anymore.
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