Copnor couple say 'love and honesty' is key to 65-year marriage

‘As the years pass our love has grown stronger.’
Leonard and Valerie Pauley from Copnor, celebrated their Sapphire Wedding Anniversary on October 18, 2020. Picture: Sarah Standing (291020-7264)Leonard and Valerie Pauley from Copnor, celebrated their Sapphire Wedding Anniversary on October 18, 2020. Picture: Sarah Standing (291020-7264)
Leonard and Valerie Pauley from Copnor, celebrated their Sapphire Wedding Anniversary on October 18, 2020. Picture: Sarah Standing (291020-7264)

Those are the words of Valerie and Leonard Pauley who celebrated 65 years of marriage on October 18, 2020.

‘The time seems to have flown by,’ adds Leonard, smiling at his wife at their home in Copnor, Portsmouth.

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Both born in the city, Valerie, née Barber, and Leonard knew each other as children.

Leonard and Valerie Pauley on their wedding day.Leonard and Valerie Pauley on their wedding day.
Leonard and Valerie Pauley on their wedding day.

Leonard, 89, says: ‘I was brought up by my mum Ada and dad Frank in their Clive Road house in Fratton. I had an older brother Sid and a sister Phyllis - we were a close family.

‘Sid and I met every Friday in the Cumberland Arms, Eastney, for a few pints to see out the week.’

‘My mum Hetty brought us up and my dad Ernest was a Seaman in the Merchant Navy,’ adds Valerie, 86.

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‘I was the youngest of five and had two brothers, Vic and Bill, and two sisters, Dorrie and Kitt.’

Leonard and Valerie Pauley from Copnor celebrated their sapphire wedding. Picture: Sarah StandingLeonard and Valerie Pauley from Copnor celebrated their sapphire wedding. Picture: Sarah Standing
Leonard and Valerie Pauley from Copnor celebrated their sapphire wedding. Picture: Sarah Standing

Leonard and Valerie both attended a youth club at the Falcon Club in Old Commercial Road. However Leonard was drafted into the army for national service in Egypt for two years, but they were reunited when Valerie was 20 and he was 24.

Before leaving for national service, Leonard started his career as an apprentice paviour mason for Portsmouth City Council and later worked for Fareham Borough Council too. He went on to become a Senior Clerk of Works at the councils and after retirement, he took on the part time role of handyman at East Cosham House Rest Home for 15 years.

Valerie says: ‘I worked as a machinist and seamstress at Twillfits Corset Factory. I enjoyed the banter and camaraderie of life in the factory and the trips we went on to the West End to see shows.

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‘Later I worked as a dressmaker, making, and altering dresses for local well-known singers and even a princess and made many friends in the process.’

While they were courting, Leonard and Valerie enjoyed attending dances together at Clarence Pier and other clubs in Portsmouth.

Leonard says: ‘After asking Val’s mother for permission, I got down on one knee and proposed. She accepted and chose a diamond engagement ring from a jeweller in Charlotte Street.’

‘It was my first proper item of jewellery and I was so excited,’ adds Valerie, smiling.

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The couple married on October 18, 1955, at Portsmouth Register Office.

Valerie says: ‘We were both nervous but excited about starting our new life together.

‘While saving up to buy our first house at Thorncroft Road, Fratton, we honeymooned for a few days in London before returning to our new home.’

The Pauleys have two sons, Chris and Michael, and are now proud grandparents to Gemma, Hannah, Lotty, Laura and Jack.

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To celebrate their sapphire wedding, their children and grandchildren organised a surprise celebration lunch for them at the Queens Hotel, Southsea, and an overnight stay in one of the Queens’ deluxe seaview rooms with balcony views across the Solent to the Isle of Wight.

Valerie explains: ‘It was a complete surprise. Chris told us to dress smartly and take an overnight bag, we had no idea about it.

‘The Queens Hotel has always stood out for us in Portsmouth as a landmark and as the most luxurious hotel in the city and we had never had dinner or stayed there before and the hotel staff could not have done more for us they were brilliant.’

The couple, who have been avid readers of The News for more than 50 years, say that ‘love and honesty’ is key to a successful marriage.

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Valerie smiles and says: ‘Len has supported Pompey all his life and was a regular at Fratton Park so that comes with a sense of humour.’

‘Val has a strong personality who looks after me and I love her so much that words cannot explain it,’ adds Leonard.

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