Gosport grandad celebrates 90th birthday with wife of 64 years

Overwhelmed by the number of birthday wishes he received from his friends, family, daughters, his six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, Maurice enjoyed his birthday with his wife of 64 years, Joy, at home.

Born on January 18, 1931, Maurice grew up in Gosport .

His first job was picking Brussels sprouts on a farm.

‘It was a hard, cold, physical job,’ says Maurice.

‘But I then worked on the Isle of Wight boats as an able seaman, then in the dockyard on the ammunition ships.’

From there, Maurice worked at the rum store in Royal Clarence Yard, Gosport, before joining the army in 1948.

After being demobilised, he worked for the Southern Electricity Board until his retirement.

Maurice met his future wife, Joy, at the drill hall in Haslar Road, Gosport, and the couple married at St Thomas’s Church, Elson, Gosport, in 1956.

They have two daughters, Helen and Sandra who both live in Gosport, and Joy and Maurice re both proud grandparents and great-grandparents. As an avid gardener and bird-keeper, Maurice used to enjoy regular trips to his allotment which he had for 40 years.

Helen, who says her father has The News delivered every day, adds: ‘This is a tribute to the fantastic husband, dad, grandad, great-grandad and brother he is to all of his family!’