A couple who couldn’t walk down the street without suffering racial abuse have celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary.
George and Lilian Peterkin first met in 1953 and say their relationship struggled against a backdrop of hatred towards mixed-race partners.
Lilian, 83, who was studying to be a nurse at the time, met her sweetheart on the first night out she ever had.
She said: “My father was a very strict man but I asked if I could go out for one night only. I met my husband at a town hall dance.
“He took over from a partner I had. We’re still courting now.”
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She and retired preacher George, 87 – who had arrived from Jamaica the previous year – hit it off straight away and now have five children, 19 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.
The early years of their relationship were fraught with prejudice, which forced them to hide away, taking back streets when out to avoid abuse.
Lilian said: “When we got together we used to walk around the back streets because there was a lot of prejudice around. Once we were walking with another couple and there was a man who said insults.
“We don’t think about those things any more. We’ve still remained quite strong through it.”
The pair, who live in Bradmore, Wolverhampton, got married on May 14, 1954, at the city’s register office.
It was two years to the day after George arrived in the UK.
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The pair said the secret to their happy marriage is their religion. Lilian said: “I can say that Jesus has kept us together.
“These days when people get married, as soon as the reception is over they are phoning a solicitor for a divorce.
“They don’t last long now, 65 years is a lifetime.”
