A COUPLE from Maryport prepare to celebrate 70 years of marriage - and say it’s all about just 'giving into the other!' 

Tom and Iris Jackson were married on December 20 in 1952 in Dearham Parish Church. The couple have both always lived in the Maryport area.

In his younger days, Tom was a shop manager at Co-op before joining his two brothers and working at North Housing. Tom used to collect rents door to door. 

Iris worked as a shop girl before joining the Button Factory at Grasslot and she was also a cleaner.

She often worked two to three jobs at a time until she became ill with Parkinsons disease. Tom has been her main carer for the past 30 years. 

Iris and Tom have three children together; Sandra, who sadly died of cancer at the age of 19, Linda, aged 66 who is now living in Merseyside, and Mark, aged 67, who lives in Maryport with his parents.

Times and Star: Tom and Iris in 2022, 70 years later looking as happy as everTom and Iris in 2022, 70 years later looking as happy as ever (Image: Claire Benson)

Iris and Tom have four grandchildren: Paula, Claire, Sam and Faye. They also have three great-grandchildren: Abbie, Emily and Evie-Rose. 

To celebrate the big occassion, the family have applied for a letter from King Charles to celebrate the couple's marriage.

Claire Benson, Iris and Tom's granddaughter, spoke about the remarkable anniversary, adding: "We will just be celebrating at home with family and friends."

Iris and Tom have both said the secret to their successful marriage is 'giving into the other!' 

One of the pictures above is an old photo of the couple around the time they got married; Iris and Tom have not got a wedding picture as they couldn't afford a photographer at the wedding. The other photo is a more recent picture of them both at home in Maryport.

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