Alan Thompson THERE have been many occasions when couples have met through school reunions and later married - but for one Freethorpe couple their romance started at school and continued.

Alan Thompson

THERE have been many occasions when couples have met through school reunions and later married - but for one Freethorpe couple their romance started at school and continued.

And last Saturday, Fay and Tony Moll celebrated 50 golden married years.

Both said love grew from friendship as they both attended Freethorpe School and their families knew each other. Apart from Tony's time in the RAF they have been a couple for more than 60 years.

Tony did two years' National Service and became a senior aircraftsman and for a time was based in Chorley, Lancashire.

His father owned a corn merchants business and Tony worked for him for a while and when he came out of the RAF he returned to the family business.

Fay, 70, on the other hand went into retail and worked for Arnold's grocery department in Market Place, Great Yarmouth.

She said: “If you wanted to work locally you would work for one of the big retailers when you left school. The one thing I do remember was that money seemed to go further in those days when you consider I was earning £1-10s (50p) a week.”

She added with grin: “It was lucky I married someone with money!”

Their courtship started before Tony's time in the RAF and he would come home when he could to see his future wife.

On May 10, 1958 the couple married at Freethorpe Methodist Chapel with a wedding party at the newly-opened village hall - the first couple to hold a party there.

Apart from 11 years living in Limpenhoe, they have spent most of their lives in Freethorpe.

Today they have two children, six grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Neither has retired, Tony, 71, works part-time as a funeral director and Fay runs a flower shop next to their home in The Green.

Both are keen on sport, playing bowls and have played in county tournaments. This they said has been the recipe for their long lasting relationship.

Fay said: “We both have the same interests, particularly in sport and we both enjoy television, although we are selective about what we watch.”