A husband and wife preparing to celebrate 70 years of marriage say they have been “very lucky” as they look back on a lifetime of family, travel and friendship.
Anthony and Paulina Cozens, from Sittingbourne, will mark their platinum wedding anniversary today (June 16), having married in London on June 16, 1956.
Anthony, who is now 90, first met Paulina when they were both working for Westminster Bank.
Asked whether it was love at first sight, he laughed before recalling how she caught his eye.
“She was very, very attractive,” he said.
After returning from national service, Anthony asked her out to a stage show and their relationship quickly blossomed.
Paulina, 89, has carefully kept a number of mementoes from her wedding day, including the original design sketch for her wedding dress.
The drawing, complete with handwritten notes describing a “nylon and lace embroidered gown”, was created when she ordered the dress.
Seventy years later, the sketch remains among her treasured possessions and offers a glimpse into the day the couple began their life together.
“We couldn’t afford a lot in those days,” Paulina said.
“Our reception was at home.”
The young couple welcomed their first child just 11 months after their wedding, with a second child following soon afterwards.
Despite working for a bank, Anthony was unable to get a mortgage.
With two young children and little room to spare, he decided to take a job with the Standard Bank of South Africa and move his family to Kenya.
During the voyage to East Africa, the young couple met fellow passengers who would become lifelong friends.
Paulina said: “We were very naive going out to East Africa. We really grew up. We had nobody to depend on.
“The people on the boat we made friends with were so kind and helped us in lots of ways. They teased us and told us we were going to live in a mud hut and how to put the mud back on if it rained too hard.”
The family spent eight years in Kenya, living in both Nairobi and Mombasa, before returning to Britain so their children could continue their education.
Paulina said: “We had a wonderful time in East Africa. We really did grow up because we only had each other.”
Back in Britain, the couple bought the Sittingbourne home where they still live today.
“We only saw the house once,” Paulina said.
“We didn’t even know where the stairs were when we went back. We just wanted the house and couldn’t remember much about it.”
The couple went on to raise three children and now have seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
After retiring, they travelled extensively, visiting countries including Australia, New Zealand, China, South Africa and Peru.
Anthony, who also completed three marathons, said people often ask what the recipe is for a long and happy marriage.
“People are always asked what the secret is,” he said.
“There ain’t no secret. It’s just purely and simply luck.”
Asked what she most admired about her husband, Paulina said they had always supported one another through life’s challenges.
“We’ve been happy all the time,” she said.
Anthony added: “It’s true to say we’re still best pals.”
The couple will celebrate their anniversary with family and friends.