Diamond Wedding couple receive card from The Queen (From York Press)

George and Vera Tingle celebrate diamond wedding

8:31am Friday 8th March 2013 in News

A COUPLE celebrating their diamond wedding can count the Queen among their well-wishers after receiving a special card from her.

The surprise for George and Vera Tingle was orchestrated by friends in the York Philharmonic Male Voice Choir, of which Mr Tingle, now 82, has been a member for 40 years.

The couple celebrated their anniversary yesterday at their home in Clifton, York, before a meal out with friends.

They are also planning a party with family, including their daughter and son-in-law, Susan and Peter Chappell, along with fellow choir members and friends.

They met as teenagers at a dance in their home town of Grimethorpe in 1949, and later married in the parish church.

Mr Tingle said they could not afford a honeymoon at the time, but made up for it later with holidays abroad, including ones to America and the Caribbean.

Mr Tingle has also travelled with the choir over the years, while Mrs Tingle, now 80, is a member of a “Friends” choir.

After completing his National Service from 1949 to 1951, Mr Tingle worked as a miner until 1961, when they moved to York and both worked at Rowntree’s until retiring. The couple, who have three grandchildren and three great grandchildren, said the secret to their long marriage was “give and take”.

“The man does all the giving, and the wife does all the taking,” joked Mr Tingle, adding: “When all’s said and done you get married to live your life out together.”