We married after 17 days – now it’s gold! (From York Press)

Alan and Pauline Baram celebrate their Golden wedding anniversary

9:03am Thursday 30th August 2012 in News By Dan Bean, dan.bean@thepress.co.uk

A YORK couple who were married only 17 days after meeting one another have celebrated their golden wedding anniversary – the third in their family this year.

Pauline and Alan Baram met while Alan was on leave from his posting with the RAF as a storeman in Aden, after he called in at The Golden Fleece for a drink.

The pair, of Bramley Garth, off Stockton Lane, went out a few times during Alan’s leave, before he asked Pauline “do you fancy getting married before I go back?”.

Pauline said: “I thought, ‘why not?’ I knew I loved him, and that was it.” The couple were celebrating their anniversary today, but they are the third in the family to celebrate their golden wedding this year.

Pauline’s brother, Malcolm, celebrated a similar length of marriage to his wife, Pat, back in January, and Alan’s youngest sister, Evelyn Rawcliffe , celebrated her golden anniversary with husband Mick last month.

Pauline said: “So that makes three golds for the Olympic year. We thought it was quite fitting.”

As for the secret to their long and happy marriage, the couple have proved that absence can make the heart grow fonder.

Alan said: “I was away for seven years of marriage, all in all. The morning after the wedding, I was back on a plane to Yemen for the year.

“In 1982, I went to work in Oman for four years too. It was either go there or lose the house because the mortgage rate was at 16.5 per cent. I was doing maintenance work for the sultan, who employed ex-military people, and came home for 17 days at a time.”

Pauline said: “We just share everything, even the housework.”

“When we tell people we married after 17 days they still don’t believe us, but our marriage has lasted.”