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Couple who married on pregnant girl's 16th birthday celebrate 60th anniversary

Ross McGuinness
·3-min read
Lynn and Bert celebrated 60 years of marraige. See SWNS story SWLEanniversary; A bride who married the love of her of life on her 16th birthday as it was the earliest they could wed has celebrated 60 years of bliss with her husband. Lynne Woolliss, 76, and hubby Bert, 77, are two of the youngest people in the country to mark their diamond wedding anniversary having met as teenagers. The couple celebrated their diamond anniversary at their home in Cleethorpes, Lincs., on Saturday (July 17) surrounded by their family and were ‘chuffed’ to receive a card from the Queen. They met way back in 1959 when he kept looking at her when they were at school and she ‘wondered if something was wrong with him’.
Lynne and Bert Woolliss on their wedding day in 1961, left, and celebrating their 60th anniversary, right. (SWNS)

A couple have become one of the youngest in Britain to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary.

Lynne and Bert Woolliss, aged 76 and 77 respectively, celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary on Saturday and said they were “chuffed” to receive a card from the Queen.

The pair were married on Lynne’s 16th birthday on 17 July, 1961, when she was seven months pregnant with their first son, John.

When she told him the news she was pregnant, Bert said to Lynne: “Well, we ought to get married then.”

There were just six people in attendance at the wedding.

Lynne Woolliss, 76, and hubby Bert, 77. See SWNS story SWLEanniversary; A bride who married the love of her of life on her 16th birthday as it was the earliest they could wed has celebrated 60 years of bliss with her husband. Lynne Woolliss, 76, and hubby Bert, 77, are two of the youngest people in the country to mark their diamond wedding anniversary having met as teenagers. The couple celebrated their diamond anniversary at their home in Cleethorpes, Lincs., on Saturday (July 17) surrounded by their family and were ‘chuffed’ to receive a card from the Queen. They met way back in 1959 when he kept looking at her when they were at school and she ‘wondered if something was wrong with him’.
Bert and Lynne Woolliss received a card from the Queen congratulating them on their diamond wedding anniversary. (SWNS)
Lynne Woolliss and hubby Bert wedding day, They married on July 17, 1961 when she was seven months pregnant with her first son John, with just six people in attendance. See SWNS story SWLEanniversary; A bride who married the love of her of life on her 16th birthday as it was the earliest they could wed has celebrated 60 years of bliss with her husband. Lynne Woolliss, 76, and hubby Bert, 77, are two of the youngest people in the country to mark their diamond wedding anniversary having met as teenagers. The couple celebrated their diamond anniversary at their home in Cleethorpes, Lincs., on Saturday (July 17) surrounded by their family and were ‘chuffed’ to receive a card from the Queen. They met way back in 1959 when he kept looking at her when they were at school and she ‘wondered if something was wrong with him’.
Bert and Lynne Woolliss were married on her 16th birthday, when she was seven months pregnant. (SWNS)

She said it was a “lovely day” and that they enjoyed fish and chips and some cake after exchanging vows.

The couple celebrated their 60th anniversary at their home in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, surrounded by family.

They first met in 1959 when Bert would look at Lynne at school and she “wondered if something was wrong with him”.

In their first encounter, Lynne confronted the then 15-year-old Bert, who told her he thought she “looked nice”.

Lynne recalled he was a “bit of a nuisance” as he kept shouting her name across the wall, as their school was separated between boys and the girls.

On their first date, they shared a bottle of lemonade.

She said meeting Bert was the “best thing to ever happen” as he has spent six decades making her laugh.

“We used to go the films, but we never watched them because we were being naughty in the back,” said Lynne. “It was the only time we could meet really.

"At the time my mother was ashamed of me, she wouldn’t even come to our wedding.

“But 60 years on, I think I can say we made the right decision even when we were so young.

“I can’t look back and say we’ve had a bad time.

“Being married to Bert for all this time, we’ve grown together. We were just children when we met, 60 years on and the passion and love are still there.

“I always say we must have been meant to be with each other to have lasted this long. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Bert said that he has never doubted he made the right decision when he asked Lynne to marry him.

Lynn and Bert celebrated 60 years of marraige. See SWNS story SWLEanniversary; A bride who married the love of her of life on her 16th birthday as it was the earliest they could wed has celebrated 60 years of bliss with her husband. Lynne Woolliss, 76, and hubby Bert, 77, are two of the youngest people in the country to mark their diamond wedding anniversary having met as teenagers. The couple celebrated their diamond anniversary at their home in Cleethorpes, Lincs., on Saturday (July 17) surrounded by their family and were ‘chuffed’ to receive a card from the Queen. They met way back in 1959 when he kept looking at her when they were at school and she ‘wondered if something was wrong with him’.
Lynne and Bert Woolliss have been married for 60 years. (SWNS)
Lynne Woolliss, 76, and hubby Bert, 77. See SWNS story SWLEanniversary; A bride who married the love of her of life on her 16th birthday as it was the earliest they could wed has celebrated 60 years of bliss with her husband. Lynne Woolliss, 76, and hubby Bert, 77, are two of the youngest people in the country to mark their diamond wedding anniversary having met as teenagers. The couple celebrated their diamond anniversary at their home in Cleethorpes, Lincs., on Saturday (July 17) surrounded by their family and were ‘chuffed’ to receive a card from the Queen. They met way back in 1959 when he kept looking at her when they were at school and she ‘wondered if something was wrong with him’.
Lynne and Bert Woolliss celebrating their 60th anniversary at their home in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire. (SWNS)

“She still looks as beautiful today as she did the first day I saw her,” he said.

The couple went on to have five children, eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Lynne said: “We have a lovely family and we’ve had a lovely life.”

The couple’s youngest child, and only girl, Nicola Woolliss, 47, said seeing them still laughing and joking after 60 years was “amazing”.

Nicola, a midwife, said: “Spending their 60th anniversary together with all of the family was just lovely. They always say they don’t want presents or money, they just want to see us and wish we’re healthy.

“They still laugh every day, they’ll be sat across the pond from each other and joking.

“It’s just amazing to see them like this, it’s very cute.”

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