JOAN and BILL SMITH celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on Sunday Joan, 91, and Bill, 93, of Willow Way were in the News ten years ago when they had their diamond anniversary.

Now they’ve made the platinum milestone after a lifetime of shared interests.

They met at school and a lifetime of shared interests have kept them together.

They first met at Watford Central School but it wasn’t until a few years later they got together through their love of ballroom dancing.

Joan said: “At school we were just good friends. Me and my friend used to watch him playing cricket.”.

She was attracted to Bill, she says, because he was so kind and tolerant and said she wouldn’t have changed him for anything.

Bill was disappointed to miss out on war service after a six-month spell in a sanatorium with TB but he did form a dance band in 1942 and raised money for war causes. He played the accordion and his brother the guitar in the five-piece band which kept going until 1966.

The band was the runner-up in a national dance band championship in 1949.

“Those were in the days you had to get about by bike. Dad made a trailer for the instrument,” said Bill.

They married on June 30 1943 in Watford and lived in this area for 43 years until moving to Bridport in the early 1980s.

The couple knew the area having come down here on holiday since 1945. “We always felt welcome and liked the area and just slotted into the things we wanted to do,” said Bill.

Bill was a local housing officer for 36 years and was secretary of the local court of the Ancient order of Foresters Friendly Society for 20 years and its district chairman for two years. Bill was also well known in the area for his love of music, and he was the leader of a local band playing the accordion for many years. On moving to Bridport, Joan and Bill joined the local Bridport Bowls Club.

Joan proved a talented bowler and between 1987 and 2000 twice represented Dorset in the Ladies’ National Championships and was also the most successful bowler in the Ladies Club competitions. Bill became the treasurer for a number of years and is a lifetime member.

Joan also had a natural flair for flower arranging and won numerous prizes in the local flower group.

Bill’s interests included photography and entered many local competitions. They are both keen bird watchers and started rambling in the early 80s - every Wednesday Bill lead their rambling group on local walks.

They were also members of a local folk dancing club and Bill was a regular caller at these get togethers.

Unfortunately due to ill health in the last four years both Joan and Bill have had to give up their loved interests of bowling, walking and dancing.

The couple will be celebrating their platinum wedding with family and friends.

Joan and Bill have two sons, two grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

With RG horizontal pic called smith in brid pics A SPRIGHTLY pair of Bridport octogenarians celebrated 60 years of wedded bliss this week.

Joan, 81, and Bill Smith, 83, of Willow Way have known each other since school but a lifetime of shared interests have kept them together.

They first met at Watford Central School but it wasn’t until a few years later they got together through their love of ballroom dancing.

“At school we were just good friends. Me and my friend used to watch him playing cricket,” said Joan.

She was attracted to Bill, she says, because he was so kind and tolerant. She said: “He’s wonderful, he’s really good. I would not change him for anything.”

As for Bill he said: “You can’t beat her. There are not many 81 year olds look as nice as that. I do my side of the job and Joan does hers. We don’t have many arguments, it’s too tiring!”

They married on June 30, 1943 and lived for 60 yeas in the Watford area before moving to Bridport in the 1980s.

Bill was disappointed to miss out on war service after a six-month spell in a sanatorium with TB but he did form a dance band in 1942 and raised money for war causes. He played the accordion and his brother the guitar in the five-piece band which kept going until 1966.

The band was the runner-up in a national dance band championship in 1949.

“Those were in the days you had to get about by bike. Dad made a trailer for the instrument,” said Bill.

Bill was a local housing officer for 36 years and was secretary of the local court of the Ancient Order of Foresters Friendly Society for 20 years and its district chairman for two.

Both Bill and Joan started bowling and folk dancing in the early 1980s and Bill has been club leader and treasurer of the Bridport Folk Club for more than eight years.

Joan proved a talented bowler and between 1987 and 200 she twice represented Dorset in the Ladies’ National Championships and was the most successful bowler in the Ladies Club competitions. She also has a natural flair for flower arranging and has won numerous prizes in the local flower group.

They also started rambling in the early 80s and every Wednesday lead their unofficial rambling group on local walks The couple knew the area having come down here on holiday since 1945. “We always felt welcome and liked the area and just slotted into the things we wanted to do,” said Bill.

The couple have been celebrating their diamond wedding with a round of family engagements and a special party at the WI hall with 40 fellow folk club members and friends.

The couple have two sons, two grandchildren and two great grandchildren.