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Care home couples share secret of a happy marriage

Lynette Horsburgh
BBC News, Lancashire
HC-One handout Margaret Tyman with white curly hair wearing a navy, white and beige striped top and navy pants bends down to take a red rose from her husband Donald Tyman who is sitting down with white hair, brown eyes, wearing a navy blue, pale blue and white striped top and beige cardiganHC-One handout
Margaret and Donald Tyman have two sons and three grandchildren

Two couples whose love has stood the test of time said communication was the key to a long romance as they prepared to spend Valentine's Day together.

Donald and Margaret Tyman, and Gordon and Joan Cilgram, live in the Dove Court Care Home in Burnley.

Mr and Mrs Tyman, who are 83 and 81, said they "loved spending time together" while 91-year-old Mr Cilgram and his wife, 92, put some of their success down to "never falling out".

HC-One, which runs the home, said the couples were being treated to a romantic lunch to mark the special day.

HC-One handout Donald and Margaret Tyman on their wedding day. Donald has short, black curly hair wearing a black wedding suit while Margaret has short black hair wearing a tiara and veil and white wedding dress and gold cross necklace. Both are smiling.HC-One handout
Donald and Margaret Tyman got married in 1965

Mrs Tyman met her future husband when she was just 17 and he was 19.

Their eyes met across the floor of Blackburn's Mecca Dance Hall, and after a two year engagement they were married at St James' Church in Accrington.

They had two sons, David and Duncan, and now have three grandchildren.

HC-One handout Donald Tyman with white hair, brown eyes, wearing a pale blue shirt and navy blue tie with patterns on it and his wife Margaret Tyman with blond curly hair wearing a black sleeveless top and silver dangly earrings and matching necklace smiling with her arm around her husband.HC-One handout
Donald and Margaret Tyman said they have loved travelling together

Former electrical engineer Mr Tyman moved into Dove Court in 2023 and Mrs Tyman, who worked at Altham's Travel, joined him three months later.

Mr and Mrs Tyman are set to celebrate their diamond anniversary next month.

"We like a lot of the same things and loved travelling together. We like spending time with each other," Mrs Tyman said.

HC-One handout Gordon and Joan Cilgram on their wedding day in 1958 smiling standing in front of a wedding car. Joan with short blond hair wears a white veil and wedding dress and Gordon wears a black suit with a boutonnière HC-One handout
Gordon and Joan Cilgram, who married in 1958, said they never fell out

Mr and Mrs Cilgram met in 1955, when they both worked at the Post Office, Mrs Cilgram in the telegrams department and Mr Cilgram as an engineer.

They tied the knot three years later at Winter Road Methodist Church in Great Harwood and had a daughter called Barbara.

The pair, who celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary last year, said they enjoyed reminiscing about their trips to Grange-Over-Sands in Cumbria with friends, and holidaying all over England.

HC-One handout Gordon Cilgram with white hair and wearing glasses a dark green waistcoat and beige shirt sits by the side of his wife Joan who has white hair and glasses and green top standing beside him HC-One handout
Mr and Mrs Cilgram have been married for 66 years

Mr Cilgram moved into Dove Court in July 2023 and Mrs Cilgram moved in three weeks later.

Mr Cilgram: "We've had a very happy marriage. We never fall out and love each other very much."

Catherine Brierley, the manager at Dove Court, said: "Our residents' love stories are a testament to their true love, commitment, and the beauty of their shared experiences.

"Their love stories are a legacy of warmth, laughter, and shows a family deeply enriched by their love for each other."

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