Penny and I got married in Stokenham Parish church on 23rd July 1966. Mike Adkins was my best man. Penny managed to hide the fact that she was 5 months pregnant very well and we wore top hat and tails. My stag night was held in the local pub the night before the wedding – present, Dad, Mike, Chris, John Randolph and I think, Tony. When the pub shut they suggested we go for a midnight swim. My father declined tojoin us and made his excuses and I went down with the rest of the lads in my car to Torcross, about a mile away (no breathaliser in those days). I stripped off and was half way down the beach when I heard my car start up – The buggers were going to leave me to walk back on the main road naked. Fortunately the car got stuck in the sand and by the time it was clear I was back there.
The reception was in my mother-in-laws’ house, Pilgrims. A couple of friends from Bristol and my immediate family were there. Penny’s Aunt Judith treated us to a night at a nearby hotel which served as our honeymoon. On the way there one end of the white ribbon on the car came off and whilst Penny was pulling it in the end became trapped under a wheel and as the ribbon was round her arm she got a nasty friction burn. Accidents spring from no-where!