Marriage milestone for South Ham daredevil and his wife (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Marriage milestone for South Ham daredevil and his wife

11:00am Thursday 6th September 2012 in Local By Helen Morton

AN 86-YEAR-OLD diamond daredevil is looking forward to celebrating the milestone anniversary of the most important leap of his life – his jump into marriage 60 years ago.

Active octogenarians Sid and Phyllis King, both 80, will be celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary on September 13.

The couple met when Sid, originally from a village in Dorset, came to Basingstoke to find work and found lodgings in Phyllis’ aunt’s house. They wed two years later in St Michael’s Church, Basingstoke, in 1952.

The couple have two sons, two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren – and a fourth is due to arrive on their diamond day.

When asked about the secret to a happy marriage, Sid said “give and take” was the most important ingredient of a successful marriage. Phyllis, who worked as a machinist for United Linen, at Daneshill, and as a dinner lady, said: “I don’t think there is a secret. It’s more about finding the right person to marry in the first place.”

Phyllis said the couple, from South Ham, Basingstoke, rarely argue, though Sid’s desire to do another skydive may cost her a few sleepless nights.

Sid, a retired stoker who worked in the Park Prewett hospital boiler room for 41 years, last hit the headlines four years ago with his charity skydive at the age of 82.

Sid said: “I would love to do another one. The doctor said there’s no medical reason I can’t but Phyllis doesn’t want me to.”

The sprightly pensioner also said he is keen to travel New Zealand to do a bungee jump and has always dreamed of wing-walking while the plane does a loop-the-loop.

Phyllis keeps fits with ballroom dancing, line dancing and jive and the couple both enjoy shopping and socialising.

The couple will celebrate their milestone anniversary with lunch at the Basingstoke Hilton with 36 of their family and friends.