In love for 79 years... after he saved her from drowning at 14
Teenage sweethearts’ anniversary
A COUPLE celebrate their 77th wedding anniversary tomorrow, with the memory of the day in 1938 that he saved her life still bright.
Joan Chittock was just 14 years old when Ernie Keeble dragged her body from the bottom of a river.
She survived the dramatic rescue and the couple went on to fall in love, marry and have three children.
Despite the passage of time Ernie, 94, can still picture the day he saved Joan from drowning. He said: “There was a crowd of us swimming at our local creek during the summer holidays.
“I had come out of the water and Joan was the only one still splashing about. I just happened to turn around and couldn’t see her, so I panicked and dived in and grabbed her.
“She was breathing, but she was in a terrible state, it’s lucky she didn’t drown.”
Joan, 93, added: “Ernie was my knight in shining armour that day and he hasn’t changed a bit. We get on really well with each other. We have a few arguments, but they fizzle out when we go to bed – that’s a rule between us.”
Great-great-grandparents Joan and Ernie became friends while attending the same school. Joan said: “One day Ernie and his friends offered all us girls sweets outside school. He asked me, “Would you like one of my toffees?’
“I had refused to take sweets from any other boys, but I said ‘ooh yes please’. I can still remember that moment. If he had never given me the sweet, none of our family would have been born.”
Their relationship turned to love following the life-changing incident at Pitsea Creek, near their home in Basildon, Essex. The childhood sweethearts married in 1940 when she was 16 and Ernie 17. Ernie joined the army and went to fight in North Africa and Italy for two years. Shop worker Joan and builder Ernie went on to have three sons and now have three greatgreat-grandchildren.
Ernie said: “It’s amazing to think they have all been born as a result of that one toffee.”
He added: “The secret to marriage is not making arguments personal and keeping your cool.”
The secret to marriage is not making arguments personal ERNIE KEEBLE ON 77 YEARS WED TO JOAN