Station sweethearts celebrate 70th

A COUPLE who first met at Brighton railway station in 1946 celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary at the local Jewish Care Hyman Fine home.

Pearl and Lionel Winston were joined by fellow residents, staff and volunteers and Brighton Mayor Councillor Pete West.

The train station encounter took place two days after Mr Winston had returned from military service in the Middle East. They had been put in contact by Mrs Winston’s brother, who her husband-to-be had served with.

“Lionel saw a photo of me on my brother’s wall and said: ‘That’s the girl I want’. We started writing to each other and that’s how we came to meet,” Mrs Winston, 92, recalled.

The couple, who have a daughter and a grandson, spent six years in Australia but returned to Brighton to be near their “lovely family”. Mr Winston sold televisions; his wife was a dressmaker.

Mr Winston, 95, moved into the care home in May. Not wanting to be apart, his wife joined him a few weeks later.

She said she had not wanted a fuss made about their anniversary. But she was ultimately pleased staff had organised a party. “It’s been a lovely afternoon. Ourweddingdaywaswonderful—Iwas so happy. Today was almost as good.”

Although the Winstons “have had our rows like other couples, he still loves me today and I love him. We are like one.”