Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Love note to wife-to-be uncovered decades on
ALOVE note hidden behind wallpaper in a West Country house has been read by a heartbroken widow 64 years after it was written.
Decorator Ken Perrott penned the loving message to Val while working at a home in Whipton in Exeter after they became engaged.
The current owners of the property uncovered his words to her while recently doing some redecorating of their own.
They were removing wallpaper in the spare room to turn it into a nursery for their first child when they came across the message.
It gives his name and address, as well as Val’s – then known by her maiden name Rose – and then underneath is drawn a love heart with their names and the words “married March 1961”. It is then signed as “papered by Ken Perrott” and dated August 1960.
Keen to trace who the people mentioned on the wall were, a picture of the message was posted on Facebook page Exeter Memories. It was spotted by Ken’s grandaughter and shown to Val who lost the love of her life in 1996 when Ken died aged only 56.
Ken was a decorator for all of his working life. He founded Exeter Decorating Company which has since been renamed Isca Decorating Company and is run by his son Adrian and grandson Lee.
At the age of 21, Ken met Val in 1959 at the Regal in Exmouth at a dance.
The following year they spent a couple of days with Ken’s grandparents in Bristol and it was there he proposed to Val.
The couple’s daughter, Nicola Perrott, recalled: “They met at a dance in Exmouth and my mum was dating someone else at the time but my dad swept her off her feet. He was a bit of a jack-the-lad, had a motorbike and was a bit daring. They were engaged within months and married in 1961.
“They would still be married if he had not passed away. My mum has never been in any other relationship other than with my dad. She plays golf three times a week and has a very good social life but still really misses my dad.
“When my mum saw the uncovered love note she was very emotional and cried.
“She said that my dad truly, truly loved her. They had a really, really good marriage and were very good role models for me and my brother.
“The puzzling bit of the message was it was dated August 1960 but said they married in March 1961. We think he wrote it knowing they were going to get married the following year.
“She had never known he had written anything about her but said in the houses where they lived together he would always put theirs and our names on the walls when he decorated. Who knows how many other houses he did it at?
“On the Facebook post, so many people in Exeter have been so kind and have shared memories of my dad. It has been wonderful and has brought back so many happy memories.”
Among the comments posted, one person said: “Obviously true love. I’m so sorry you lost your dad so young but I’m sure he’s looking down and smiling at this.”
Another said: “I spotted it was them from the signatures. What a handsome couple Ken and Val were and great dancers at the club!”