Knowing what to look for in a husband won Ann a Star prize
What are the qualities to look for in a husband?
More than 50 years ago a teenage Miss Ann Cooper came up with her answers for a Shropshire Star competition – and won for herself and her fiance, Dave Malkin, a free honeymoon trip to Jersey.
And as she and Dave, 76, have just celebrated their Emerald wedding anniversary, her judgment all those years ago has been proven right.
After tying the knot at Little Drayton Church, Market Drayton, on March 5, 1966, they headed to the airport to enjoy their prize.
Mrs Malkin, who is now 71, said: “The paper ran a competition and we won our honeymoon. I think there was a list of things and you had to put them in order, or what was the best order. It was obviously for the woman to fill in.
“I think it was qualities you would look for in a husband. Fifty-five years on, I suppose I must have got it right.
“It was the first time we had flown. Jersey was nice, but considering it was in March it was not brilliant weatherwise. Of course it was not as developed as it is now as a holiday place. We went back there for our silver wedding anniversary.”
When they had got together, they both lived in Market Drayton – and still do today.
“We met up at my grandmother’s. My husband and myself are distantly related. We met there at a birthday party in June 1965.”
Soon after Ann and Dave became engaged.
“I think he was a lorry driver at that time. He has driven on and off, alternating between driving and farm work.”
Naturally, with it being a newspaper competition, the Star covered the start of their honeymoon as they left from London Airport, and dipping into our paper from Monday, March 7, 1966, we can add the detail that it formed part of the Shropshire Star’s Spring Brides Competition.
At the time, Dave lived at The Flat, Winnington, and 16-year-old Ann, then of Dalelands West, Market Drayton, was an assistant in a bakery.
She also won a model swimsuit from Corsets Silhouette Ltd.
The expenses-paid trip was for a week in a luxury Jersey hotel.
Because of Covid, the couple did not do anything special to mark their anniversary this month.
Ann says they have put celebrations on hold until later in the year.
