50 years of marriage celebrated at the Christchurch Priory

Judy and Anthony Lacey have commemorated 50 years of marriage with a wedding blessing at the Christchurch Priory, the church they were married in on April 11, 1970.

The couple had hoped to celebrate their anniversary on its official date in 2020, but Covid restrictions saw blessings planned for 2020 and 2021 cancelled.

Judy and Anthony were finally able to enjoy a service at the church on Monday, accompanied by their family who gave heartfelt speeches and joined them in singing hymns.

Judy said: “It’s a very important moment in a marriage.

“There are so many lovely moments in life, and this has got to be one of them.”

The Priory has remained a very special place for the couple.

Judy said: “My parents got married here. Two of our three children got christened here.

“I was christened here too.”

Following their wedding in 1970, Anthony worked in Bournemouth for James & Sons Estate Agents before moving to Southampton as the regional manager for a commercial development company. 

In 1973, he took a job in London as a development surveyor, so the pair settled down in Harpenden where they brought up their three daughters and have lived ever since.

Judy continued nursing at local hospitals for some years and then went onto establish the Harpenden Gym Club which ran for over thirty years and provided exercise activities for young children.

Anthony has since set up his own surveying practice in the town, which he still runs now.

Although Judy and Anthony remain in Harpenden, they regularly visit their holiday home in Dorset, and particularly enjoy riding their electric bikes to the Jazz Café or the ferry in Sandbanks.

Judy and Anthony are grateful to have their daughters and six Grandchildren living nearby. They said: “With a family of fourteen now there is always some family event or other going on which after over 50 wonderful years of marriage does at times make for a pretty hectic life but nonetheless a very rewarding one.”