Mr and Mrs Bramwell
THE first time Thomas Bramwell laid eyes on Annie Bramwell he told her in no uncertain terms that he was looking for a wife. Today after 62 years of marriage they are still in love.
This love apparently, is also Mr Bramwell's elixir of life. He turned 100 this year.
The Bramwells who live in Bellefield Manchester say they are happy and have had 'good times all the time'.
Annie still blushes each time she talks about the way they met in 1937.
"I was living in Harmonds (Manchester) at the time and a cousin of mine wrote to her mother and asked her to send up a young woman from Bellefield to work. It happen that the mother didn't send that young lady, she sent me. When I went up there I saw this young man and him start to smile at me."
"My cousin told me that the young man was looking someone to marry"
"Mi say, marry?"
"When mi say that, him (Mr Bramwell) answered yes!"
Annie said Mr Bramwell made his intentions clear on that day.
The same year he had to explain his intentions to her family.
"When he came down we were having a concert at the church and my people them never have no time for him because they were busy at the church."
"He went back very disappointed," she said. "He never got to say a word to them."
This, however, did not deter Thomas from pursuing his prize. He went back to her parents' house in January of the following year and spoke to Annie's aunt(who was her Guardian at the time) and her brothers.
"Him let them know that him was not joking and that him serious and him going to marry mi," said Annie.
"And them agree," she added.
She said although she knew nothing much about love a date was set for the wedding on July 6, 1938.
"I respect him, I love him, a tell you something, probably he did love me more than how I did love him," she added.
The couple say they have had their differences but they have always ensured that they dealt with their problem before it got out of hand.
"Ah wouldn't tell you that we never had bad times, cause as the bible say teeth and tongue must meet, but we must know how to correct it. When anything happen during the day we solve it when night come."
The Bramwells agree that staying together for them means more than just living under the same roof. They say they have never cheated on each other in all their years of marriage.
"I was never tempted by a man from the day him put a ring on my finger but I can't swear for him." said Annie.
Mr Bramwell was quick to defend himself.
"If you are tempted and you can avoid temptation is really something to think of," he said.
They say the secret to their marriage is love and respect"
"Love is just love, deep down from your heart. If you respect that person you won't tell them harsh words."
The couple laments the way couples relate these days.
They are the proud parents of 4 boys and 4 girls. Of the lot, two are nurses and three are teachers.
Roy Bramwell, the couples oldest son says his parents are the best. He says they are strict and upstanding.
As for Annie she is sticking to her husband, " til death do us part."
Ian Allen Photo
