A couple, who began their love story on just £2 a week, are celebrating their 63rd Valentine’s Day together at Heath Lodge Community Haven care home in Boroughbridge.
Jim and Cathy Quinn, who first met at school in Glasgow in the 1950’s, have spent an extraordinary seven decades side by side, a journey marked by devotion, resilience, and enduring affection.
Jim said, “I remember seeing Cathy for the first time. She was sitting at the desk in front of me in school, and when we were courting, we spent very little time together. The most time we have ever spent apart was when I went to Scotland to take my architecture exams!”
Back when they were courting, Jim was studying architecture at the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Centre, and earned just £2 a week, yet managed to save £75 for Cathy’s engagement ring. Shortly after he proposed, a small disagreement led to the ring being thrown into long grass, with neither willing to leave until it was found.
Since then, the couple have had 2 children and travelled the world more than twenty times over, but insist that the most special place is simply wherever they are together.
Jim added, “As long as we are together, it doesn’t matter where we are.”
Other residents, including Gordon Pepper have shared their secret to long-lasting love. When talking about his wife Roz, Gordon said, “We’ve had our ups and downs, but the secret, if there is one, is finding someone you want to wake up next to. It’s love, simple really. When you know, you just know.”
Pauline, another resident who had been married for 55 years, believes the key lies in growing together. “We knew who we were as people, and we knew who each other were. We loved each other. That was all we had, but that was all we needed.”
Director of care at Harrogate Neighbours, Denise McEvoy said, “It’s been lovely hearing all about how our couples met and what holds them together.
“Valentine’s Day is a great excuse to embrace each other and share the love – whether that’s romantic or between colleagues and friends.”
