King's Lynn couple celebrate 70 years since meeting at The Mart

A Lynn couple are celebrating the 70th anniversary of meeting at The Mart.

Dennis, known as Den, and Yvonne (Eve) McGrath met on the last night of The Mart in 1949, and are still happily together 70 years on.

Den will be 89 next month and his wife is 86.

The Gaywood couple have two children, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Den’s daughter, Sandra Pooley, said the two sometimes go back to buy some rock candy at The Mart, although they are now too old for the rides!

She said: “He [Den] actually missed the last bus home after meeting Eve because he was so determined to meet her. He just would not go home.

“So he had to walk back to Marham that night in the pitch black darkness. This was a time before street lights it has to be noted.”

Formerly part of the RAF, Den served in Rhodesia(now Zimbabwe) for a year, his daughter said.

He moved to Lynn having grown up in Northumberland. Eve is originally from Aylsham.

Sandra also retold the story of how Den first introduced himself to his future wife at the Mart.

“He saw her [Eve] during the evening, then asked her friend if she would swap seats with him on a ride so he could sit next to her,” she said.

“My Dad is over the moon and keeps saying ‘look at what we have now’ with all these grandchildren and two children after that first encounter.

“He often tells me about how they met, which was really just a chance meeting.”

Sandra added the family will be likely to go out for a meal for Den’s birthday on Tuesday, March 12, and he had expressed a desire to go back to the Mart for the final evening again this year.

Now in its 815th year, this year’s Mart finished on Saturday.

Organiser Donald Gray hailed a successful year, helped by decent weather.

He said The Mart had “a very good crowd” on Children’s Day compared to last year when it did not stop raining during the evening.

For the McGraths, the ancient tradition has personal significance in shaping their own lives.

Starting on Valentine’s Day, the Mart continues to have romantic appeal for many couples like Den and Eve.

“They are still very happy together after meeting all those years ago,” Sandra said.