Dancing couple's diamond day

A couple who became dancing partners and later teachers celebrate their diamond wedding next week.
Mr and Mrs Melvyn and Marvis Park, of Old Earth, Elland, who are celebrating their Damond Wedding anniversaryMr and Mrs Melvyn and Marvis Park, of Old Earth, Elland, who are celebrating their Damond Wedding anniversary
Mr and Mrs Melvyn and Marvis Park, of Old Earth, Elland, who are celebrating their Damond Wedding anniversary

Mr and Mrs Melvin and Mavis Park, of Old Earth, Elland, met when they were 15 and danced their way to success in many competitions, later taking their medals and becoming dance teachers from the 1980s.

Both now 81, they taught modern, old time and modern sequence dancing until illness forced them to give it up.

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Melvin went to South End Board School, Elland, and Halifax Technical College, joining the army at 18 to undertakle his national service, serving in Malta, Egypt and Cyprus before spending a career in textiles at Elland companies Henry Illingworth’s and Butterworth Yarns, working his way up from the shop floor to management level.

Melvine and Mavis Park, Old Earth, Elland, celebrate their Golden WeddingMelvine and Mavis Park, Old Earth, Elland, celebrate their Golden Wedding
Melvine and Mavis Park, Old Earth, Elland, celebrate their Golden Wedding

Mavis, nee Settle, went to Elland Church of England School and later went back there to work on school meals.

The couple, who met at a dance, had got engaged when Melvyn completed national service and they married a year later at St Mary’s Church, Elland, on September 14, 1957.

During their years teaching dancing they ran many charity dances and school events, helping anyone who needed it, and the name of the M and M Elland Sequence Dance Club becoming well known.

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The couple share a lot of the same interests and enjoy doing things together and looking after one another.

Melvine and Mavis Park, Old Earth, Elland, celebrate their Golden WeddingMelvine and Mavis Park, Old Earth, Elland, celebrate their Golden Wedding
Melvine and Mavis Park, Old Earth, Elland, celebrate their Golden Wedding

Melvin also enjoys gardening and tending to his hens and enjoys socialising and going on outings and holidays with Mavis.

The couple have a son, Andrew, daughter-in-law Amie and grand-daughter Alex, and will be celebrating their anniversary with family and friends.

They have also enjoyed a journey on the Yorkshire Pullman train in the run up to their big day, making the whole occasion a very special one.