Mazeltov, Helen and Maurice! Couple celebrate 80th wedding anniversary

A Jewish couple who met in 1929 have celebrated 80 years of marriage, making them one of Britain’s longest-married couples.

Maurice and Helen Kaye, who are now 102 and 101, said the secret to their marriage’s success was being tolerant of each other and being willing to “forgive and forget”.

The couple, who are members of Bournemouth Hebrew congregation, met when they were 17 and 16 respectively.

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Mr Kaye went into Mrs Kaye’s mother’s shop in Walworth, South London, where the young Mrs Kaye was working.

He ended up staying in the shop for three hours, until his future mother in law asked “Who’s going to throw him out, you or me?”

They courted for four years before marrying at South London’s Borough Synagogue, since Mrs Kaye’s mother wanted her older sister to marry first.

Once married, Mr Kaye went on to manage his father’s factory and two shops in London, before joining the Army in 1939.

In 1944, the couple’s factory, shops and home were destroyed in the war, leading them to move to Bournemouth where they had four children.

Today, the Kayes have two surviving children, seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

“I didn’t think it would last a week but it’s amazing it’s lasted 80 years,” joked Mr Kaye, adding that the secret to their happy marriage was him always agreeing with his wife.

“We’re very tolerant of each other,” laughed Mrs Kaye.