A true lifelong love affair! Married couple who were born next door and used to share the same pram are still going strong after 84 years
Two babies born as neighbors are together as a loving couple an incredible 84 years later.
Brian and Margaret Main are still side by side after being born just six weeks apart in 1940, just two doors apart.
And the couple treasure a ‘baby love’ photo of themselves as adorable babies in the same pram, going for walks together.
The couple grew up before moving apart – but then fell in love, got married, started a family and are still together after more than 60 years of marriage.
Mum-of-three Margaret says: ‘As children we lived two doors apart – I was in number 50 and he lived in 52 in our street.
Brian and Margaret Main pictured as infants sharing a pram on a walk
The couple have since been married for 60 years and have started a family
Brian and Margaret on their wedding day. The couple were born just six weeks apart in 1940
The couple grew up just two doors away at 50 and 52 Addison Road in Blackwood
LIFELONG LOVE: After moving away aged 11, Brian returned to the street he grew up on aged 18 when he first asked Margaret on a date
‘My sister looked after me and a daycare worker looked after Brian. They put us together in the pram and took us out for long walks.
‘Sometimes they would pinch apples from people’s trees and put the apples under me and Brian. They were a couple of rebels.
‘We played together as children – I was a real tomboy as a youngster and loved climbing trees, any tree at all. Brian remembers one day I couldn’t get down and the other kids had to go and get our parents to help us down.’
Then, at the age of 11, Brian moved away with his family and the couple lost touch.
Brian said: ‘I moved away with my dad as he was a colliery manager and was often moved around. But when I was 18 I moved back with the family who still live in Addison Street and when I saw Margaret she was all grown up and so lovely.
‘I asked her out and the rest is history. We started courting and became inseparable.
The couple married in 1962 at the age of 21 after dating for three years. Margaret made her own wedding dress
They invited around 30 people to their wedding which cost £1 per person for the reception
Pictured: Brian Main with his sister Pamela
Brian built their home in the 1970s, which he says cost £3,000 but is now worth half a million
Margaret said: ‘We go to the cinema together. I loved everything with Jack Lemmon and I loved the movie ‘The Odd Couple’ with Walter Matthau.
‘My favorite movie is South Pacific – I’ve probably seen it fifty times.
‘Brian preferred cowboy movies and I would go see them with him too. Neither of us were dancers, but we would love to go for long walks together, we had wonderful times together.’
Brian said: ‘I had a motorbike but Margaret refused to get on it so I bought a BMW Isetta tricycle. You could ride it on a motorcycle license. We would go everywhere together in the little car.’
At the age of 21 in March 1962, the couple were married after dating for three years. Margaret made her own wedding dress and bridesmaids dresses.
Brian says: ‘We didn’t have a lot of money and we had about 30 people and it cost £1 a person. head to the reception. I remember I got a tax credit and we borrowed £40 from my aunt for our honeymoon to London.
‘We booked into the Strand Hotel and we had to check out after four days because it was so expensive and we ran out of money and are going home!’
Brian in the Boy Scouts at the age of 16. He and Margaret loved going for walks together and going to the cinema
Brian in the early 1970s. In 1973 he built a 4-bed detached house in Blackwood, South Wales, for his family at a grand cost of £3,000
After working in the coal mines, he became a traffic officer and finally retired in 2003
Pictured: Brian completes a skydive
Brian Main receives an award as traffic commissioner
Margaret studied art and became a dress designer for a children’s toy company, Chilton. Brian worked in the tills before becoming a traffic officer and finally retiring in 2003.
In 1973, Brian built a four-bed detached house in Blackwood, South Wales, for his family at a hefty cost of £3,000.
“It’s scary when I look at house prices now. Our home only cost me £3,000 to build all those years ago, now it’s probably worth half a million, said Brian.
The couple have three children, Debbie, 60, Hayley, 57 and Bryan, 55. They also have five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
“All our children were born by C-section,” Margaret recalled.
‘I was told to wait at least two or three years between each child because then the operation cut you from your navel all the way down.. Now it’s a keyhole operation.
‘I was only small – only 5ft tall. Brian was 6ft so I always looked up to him.’
Brian and Margaret got on a plane for the first time in 2010 for their first holiday abroad in Lanzarote.
A family photo from the early 2000s. Brian and Margaret have three children, five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren
Margaret with the Other Billy when she was 18
Brian and Margaret with their first child Debbie. In addition to three children, the couple now have five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren
Here is the couple at the christening of their daughter Hayley
Margaret as a child. The couple say the secret to a happy marriage is friends and laughter
“I didn’t mind being on the plane, but Margaret was terrified,” Brian said.
‘She kept asking me if we had taken off and we had already been in the air for 15 minutes. It was a lovely holiday, but we prefer our caravan.’
Now married for 62 years and asked what is the key to a happy marriage, the couple say they are the best of friends and laugh.
Brian joked: ‘I’m a bit of a joker and I asked her if she wanted a ‘maternity ring’ as a present. She laughed and said ‘it’s an eternity’ ring and she wanted one.
‘She is absolutely amazing and I would marry her again. She really is my best friend.’