This couple, who were shunned by society and family when they married in 1948, are still alive and in love today
The pair in today’s very uplifting story has practically fought for love. It’s about Mary and Jake, two people who met in the 1940s and fell in love despite societal and familial restrictions.
They maintained their love, married, were rejected by society, but they did not give up. They’re still alive and well now, and happily married.
Love at First Sight
Jake is from Trinidad, while Mary is from the United Kingdom. Jake was an Army soldier serving in the American Air Force at Burtonwood Base in the United Kingdom. Mary was being trained as a typist at the same time. Mary’s residence was close to the Burtonwood Base, and they were both at the same technical college.
Mary reminisced about how the two met for the first time when speaking to The Daily Mail:
“We attended the same technical school. He’d been transferred there by the Air Force for training when I was taking typing and shorthand lessons. He was with a group of black buddies when my friend and I were invited to speak with them.”
A mean society
Jake and Mary felt a deep bond between them right away — a bond of pure love. They began hanging out and seeing each other on a regular basis.
However, this was in the 1940s, when racial tensions were high and mixed-race marriages were not widely accepted.
They encountered their first social harshness while on a picnic with friends. A lady passing by on her bike observed them and informed Mary’s father. Mary had this to say about it:
“Two English girls with a group of black men was very shocking — and she reported me to my father, who banned me from seeing him again.”
Mary, on the other hand, didn’t let that alter her feelings for Jake. Jake was summoned back to Trinidad after the world had returned to peace.
They send love letters
The two didn’t stop talking when Jake returned to Trinidad. Love letters existed back when smartphones weren’t even a thing. Despite everything else, the pair sent a lot of love letters, keeping their love and passion alive.
Marriage
Jake returned to the UK a few years later and proposed to the love of his life! Her response was an emphatic yes, but her family was divided on her decision. Mary had this to say about it:
“When I was only 19, he asked me to marry him out of the blue,” she says.
“When I told my father I was intending to marry Jake, he replied, ‘You will never set foot in this house again if you marry that man.’ He was shocked that I was considering marrying a black man.”
Despite Mary’s father’s objections, she followed her love and married Jake.
The couple experienced a lot of reaction from society and their families after they married. Mary goes on:
“On the street, people would point at us. Then, after eight months, I gave birth to a baby son. It had nothing to do with the stress I was experiencing, yet it devastated my heart, and we never had another kid.”
“However, living became easier over time. I went on to work as a teacher and eventually became a deputy headteacher. Jake’s first job was at a factory, and then he went to work for the Post Office.”
“Look, I have to tell you this before I invite you to my home—my spouse is black,” I used to tell new friends.
After enduring it together, things began to improve for the great pair as the world began to heal and cultures began to transform. Mary’s father, on the other hand, never changed his mind. She stated:
“My father died when I was 30, and despite the fact that we were reconciled by then, he never approved of Jake,” says Mary.
After 71 years of marriage, the couple is still going strong
After 71 years of marriage, the pair is still in love with each other. They never allowed anything get in the way of their love, and their wonderful story demonstrates how love can truly conquer all obstacles.
Jake discusses his relationship with Mary:
“I consider myself extremely fortunate to have met and married Mary, but I am disappointed that we were unable to be accepted by society.
