Knebworth couple celebrates remarkable 66-year wedding milestone

A couple at a Knebworth care home have marked an impressive anniversary in style.

Team members and residents at Care UK’s Knebworth, on London Road in Woolmer Green, joined Maria and Terry Finnissy as they celebrated 66 years of marriage.

Their party included plenty of balloons, flowers, cards and a special cake made by the home’s talented head chef.

Speaking about their special day, Maria said: “It was very touching that everyone helped us to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We both enjoyed every moment.”

Maria, born on Mornington Crescent in Camden in 1938, and Terry, born in Crouch End in 1935, first met as teenagers. Their romance blossomed quickly, even though Maria remembers her first impression of Terry being “he was shy” on their first date to watch a western at the cinema.

The pair married on 4th June 1960 at St Joseph’s RC Church in Highgate on what they both recall as a “boiling-hot day”. They honeymooned in Switzerland and went on to raise a son and daughter, Judith and Nigel, later welcoming two granddaughters, Emily and Megan.

Terry served in the army before becoming an electrical engineer, and his hobbies of playing both the violin and double bass filled their home with music. He has also enjoyed cycling and photography.

Maria worked in her family’s restaurant and has found joy in gardening, watching West End shows and going on regular cinema trips.

Asked for the secret behind more than six decades of marriage, the couple said the most important thing of all has been: “Tolerance!”

Edyta Baderska, Deputy Manager at Knebworth care home, said: “Reaching 66 years of marriage is an extraordinary achievement, and everyone here has enjoyed celebrating this special milestone with Maria and Terry.

“It’s been wonderful to recognise such a significant day and to make the occasion memorable for them both alongside their fellow residents and Knebworth team members.”

Knebworth is a state-of-the-art care home that provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. It incorporates plenty of space for leisure activities and hobbies, and includes its own hair and beauty salon, pub and café.