Last updated at 13:41, Friday, 15 August 2008

A BARROW-born tenor and his wife have toasted 70 years of marriage.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY: Thomas and Alice Round receive a specially inscribed glass bowl and a basket of flowering plants from members of Beetham Probus Club HOWARD SHIMMIN REF: 0445266

Veteran opera singer Thomas Round and his wife, Alice, will celebrate their platinum wedding anniversary this month.

The couple now live in Bolton-le-Sands but were both born and bred in Barrow.

The pair, both 92 years old, met when they were just four years old.

Mr Round said: “Alice and I used to live round the corner from one another and we would play together as children. We have known each other since we were very young.”

They were married at St Paul’s Church, Barrow on August 27, 1938.

Mr and Mrs Round have one son, two grandchildren and recently became great grandparents.

Before his retirement Mr Round was one of the finest male opera singers in the country.

His career saw him sing with the D’Oyly Carte Opera and co-found company Gilbert and Sullivan for all, which he made numerous recordings as part of.

Towards the end of his career, Mr Round continued to give concerts, sing in oratorio and recitals.

He has made numerous radio and television appearances.

In February of this year, a plaque in honour of Mr Round’s illustrious career was unveiled in Barrow’s Forum 28.

Mr Round said that the 70 years he and his wife had been married were all happy, but Mr Round’s performing career meant that they have spent a lot of time apart over the years.

He said: “I toured a lot because of my profession and we were also apart for five years during the war.

“There was one point when I was touring where my wife could have told you the exact amount of days and hours that we had been apart.”

But for the couple, absence only made the heart grow fonder.

“We have spent many happy years as a married couple.” said Mr Round.

Members of Beetham Probus Club threw a surprise bash for the couple in Kendal on August 8 to celebrate their anniversary. Mr Round is president of the club.

To mark the 70th anniversary of their wedding, Beetham Probus presented Mr Round with a specially inscribed glass bowl by club chairman John Hayhurst. Mrs Round was given a basket of flowering plants by the chairman’s wife, Kath Hayhurst.

The pair were delighted with the luncheon which was held in their honour. Mr Round said: “It was a wonderful day, we both had a lovely time.”

The official date of their anniversary does not fall until August 28, but Mr and Mrs Round have not planned any celebrations for that day.

He said: “We’ve got nothing planned yet. I think we will just be happy to be here together after all this time.”

First published at 12:04, Friday, 15 August 2008
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk