A dance that turned to love at first sight

GREENSHIELDS couple Patricia Greenwood and Trevor Compton met on a harbour dockside in 1958, and celebrating their 53rd wedding anniversary this year, saying it was truly love at first sight.

“I arrived at the docks in Southampton sometime in October and sitting on her suitcase awaiting to board the Athlone Castle was this young lady who took my eye,” Trevor tells.

Trevor was working for the British South Africa Police in Southern Rhodesia and three days out at sea, after leaving Las Palmas, there was a dance on board.

He continues: “I was feeling a bit under the weather from swallowing too many ‘hops’ and I asked Pat to dance. It was the best decision I’ve ever made – the start of the rest of my life.

“She told me that she lived in Worcester, in the Cape, and had been to the UK on an extended holiday with her folks and was now returning home. We docked and went our separate ways but with contact details.

“I arrived in Gwelo, now Gweru, in May of 1959 having done my basic training and a stint in the then Nyasaland, chasing Dr Hastings Banda, but all the time Patricia and I had kept in touch via letter, at this stage a couple a week.

“The correspondence got busier and in December 1959 I went by train to Worcester for my annual leave and we became engaged,” he said.

“He had to ask my father and softened him up by buying him classical records,” Pat said. Even though Trevor admits to hating it – not being a fan of classical music – it worked and the couple married on May 20 1961 at the Church of England in Worcester. Trevor retired in 1999 as the company director of Valmac Stations and Printers, while Patricia was “lucky enough” to stay at home.

They enjoy going on holiday and occasionally relive the way they met by going on boat trips.

The happily married couple have two children – Adrian and Tracey, and four grandchildren.

“What makes our marriage work is the fact that we have friendship. We’re two people with similar minds.”