London: A British couple has entered the Guinness Book of World Records for becoming the oldest couple to get married. George Kirby and Doreen Luckie who have been together for 27 years, tied the knot in Eastbourne, Southern England, in front of close friends and family and a representative of the international franchise. With a combined age of 194 years, the pair beat the previous record held by a French couple, Francois Fernansez and Madeleine Francineau, who had a combined age of 191 years.
George and Doreen who have been together since 1988, finally decided to make their union official after giving into the pressures of their elderly children. They have 7 children, 15 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. The pair live together at the Langham Hotel in Eastbourne, East Sussex, which is run by George's son Neil Kirby, 63, where the ceremony took place.
“It's about time, really. Doreen keeps me young and I can definitely say we're going to spend the rest of our lives together,” said George. “I wasn't a blushing bride, but I was a bit giddy. It was such a lovely day- and great to see everybody,” Doreen said.
George met Doreen when he was 76, and had just got divorced, while Doreen, had become a widow three years earlier following 36 years of marriage. She said: "He used to come to my house. We got on straight away. He liked the roses in my front garden - he was a real smooth talker." Neil added: "Long ago we adopted Doreen as our mum, and we're all delighted that she's now a Kirby. I'm not sure if she's going to change her name though. I wouldn't blame her for not, it is about time my dad finally made an honest woman out of her."
George was born in London in June 1912 and joined the RAF as a physical education instructor in 1933, where he stayed for 25 years. He was a passionate and talented boxer, winning every single one of the 60 fights he entered during his life.
In 2009, he was guest of honour at the Army London Regiment at a dinner and charity boxing match in London. After leaving the RAF in 1958, George did a string of jobs, including restaurant manager, chauffeur and gardener.
He finally gave up work, and lifting dumbbells, at the age of 94, although continued to tend Doreen's garden in Kent. Doreen was born in Brixton in September 1923 and spent much of her career as a shorthand typist for the Director of Public Prosecutions at Temple, where she had to type out documents and transcripts of court cases.
Doreen keeps herself in shape by doing yoga classes on the seafront every week. Neil added: "At their age, there's nothing that they want materially and so they asked for donations to be made for charity rather than gifts."
