"When I was accepted at theological college to train as a deaconess, my mother was rather upset about this. She said 'You'll never have another boyfriend dressed in that awful navy uniform and that pork pie hat' It was a bit like the old district nurses used to wear."
Muriel's father wanted to give his daughter a good holiday before she went to college. They were joined in the second week by two young men who the family knew slightly through their church. Muriel explains "I was a bit of a loose end, because I'd given up men - and this fellow already had a kind of girlfriend at home,though it was on the wane. They took me under their wing and one evening we went down to the harbour. Geoff and I were looking over at the lights of Torquay and it was extremely pleasant. I thought 'I know I've given up men, but I wouldn't mind a light flirtation before I go to college. It would be nice if this fellow thought I was at least attractive. And while I was thinking this, Geoffrey suddenly said 'Oh isn't this beautiful Muriel, isn't this romantic. I must bring Marie here next year'! I nearly threw him into the harbour!
The friendship remained platonic. The family returned home, and Muriel went off to college. At Christmas and Easter, Geoff would go out for the day with Muriel, "I saw him occasionally on other days, Saturdays if I came home from college. And he never made any sort of advances or was romantic and he only kissed me on Bank Holidays and at Christmas and Easter - so I was rather looking forward to August. I didn't consider I was his girlfriend, I thought he was being kind because no one would take this girl out now she's gone to college to train to be a deaconess and has to wear a pork pie hat!"
So when August came again, he brought me back from a day out and this time the kissing was a bit more passionate. He whispered something into my ear, and I couldn't quite tell what he said. I thought it was, "I love you". We arranged to go to the Battersea Festival Gardens, it was 1952 - and that night was magical. At the end of the evening we were wrapped around each other and he suddenly said something he's never been allowed to forget "I must be crazy, but will you marry me." I said yes, but I don't know when. And he said "I don't care when. I'll wait".
