Two couples who have helped make Helston the town it is today held a joint celebration on Saturday to mark their golden wedding anniversaries.

Peter and Cherrill Brewer, and Jack and Erica Clark, celebrated with a Cornish themed tea dance at the Old Cattle Market, where they were joined by family and friends from both sides.

Peter and Cherrill met when she stayed with her aunt in Helston at the weekends.

They first locked eyes on “Cousins’ Corner” – known as such due to the shop Cousins on the corner of Meneage Street and Wendron Street, where Bet Fred now sits – and their relationship grew from there.

Peter, now 77, worked for the family printing firm, Brewers, which was founded in the town by his great, great grandfather. He joined from school in 1953 and continued working there until his retirement in 1997.

The couple married at St Columb Minor Parish Church, near Cherrill’s home, and lived in Helston.

Cherrill ran Gallery Arts in Meneage Street and also Robes in Wendron Street, selling ladies clothes. They have a daughter, Franchesca, and one grandson Jack aged four and a half.

Erica and Jack Clark met in the casualty department of a South London Hospital where Erica was a student nurse. Jack had recently left the Royal Air Force and, not knowing what do, became an ambulance driver.

Both trained as mental health workers and then social workers, working in various London boroughs and in Kent. Their son Matthew was born in 1974.

After visiting family in Cornwall many times they decided to move there in 1980 and opened Penhellis as a residential home for eldercare.

The couple described it as the “best move we ever made.”

Matthew went to Parc Eglos School and Helston College. Having gone to university in London he returned to his surfing in about 2002.

During the Penhellis years Jack worked for Cornwall Social Services as a social work manager and when the couple sold the home in 1988 Erica joined him, working as a social worker until she retired ten years ago.

Jack subsequently worked as a director for social services on the Isles of Scilly until he retired.

Since retirement they have worked for various charities including the National Trust, with Erica also working at the former Cancer Funding for Cornwall shop owned by Margaret Fitter in Coinagehall Street.

Erica joked: “Living closely with another human being is never easy but if you like each other and give and take a bit it gets easier – and the companionship is better than all the Prozac.”