Husband wore 60-year-old wedding suit to help dementia-suffering wife

Malcolm Cousins, 80, put on the same suit he wore on his wedding day
Wanted to celebrate 60th wedding anniversary with his wife in care home
Hoped to jog his wife’s memory – and she recognised the suit instantly
Pair met aged 7 and after playing in the street, ‘knew’ they’d be together

Amie Gordon For Mailonline

Published:
06:11 EST, 26 February 2016

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Updated:
09:44 EST, 26 February 2016

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A devoted husband wore his 60-year-old wedding suit to celebrate his diamond anniversary in the hope of bringing back memories for his dementia-suffering wife.

Malcolm Cousins was worried his wife June’s illness would stop her from remembering the happy day. However, not only did his suit still fit perfectly, but June recognised the outfit instantly.

The pair started dating at the age of 15, having met at the tender age of just seven years old – when they already ‘knew they’d be together’.

Mr Cousins donned the same suit he wore on his wedding day – and to his delight, his wife June recognised it instantly

The pair met in Hull when they were seven years old. They went on to get married in 1956 (pictured) and celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary this week

On the 60th anniversary of their wedding on February 25, Mr Cousins donned his decades-old suit in the hope of jogging June’s memory.

‘The main reason I wore the suit was to jog June’s memory,’ Mr Cousins said. ‘And she recognised it straight away, which was fantastic.

‘I don’t really know why I kept it, it just seems to have followed me around all these years from house to house.’

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They celebrated the milestone with a party at Sutton Village Care Home in Hull with cake and champagne.

The couple, both 80, met when they were just seven years old in their hometown of Hull, East Yorkshire.

‘When we started playing in the street, we already knew we would be together,’ Mr Cousins said.

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They began dating when they were 15 years old, and had a low-key wedding ceremony in 1956 at a register office in Hull.

‘We didn’t even really have a do afterwards,’ Mr Cousins said. ‘We certainly didn’t have a honeymoon and travel round the world like they do these days.’

To mark their 60th anniversary, the couple also received a special message of congratulations from the Queen.

‘It was such a nice thing to get and it made our day,’ Mr Cousins said.