Husband and wife say the key to 75 years of happy marriage is to ARGUE every single day

Josephine and Alfred Waterfield have reached their 100th birthdays. They were married in 1947 meaning their partnership is older than 121 countries of the world and predates the Queen’s reign

A couple who have been married for 75 years say ‘a daily row’ is key to happiness.

Josephine and Alfred Waterfield have reached their 100th birthdays and have told what the secret of their longevity is.

They met in a pub while Josephine worked a Land Girl the year before World War Two broke out.

The Women’s Land Army or Land Girls were a rural workforce which increased food production during the conflict.

Alfred, who served as a Marine at the time told the Daily Express his secret to a long marriage is a ‘daily argument’

The couple were married in 1947, meaning their partnership is older than 121 countries of the world and predates Queen Elizabeth II’s reign.

Their son Allen, 74, said: “They’d say the secret to a happy marriage and reaching 100 is to have a row every day. They are like that, nothing serious, just a bicker.

“It’s rare nowadays to see marriages last so long so they got something right, and it’s lovely. There’s some hope for us all.

“My dad also likes whisky, it’s his drink. He actually has a whisky chaser and a beer every day with his lunch and says that does him good. They both have a Baileys every night before they go to bed.”

The pair have four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren were married on April 5, 1947, and were devastated when the monarch died last month aged 96.

Allen, a retired sales manager, continued: “They are definitely royalists so they were both upset when the Queen died.

“She was a constant for most of their lives. They’ve more or less known nothing else – the Queen has been Queen, so it was upsetting for them.

“We had sent off to get a letter from the Queen for mum just before the Queen died and we’ve since been told she just missed the cut-off for one from her.

“There were some people who turned 100 in the days after the Queen’s death who still got a letter but October 4 was too late.

“We are waiting for anything from King Charles at the moment.”

Josephine, who was a housewife after the war, turned 100 on October 4.

Alfred, a former steel worker reached the milestone on November 19 last year but a celebration was held on September 30 at the care home where the couple both live.

Their other son Brian visited from Perth, Australia, for the celebration at Barchester Elm Bank Care Home in Kettering, Northampton.

Staff there made the couple a special birthday cake.

Allen continued: “We always wanted a nice celebration for them and found a time suitable for everyone really, with Brian and his family coming over from Australia and people arranging time off work.

“It was a fantastic time. Mum and Dad both loved it.

“May we take this opportunity as a family to send our heartfelt thank you for organising such a wonderful birthday tribute.

“They went above and beyond what we expected. Mum and Dad thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon spent with family and friends.”

The couple moved to the nursing home earlier this year, having enjoyed a vibrant social life for decades in Corby, Northampton. where they lived.

They were regulars at The Jug and Bottle in Corby, where Josephine would often play the piano and organ to entertain the locals.

Jessica Pateman, general manager of Barchester Elm Bank Care Home added: “We’re delighted to be celebrating a truly remarkable Husband and Wife as they both reach this amazing milestone.

“Alf and Jo are wonderful residents who always have an interesting tale to tell, and we look forward to hearing many more as they break into their next century.”