Last Updated: 9 years ago
At the age of 16, Iris fell for a sailor. She would write to him while he was away in the Navy, and she made sure to see him whenever he came home – that is until she found out he was engaged. Having to start over again, Iris went to a dance in Teddington with her youth club and met Ted, a young man who had recently returned from the army after being conscripted. He asked the leader of her youth club if he could dance with her. He was granted permission, and they shared a dance that would not be their last. The pair continued to meet and dance every weekend until one day, Ted did not show. His friend informed Iris that Ted was also engaged and had gone to visit his fiancée. Fortunately, when his mother forced him to choose between Iris and his fiancée, he chose Iris, so their love could continue to blossom.
Iris admits that she was not in love with Ted right away, rather their love grew over time as they got to know each other better. The two had a lot in common and had excellent chemistry, especially as dance partners, and this helped fuel their attraction to each other and strengthen their bond for 18 months, until finally the pair got engaged.
After saving up for while to be able to pay for the wedding, Iris married Ted in 1952, and 
soon, she became pregnant. Well into her pregnancy, Iris contracted the polio virus. The illness led to the early delivery of her daughter and the loss of the use of her left leg, ending her ability to dance with her husband. Despite her limited mobility, Iris never let it get in the way of life. Instead she always encouraged her husband to go out and continue his gardening and other hobbies. When her husband passed away at the age of 56, Iris was able to say that she had no regrets because she knew that her husband had spent his life doing the things he loved. However, the pain of the loss and the loneliness that ensued was difficult for Iris after she became a widow. Keeping busy with the part-time job she had at the time helped, so once she retired, she joined a day centre to ensure she still had a way to occupy her time.
While reflecting on love, Iris noted that trust and friendship are some of the most important things to bring into a relationship and that knowing this helped her and her husband lead full lives.