Dear Mr Snippet - How it all began...

Although Rita had been reluctant to attend the New Year’s Eve party in 1932 it had turned out to be rather an eventful evening. As part of a matchmaking game to partner guests for dinner, she had been paired with John Reed as Darby and Joan – a devoted and loyal folk tale couple who lived happily together into very old age. Having discovered Rita’s fondness of cherries, John had shown great dedication in picking as many as he could out of the fruit trifle for her, and the time spent together wasn’t marred by the fact he had two left feet and consistently crushed her toes during the dancing!

In conversation they had discovered that they were both nineteen and born two months apart. When Rita returned home she recorded in her diary:

'Met an awfully nice boy there named John Reed; - shan't see him again though'

And this was just the beginning....