A popular couple who have lived in Looe for the past 30 years celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary on Saturday in the company of their many friends at a special reception luncheon held at Tom Sawyers at Hannafore, West Looe.
Commodore Master Van Ralty and Mrs Mary Woolfe were the recipients of many congratulatory messages and cards, and were presented with bouquets by the Mayor and Mayoress, Dave and Annette Bryan, and from John Enever on behalf of St Anne's Lodge No 970, Looe.
Ralty and Mary met in Shanghai in 1932 where they were married on February 5, 1940. As they were in non British territory their church wedding had to be followed by another ceremony at the British Consulate in Shanghai. Ralty's career in the Merchant Navy began as a cadet on the training ship HMS Worcester, Greenhithe, Kent, from 1926-1929, and until 1937 he was an apprentice and junior officer at Alfred Holt and Co, Blue Funnell Line, Liverpool, the 3rd of 5 generations in his family to serve. He then transferred to China Navigation Co, John Swire and Sons, London.
In October 1941 with the war in the Far East iminent, Ralty managed to send Mary to Australia and after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour on December 7 of that year he found himself on duty in many different places. He served in the Middle and Far East, Australia and in the South Pacific. When peace came he transferred back to the China Coast until Chairman Mao-tse-Tung 'thought otherwise'.
Ralty subsequently served in cargo and passenger ships mostly from the Far East and to and from Australia, and together with Mary had lived variously in Hong Kong and Australia.
He was in command from 1954-1969 and served as Fleet Commodore between 1967-1969.
Ralty first visited Looe with his parents in 1934 staying at The Nailzee Point Hotel then owned by the Chettle family and now of course Tom Sawyers. He returned in 1958 to visit some old shipmates, and in 1964 the couple bought a plot of land in East Looe and built a bungalow. On retirement in 1969 they moved to their new home and moved to a smaller house in West Looe in 1979. In 1971 Ralty was a founder member of the South West Company of Mariners which meets in Plymouth and of which he was the second chairman.
The couple say they are very happy living in Looe and have made many Cornish friends.