Astronaut
Vicki's story, told by Christine



They met at a party, introduced by a mutual friend. Jack was a policemen and Vicky a singer - everyone agreed they were an extremely attractive and fashionable couple. This was the 1950s and Jack - a working class lad from Leeds - had the chance to 'better himself' by taking a job with the Kenyan police (still part of the British Empire).
He left almost immediately and then sent Vicky a ticket, asking her to join him. Now, bear in mind they had only met once - maybe twice - and Vicky had never been to Europe, let alone Africa! But she decided the adventure was just to tempting to resist and she accepted - assuming the ticket was also a proposal of marriage...
So, this young woman travelled to Kenya, to marry a man she hardly knew and live out in the middle of the Kenyan bush, where Jack was stationed - no mod cons like flushing lavatories in the Kenyan savannah in those days!
Despite the rough (but beautiful) surroundings - a far cry from cosy 1950s Leicester, her home town - she made it work, maintaining standards (she always looked like she was dressing for the catwalk - even when they went out on safari, which was a very different experience to what it is today). They continued to be the most handsome couple - living a romantic life in colonial Africa - and went onto have a long, happy and adventurous marriage.
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