Last year, Jake and Mary Jacobs celebrated an extraordinary milestone – their 70th anniversary of a happy marriage. But their journey to this incredible achievement wasn’t an easy one. In the 1940s, Jake, a Black man, was one of the few in his community in Britain, while Mary, a White woman, lived in the same city. Despite the challenges they faced, their love conquered all.
Mary had fallen in love with Jake, against her father’s wishes, and was determined to be with him. She once recalled, “When I told my father I was going to marry Jake, he said, ‘If you marry that man, you will never set foot in this house again.’” But Mary’s love for Jake was unshakeable.
They first crossed paths at a technical college where Mary was studying, and Jake was undergoing Air Force training. Jake, originally from Trinidad, impressed Mary with his deep understanding of Shakespeare. Their connection grew, and they even went on a picnic together. However, their blossoming love was met with discrimination and disapproval.
A woman passing by witnessed their interaction and reported Mary to her father, horrified to see her conversing with black men. From that moment on, Mary was forbidden to visit her father. Despite the opposition, Jake and Mary’s love persevered.
When Jake returned to Trinidad, they kept in touch through letters. A few years later, Jake returned to the U.K., hoping for better job opportunities. In a surprising twist, Jake proposed to Mary, who was only 19 years old at the time. However, when Mary shared the news with her family, they disowned her. Mary and Jake faced immense challenges from the start.
“The first years of our marriage living in Birmingham were hell—I cried every day, and barely ate,” Mary revealed. They struggled to find a place to live because no one wanted to rent to a black man, and they lived with financial hardships. Even something as simple as walking down the street together became a challenge as people stared and pointed. The couple’s joy of expecting a child turned into heartbreak when Mary gave birth to a stillborn baby after eight months of pregnancy.
Despite the hardships, Mary found work as a teacher and eventually became an assistant principal at a British school. Jake secured a job with the Post Office, and gradually, their lives started getting better. They made new friends, but Mary felt the need to explain to people beforehand that her husband was black. Her father passed away when she was 30, but he never fully approved of her marriage to Jake.
Now, at 89 and 84 years old, respectively, Jake and Mary reside in Solihull, a town near Birmingham. They recently celebrated an incredible achievement – 70 years of marriage. Jake reflects on their journey and the challenges they faced, saying that today’s youth have no understanding of what it was like to be a black man in 1940s Britain.
“When I arrived in the U.K., I was subjected to abuse every day. Once, a man on a bus rubbed his hands on my neck and said, ‘I wanted to see if the dirt would come off,’” Jake recounted. The racial bias they endured prevented Jake from getting an office job, as it was considered unsafe for a black man to work alongside white women.
Despite all the obstacles, prejudice, and abuse, Jake and Mary stand as a testament to the enduring power of love. Their love has stood the test of time and continues to inspire those around them. As they celebrate more than 70 years of marriage, this extraordinary couple proves that true love has no bounds and can overcome any obstacle.
May Jake and Mary be blessed with many more years of joy, happiness, and profound love for one another.
