A Couple from Chippenham, who were married for 76 years, have died within just days of each other aged 105 and 96. In recent months they were separated for some weeks in care homes and hospitals but were reunited and spent their last few weeks together in Hungerford House Care Home in Corsham.

Margaret Moya

Margaret Moya, 95, a long time resident of Chippenham, died suddenly at the Royal United Hospital, Bath on July 6, just three days after her husband.

Although separated by ill health towards the end of their lives they were able to spend their last few weeks together in Hungerford House Care Home in Corsham.

Margaret Astle was born in Enfield, Middlesex in 1924, the youngest of seven children. Sadly her father abandoned the family and the family moved to Cardiff.

While there, despite her mother’s best efforts, in October 1929 Margaret was placed in the care of Barnardo’s for four years.

These early experiences that made Margaret vow to herself that she would give her children that which she had never had, a happy, stable home and family.

In about 1934 Margaret’s family moved to Rough Street, Corsham, and in 1939 they moved to King Alfred St in Chippenham.

On leaving school she managed to get an office job working at Westinghouse where she stayed until 1993. A love for dancing led her to meet her future husband, Salvador Moya.

She often told how they first met at a local dance. They courted and were married at St. Paul’s Church, Chippenham in 1942.

Post war, and now with a daughter Olivia, their first home was a run down farm labourer’s cottage in Beanacre.

Two years later and now with a son, Rafael as well, they moved to a former American base hut on a camp at Hardenhuish. In 1950 the family moved into a brand new home in Ladyfield Road, Chippenham, and later had another daughter and son, Antonia and Jonathan.

Salvador and Margaret remained living together in this same family home for the next 69 years.

until earlier this year when, after some weeks in separate care homes and hospitals, they were reunited and spent their last few weeks together in Hungerford House Care Home.

Margaret was always a kind, friendly and welcoming lady but underlined this with a steely resolve which provided the backbone which supported her family and allowed the love she garnered to flourish.

Margaret was taken into hospital on Tuesday, the day before Salvador died. Immensely saddened at this loss she was greatly solaced though by his last message for her, asking that she be told that he’d “be waiting for her”. Margaret died in hospital just 3 days later.

She leaves 4 children, 7 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. She will be dearly missed by all.

Salvador Moya

Salvador Moya, 105, a long time resident of Chippenham, passed away peacefully at Hungerford House, Corsham on July 3.

He was born in Pozoblanco, Spain in 1914, one of six children. As the eldest boy he was forced to leave school at the age of 12 to help support his family after the death of his father. He worked there, one of the hottest regions of Spain, as a labourer, helping to build roads or working on local farms.

With the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936, he fought with the Republicans against the Nationalist uprising but they were defeated in 1939 and many people were forced to leave the country or otherwise lose their lives.Salvador was unable to return to Spain until after he became a British citizen in the 1950s)

Here, in vast refugee camps on the beaches of south western France, they were treated with suspicion by many locals but the French government allowed the able men to join the French Foreign Legion to fight against the Germans. Thus Salvador trained for the Legion and saw combat in Narvik in Norway in May 1940. However, the Nazi invasion of France at this same time saw his unit disbanded and Salvador and many compatriots fled once more, this time to wartime Great Britain.

He and the others spoke little English when they arrived yet were allowed to join the British Army. The Army, wary of refugees from a now fascist country, didn’t allow the men to be armed or to take a combat role but nonetheless for the next five years Salvador continued to wear the uniform and support the endeavours of the British Army in WW2.

In 1941, while posted in Wiltshire to work on the land near Grittleton, he was to meet his future wife, Margaret Astle. They met at a local dance and through his persistence and despite his limited English they subsequently courted and were married at St. Paul’s Church, Chippenham on December 19, 1942 and remained married for the next 76 years. Their love of dancing continued throughout their married life.

After the war he initially worked as a farm labourer before being employed at Westinghouse, Chippenham, where he was given the nickname “Tony” and worked there for many years until retiring in 1979. A very active, fit and healthy man he still took part time jobs well into his 80s and continued to work in and maintain his own home and garden well into his late 90s.

His large vegetable garden was his passion. His other love was a flutter on the horses and many happy Saturday afternoons were spent watching the ITV 7. He also enjoyed a glass of red wine nearly every day, to which he attributed his great age. Seeing as in wartime he gave up smoking so he could trade his tobacco ration for wine this is probably very true.

The day before Salvador died, Margaret was taken into hospital. Among his last words that day was a message to give to his wife to “tell her that I’ll be waiting for her”.

Salvador leaves four children, seven grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.