A gay man who is believed to be the first in Britain to marry his partner in a civil ceremony has died.Matthew Roche, who had terminal cancer, passed away this afternoon at the St Barnabas Hospice in Worthing, West Sussex, just one day after the ceremony.
The 46-year-old and his partner Christopher Cramp, from Southwick, near Brighton, were given a special dispensation to hold the ceremony which was attended by around 20 family and friends.
Mr Roche, who had been cared for at the hospice for the past four weeks, wanted to celebrate the union as soon as possible because of his illness.
"One never knows what will happen with cancer and it was our wish to do this," he had said.
Gay and lesbian couples were yesterday allowed to register their intention to form a civil partnership.
But the majority of ceremonies cannot take place in England and Wales until December 21.
However, a spokesperson for the hospice said the couple had applied to the Worthing Registrar to allow them to have the civil ceremony on the date the law changed.
"It is thought that theirs is the first civil ceremony in West Sussex, if not the whole country," a spokeswoman said.
Veteran British rock star Elton John and longtime boyfriend David Furnish are getting hitched at Guildhall in Windsor, west of London, on December 21, following the law change.
from World News Australia
Hello! It´s true thats a tragit end but at last they married. I think he died more releaved. Congratulations for your blog. Big hug from Portugal.
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