Just before Christmas we put a call out for alumni who had met their other half at City.
In celebration of St. Valentine’s Day tomorrow, here is a small selection of those stories. If you met your partner at City, please post your own story below – we would love to hear from you!
David and Jacqui Brookes
Jacqui Brookes OBE:
“David and I have been married for 40 years, having met at City University in the early 1970s. David was studying Mechanical Engineering and I was an Industrial Chemist; both were sandwich courses. We married in December 1972. Subsequently David became BP’s Chief Engineer for sub-sea systems, travelling the world, and I was the CEO of the Federation of Communication Services telecoms trade association, receiving the OBE in 2007. We have two daughters and now two grandchildren. I have recently retired but David continues in BP”.
Jenny and Colin Chilton as students in Northampton Hall in 1973
Jennifer Chilton (née Bond):
“Not only did I meet my husband in the Optometry department at City, but my parents also met there! I went to City University in 1973 to study Optometry and my husband, Colin Chilton, was in his final year in the same department. We have been married for over 30 years and have both been Partners in independent Optometry practices in Nottingham.
Tom and Brenda Bond wearing City University blazers!
My parents, Tom Bond and Brenda Hiorns, also met in the Optometry department at City (although it was still the Northampton Polytechnic then) in 1948. There were only four women on the course in those days, and I believe two of the others also met their husbands there – Nancy met Gerald Dunn (later to become head of the Optometry department at City) and Joan met Brian Harvey.”
Keith Holland:
My wife Clare and I met within a few weeks of starting our Optometry course in 1975. I didn’t know how to wash a jumper, and Clare kindly agreed to do it for me. I asked her to The Presidents Ball in return. We were inseparable from then on. We were, in fact, in the same tutor group, and our pictures on the Optics Department noticeboard were actually next to each other. We were convinced somebody would draw a heart around them at some point, but (sadly?) nobody ever did! We graduated together, and went on the General Optical Council register together and became Freeman of The SMC, and later The City together.
Clare and Keith at The Presidents’ Ball in 1976, the star was Mungo Jerry
We married in 1980, and now run one of the top optometry practices in the UK together in Cheltenham, having won multiple awards, and currently being ‘Britain’s Best loved Opticians’. We were the first practice to specialise in children with learning difficulties in the UK, and hold the probably unique distinction of having patients who have attended the practice in over 60 countries! In addition, I now lecture all over the world, and we also run a satellite clinic in Dubai three times a year.
I met my wife, Annika (nee Hemdal) at City University in 1984. I was studying Civil Engineering and Annika studied Systems and Management. We married in 1988 and we’re still together! Our eldest son started university last October – but sadly not at City.
My boyfriend (Stefano) and I met at City University in 2009 whilst studying for the same masters degree in Information Management in the Cultural Sector.
The first time he saw me was in the canteen during our lunch break but at that point didn’t know that we were in the same class. However, thanks to a classmate who organised a group drink at the local pub, The Peasant we finally had the chance to meet properly.
Hi from Jane (Cumming) and Jeremy Nelson. We met on the 1989 Evening MBA and were two of three participants on a project – ‘The financing of the Chanel Tunnel’ – seems a long time ago now.
Currently living in Houston and meeting some new contacts through the City University MBA alumni. We have two girls both studying in the UK – one of whom reads the Economist for interest on Sunday afternoons and learns Chinese in her spare time. When we were studying Japan was the economic wonder – how things have changed.
We started our relationship in April 1979, Michael was studying economics and I was on the psychology course. Professor Peter Herriot taught us both and believed he was the matchmaker, but we had been to the same primary school in Manchester and met up again at City. Michael became a Chartered Accountant and I am a Chartered Psychologist and MD of Impact Consulting Psychologists. It is our 30th wedding Anniversary on 6th March, I’m sure we will be thinking about our happy times as students and reliving the drinking of cocktails in the union bar. I have been back to City several times for BPS conferences and always feel pleased that I not only gained useful qualifications but a great husband.
Jacquie Arthur and I met at City in 1967. We met again at a City reunion two years ago. We are married and madly happy and often meet City people when we are in London. If you know Jacquie Arthur or Jim Gallagher and are not in touch you can always get in touch via City. We are both registered.
Hi Jim,
Please let me know if you would like me to get in touch with any of your former classmates on your behalf. We are hosting our Annual London Reunion in the Great Hall on Thursday 27 June if you and Jacquie wanted to come along and meet up with them?
Celia
City Alumni Relations Team
>If you know Jacquie Arthur or Jim Gallagher and are not in touch you can always get in touch via City. >We are both registered.
Whoops…. Jacquie was Jacquie Rivers at the time.