Amy Jones's avatar
Amy Jones
February 12, 2026

It all started at Bath...

Posted in: Features

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With Valentine’s Day approaching, it’s the perfect moment to reflect on the connections that form during campus life. For many, Bath wasn't just a place to study, but the perfect setting for blossoming relationships that continued long after graduation.

From meeting during Freshers' Week to a chance encounter at the train station, these short stories offer glimpses of how some of those relationships began.

"Terri was the very first person I met in 1985 studying Electrical & Electronic Engineering. Our paths crossed without words at Paddington Station on the way to Bath.
We didn’t date until the next year, starting with an unplanned “liaison” at The Packhorse, a now community-owned pub at which we are shareholders.
We married in Gibraltar in 1985, so we recently celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary in the Caribbean. We have been blessed with two daughters and, so far, one grandchild."
Mark Eydman
"I met my husband, Stuart Bolland (BSc Chem Eng 1994), playing Korfball while studying Biology (BSc 1995). We’ve just celebrated 30 years of marriage and now live in California.
Our son, an international student, (MSc Economics & Finance, 2021) also met his future wife (MSc Marketing, 2021) on campus, and they’ll marry in England this May!"
Jo Bolland
"I met my wife Liz on the second day of Freshers' Week in 1991. We got married in 1997 while I was in the second year of my PhD. As I write this, we're watching the Olympic opening ceremony on the sofa."
Nicholas Stevens
"I met my husband Matt on our first day, as flatmates in Solsbury Court in 2009.
The wind was blowing in just the right direction when we got engaged over campus in a hot air balloon and, after a COVID delay, we got married in the Assembly Rooms."
Lucy Teasdale
"We met in our first term in 1973, started dating 18 months later, got engaged in October 1976 and married a week after graduation in July 1977.
Still married, four children and 10 grandchildren later! And still living near Bath."
Ruth Martin
"Anne and I met on our Physics course in 1976 and married at the end of our first year, in July '77. The University Chaplain married us at Batheaston Methodist Chapel.
In the background to the left is Anne’s tutor Patrick Squire and our atomic physics lecturer Joan Rowcroft. We both graduated in 1980. Our golden anniversary next year in July."

David Smith

"Steve and I met at a barn dance on campus in 1992. We got married in 1996 and have two daughters, one of whom went to Bath in 2018 and met her boyfriend there, too!"
Karen Moss
"We met whilst both studying at the University of Bath in 2006. He was MEng Sports Engineering, I was IMML French.
We met at The Litten Tree pub on a night out. 20 years later we have been married for 13 years, with two children."
Kerri Fionda-Brookes
"I met my husband Andre Sachariew (BSc Economics and Politics 2007) in the Global Politics class. We now live in Mexico City and have three daughters."
Juliet Wingate 
"Paul and I met studying MLES and graduated with this lovely lot in 1997. We married in 2000.
Last summer our daughter Ella graduated in Economics and met her boyfriend at the University of Bath, too!"
Claire Sampson

"The biggest impact the University of Bath gave me (though there are many great things to choose from) is my husband!

We met on the very first day as next-door neighbours in Norwood. All throughout our four years at university we were part of the same large friendship group which spanned several kitchen groups of floor 9.

It wasn’t until 2 months after graduation that we realised that the one we wanted was there all along! We have been together for over 10 years now and celebrated our first wedding anniversary in August. Thank you, Bath!"

Lucy Pattenden

Did you find love at Bath? Send your story to advancement@bath.ac.uk.

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