In a world of failed Hinge dates and awkwardly bumping into your ex-situationship in the freezer aisle at Mainsbury’s, it may seem like Cambridge dating is all doom and gloom. However, the fact still remains that many happy couples have found, and will find, true love in Cambridge. From late night Gardies trips to an engagement on the Bridge of Sighs, these Cambridge couples from years gone by are the perfect post-Valentine’s day reminder that true love really does still exist.
Adam Joseph and Gabrielle Joseph, together for 23 years
We met partly at Trinity Hall where Gabrielle was studying Natural Sciences and I (Adam) was studying Social and Political Sciences, and partly in the cramped Varsity offices on Trumpington street. Eating cold noodles together at 3am as you try and get the newspaper completed is a great rehearsal for having a newborn!
“It felt very adventurous leaving Cambridge during term time; even Girton seemed impossibly far away at the time!”
When we first started going out we were conveniently living next door to each other, so we just started spending loads of time together rather than going on lots of formal dates. I do remember going out to a nice pub for a romantic dinner pretty early on. It felt very adventurous leaving Cambridge during term time; even Girton seemed impossibly far away at the time!
Our college and coursemates were semi-surprised when we officially became a couple, but they also semi called us a married couple even before we started going out. I do remember bringing one friend back to my room after lectures and having to do some quick explaining as to why so much of Gabrielle’s stuff seemed to be in there before we were official.
My favourite tradition had to be late night chips at Gardies after finally getting Varsity to print. Those warm chips before going to bed and knowing you were just going to sleep until midday was bliss.
Inspiring, intense, and indelible would describe our Cambridge experience (yes, we’ve still not moved beyond alliteration!)
Harriet Peachey-Otter and John Otter, together for 14 years
We met at Tit Hall on the first day of Freshers’. As I (Harriet) was an English student and John was an Engineer, my chat was about as interesting as you would expect, starting off with the question “are you a bath or a shower person?” Needless to say, sparks didn’t fly until midway through first year…
I think my favourite memory is the first night we kissed. I didn’t want anyone in college to know because I wasn’t sure what the relationship was going to be yet, and we were all part of the same friendship group… but I hadn’t factored in the fact that John was dressed as the hulk that night, caked head to toe in green face paint. So after we kissed the evidence was, well, written all over my face!
I really loved our Valentine’s Day date in our third year when we saw the most beautiful cat on the way back from dinner, just around the corner from our halls. We never saw him again, but nine years ago we got a kitten who looked just like him, and we still have Monty to this day.
I think the biggest evolution of our relationship was when we became parents in 2020! We have had to grow up a lot since we were students and figure out where we want to go with our lives. Not to say we’ve got that figured out – we still spend huge amounts of our time daydreaming about alternative lives and, who knows, maybe we’ll make it happen once our daughter is older.
Our favourite spot was Grantchester, and we have amazing memories of cycling out there together as students, especially in May Week. So much so that this is where John proposed to me in 2016!
‘Loving and learning’ describes our time at Cambridge.
Julian Davies and Moira Davies, together for 44 years
Moira and I (Julian) met on our first night at Trinity Hall (1981-4). We were both freshers (I studied Law and Moira studied Natural Science). My roommate was a fresher medic who had met a female fresher medic, and they had both agreed to meet in the Porters’ lodge together with some fellow freshers they would each find to bring along to go to the pub. He asked me to join him and the female medic asked Moira to join her.
“The day Moira walked across the dining hall on the first Sunday to say “hello” was my most memorable moment in our relationship”
My first impression of Moira was that I was besotted with the very pretty Geordie girl, but couldn’t get to speak to her at the pub. Moira spoke to other guys in the group and did not particularly notice me…
The day Moira walked across the dining hall on the first Sunday to say “hello” was my most memorable moment in our relationship.
’A wonderful privilege’ would be our way to describe our time at Cambridge.
David Herman and Susie Herman nee Breakell, together for 39 years
We met in Susie’s rooms at Trinity Hall in October 1977. It was her first term and my fourth term at Cambridge. I (David) was studying History at Trinity. She was studying Philosophy at Trinity Hall. That first meeting changed my life.
My first impression of her was love at first sight. She was so beautiful and so interesting and had the loveliest laugh. These are all still true.
Our first date was November 13th 1984. We were at her flat in London which was not far from where I lived at the time. Susie made the most delicious macaroni cheese. Ever since then she always makes macaroni cheese on the anniversary of our first date.
“What took you so long?” was the reaction from our college and course-mates when we got together!
The three most important things in my life since Susie and I started living together have been: Being married to each other, having three lovely children together and having four (hopefully soon to be five) grandchildren together. These have all changed my life for the better in more ways than I could ever have thought possible.
“The day Moira walked across the dining hall on the first Sunday to say “hello” was my most memorable moment in our relationship”
Meeting Susie and then having a family together has enriched my life beyond words. We both made so many lifelong friends at Cambridge, most of whom we still see regularly, though, sadly, three have since died, one of whom was the Best Man at our wedding. My studies (History Part One, English Literature Part Two) enriched my life greatly and I learned so much – more than I could ever say – from most of my lecturers and supervisors.
Justin Jacinto and Irina, together for 25 years
We met at Trinity Hall in 1999. Irina was in the last year of her PhD in International Relations and I (Justin) was doing an M.Phil in Environment and Development.
Our first date was at Michel’s Brasserie, which was by Magdalene College and is sadly now gone. It was a cold evening at the end of Michaelmas term and the restaurant was a great refuge with its Christmas decorations. The dinner was lovely, and Irina only later explained to me after that Cambridge students typically didn’t go to such nice restaurants on first dates.
The most memorable moment of our relationship happened at Oxford! After a break in our relationship, we were both there for our matches in the Varsity Games. There was a lovely post-match black-tie dinner and celebration at Freud that year for all the club sports. At some point after eating and dancing together we agreed that we had a wonderful time with each other and should be a couple – and have been ever since.
There is nothing like a Cambridge May Ball. We were fortunate to be able to go to several through friends at other colleges. They became even more special to us when we attended the St. John’s ball a couple years after graduating, and I proposed to Irina on the Bridge of Sighs. We also loved the college bops. Trinity Hall was one of the best and held them in the spacious old JCR (sadly now gone). They always ended with ‘Go West’ by Pet Shop Boys. We still aren’t sure why!
Lesley and Mark Robinson
Mark and I met at Churchill in 1976. We very much enjoyed our time together learning to row – we were in the same novice boat – I was the cox and Mark rowed Bow. It was very enjoyable telling eight strapping lads what to do. To this day I still find myself telling him to “Touch it Bow”.
We have too many memorable moments to mention. Maybe feeding duck pate sandwiches to the ducks from a punt, dancing to ‘Benny and the Jets’ in a courtyard after a tea party, listening to ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ all night in a friend’s room…
“It was very enjoyable telling eight strapping lads what to do”
Our advice to maintain a long relationship is to laugh together every day.
We very much enjoyed the Churchill Hatters parties (twice a year) where everyone wore silly hats and drank a special recipe, lethal punch.
We would describe our Cambridge experience as…
Privileged – Cambridge has opened doors for us our whole lives. We were able to meet amazing people (e.g. each other!). Challenging – in every aspect of life – academically, socially, and physically. Excellent – we were surrounded by excellence all the time – constant academic stimulation, sport, music, debating, theatre…
Rachel Edge and Mike Edge
Mike and I met at Churchill, where I matriculated in 1978, and Mike 1979. One of our favourite memories was Wednesday evening Bops in the cricket pavilion, courtesy of the Pleasure Machine disco – apparently named because it was funded by the condom machine in the loos. This was the era of Disco!
Albert Scratchings night at Churchill in RAG week was also a highlight. Mike ran the custard pie hit squad. I was custard pied for enjoying dancing to Churchill band The Gits (which included film director Marc Evans and film producer Andy Eaton). There were random custard pie hits on the night, and mine was not sanctioned by Mike (or so he says!) The highlight of the evening was the Russian Omelette competition which was won by Marc.
Can’t forget the annual bed race – a completely lethal race around the centre of Cambridge on hospital beds or, in Churchill’s case, a hospital bed re-engineered by the engineering students. Churchill won, although Emma did have some complaints…
My three words to describe the Cambridge experience would be “destination” (I decided at five that I was going to go to Cambridge), “rollercoaster” (a time of many ups and downs), and “mine” (I feel I own some tiny share of Cambridge).
Want to share your thoughts on this article? Send us a letter to letters@varsity.co.uk or by using this form
