Joan and Brian on their wedding day

Exeter alumni celebrate 40 years since marrying on campus

University of Exeter alumni Dr Joan (Chemistry, 1975 & PhD Chemistry, 1978) and Brian Stopp (Chemical Engineering, 1975) not only met and fell in love at Exeter, but married on campus too!

Joan and Brian were married in the Mary Harris Memorial Chapel at the end of September 1978, before hosting their reception at Reed Hall. This year they will be celebrating their Ruby wedding anniversary with long standing Exeter friends who joined them for the ceremony 40 years previously.

Joan said: “One of my memories was of the care taken of the Chapel - Ken Moss the Chaplain spent some time brushing the leaves out from under my train before I was allowed to walk up the aisle! We had to keep to time too as having a special licence meant we had to borrow the register from a local church and they had a wedding later that day so needed them back! It obviously made life much easier for me arranging details beforehand when the Chaplain was also a lecturer in the Chemistry department - I just had to do a few flights of stairs.”

Joan and Brian have fond memories of their University days and still regularly meet up with friends from Exeter, organising annual reunions and trips.

Joan and Brian on their wedding day, outside the Mary Harris Memorial Chapel with Exeter friends.

Joan and Brian reunite with Exeter friends in 2018 on one of their annual get-togethers.

Date: 3 September 2018