St Luke's Campus

Memories of St Luke's

A number of our graduates will have attended St. Luke’s College in the days before integration with the University. We welcome any news or stories they may have to share with their former colleagues.

Alan Laurent (1976-79) shares some of his memories.

Exeter 1976 seems like a world away now as I look back on a career in education that has stretched over 40 years. I can honestly say that my time at Luke’s was about the happiest of my life and I am left with so many rich memories.

Of course it is the people rather than the place that stay with you and I wish that over the busy years that followed I had kept contact with a few more. Inspirational lecturers such as Jim Norman and Arthur Luxton who escorted us to Hungary in 1977, Paul Hosker my personal tutor who taught me as much about the local nightlife as he did history and of course my fellow students on the education course.

The merger with the University came as bit of a shock to us to be honest and if I said that it wasn’t universally popular I would be underplaying the strength of feeling at the time. I remember the very moving service in the Cathedral and always visit the plaque that was dedicated to the College if I am In Exeter, which is all too rarely. I am told that I was credited with scoring the last competitive goal for Luke’s (3rds) against the Uni in a Devon and Exeter league game played at Ducks Meadow. I loved representing the College at both football and athletics and well remember watching Seb Coe running against us in a British Colleges meet at Cwmbran in 1978.

I had the pleasure of taking my son to look at the University a couple of years ago and although the site has changed significantly it still brought back some deep emotions. My room in South Cloisters is now a teaching space I think, but North Cloisters, the Common Room, The Library and The Giraffe house remain, enclosing the evocative quad on which and around which many of my memories are centered.

Highlights remain the Hungarian exchange, the Sport and most of all the friendships. Luke’s prepared me superbly well for teaching and eventually for Headship, happy and productive days will remain with me always.

Date: 19 August 2020