Page 62 - Eclipse - RVC Alumni Magazine - Autumn 2020

CELEBRATING WEDDINGS, ANNIVERSARIES AND BABIES OF RVC ALUMNI
WRVC alumnus Paul weds Holly
hen veterinary surgeon and As soon as Boris Johnson said weddings RVC alumnus Paul Crawford could go ahead again, the pair took the very proposed to his girlfriend at small window of opportunity and arranged the BVNA Congress 2019, their wedding for Saturday 18 July.
Welcome to the
Dworld Edwin!
arin Holmes (BVetMed, 2005) and his wife welcomed a new addition to their family on 29 February. They named him Edwin
and according to his parents, “he is a joy”.
Darin currently works as a veterinarian for the United States Department of Agriculture in food safety. He says,
“I have many happy memories of my years at the RVC”.
they excitedly started planning their nuptials for spring 2020. What could possibly go wrong?
Paul first met Holly at BVNA Congress 2015 when she, being a veterinary journalist, interviewed him after he won an award in recognition of his work within the veterinary nursing profession.
They were due to tie the knot in May, but COVID-19 had other plans.
Sure, they had to cut their guest list in half, abandon the swanky hotel reception and cut their cake from the boot of the groom's car, but the main thing was they got married!
Paul said: ''Our wedding was very different from the original plan, but it was a very special day, nonetheless. Thank you to all of our friends at the RVC who sent their best wishes for the day.''
The Bride and Groom with the Mother of the Groom and the Mother and Father of the Bride.
The new Mr and Mrs Crawford cut the cake from the boot of the groom's car!
RVC alumnus celebrates 47-year wedding anniversary
John Aspley Davis, BVetMed 1970
On 1st October 1971, from a phone box near Hayle, I rang an Australian girl who was working in a neighbouring
Cornish practice, for a date to a folk evening. She had arrived on one of the principal’s doorsteps and was quickly engaged as a tutor to one of their children, with additional duties as a veterinary nurse (the nature of such work being completely foreign). For me, the West Penwith practice was my first. She refused the blind date offer and instead insisted that I come for afternoon tea with the principal and his wife at their house. This was for an hour in the middle of the 48 hours I had off once a month. I had to consider the sacrifice.
I turned up and within the hour a call to a ‘milk fever’ came in. She had heard of the miraculous cure that was available but never seen, so she left with the vet forthwith, with a stern request to the
hostess privately. I was not expected to be seen when she returned as she was extremely conscious of ‘bachelors hankering after a free meal’.
On her return, I was still there and to placate her icy stare, the hostess put
in a good word. I had helped with the washing up! Scales fell from her eyes later when I attended evening clinic and helped her fill in vaccination certificates for a litter of dachshunds. Eventually she agreed to accompany me to the folk evening in a local pub.
We were married on 15th September 1973, Battle of Britain Day, with her on the arm of her ex-navy father, gliding up the aisle to the War March of The Priests by Mendelssohn, perhaps heralding a turbulent but loving and fulfilling relationship. We moved to Australia in 1975, living in Canberra for the last 44 years. We have three
children, one of whom is a vet and one of whom is a teacher!
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Have you celebrated a wedding, anniversary, engagement or new baby? Email us at alumni@rvc.ac.uk and we can share your news with the RVC community.