Cambridge Coincidences Collection

I was born Somerset and brought up in Berkshire, went away to Uni for 4 years and got a job in Sunbury, Middlesex living in Shepperton. While living in Shepperton I met my husband-to-be. Husband and his mother born Glasgow. Husband’s father had been born Shanghai and civil internee there til 1947 (of Portuguese/Norfolk descent). Husband’s mother’s family hailed from Bethnal Green/Hackney area of London. But William Porch (hubby’s GG Grandfather) was born 1839, Bath – had moved to London by 1861. His mother (my husband’s GGG Grandmother, nee Ryall) was baptised Stratton on the Fosse 30 Oct 1814 and her parents were still there 1846 (though died/moved soon after). On my side of the family: My GG Grandfather John Curtain and his wife (not my GG grandmother) lived Ston Easton and had a son born Stratton on the Fosse c.1876. My Grandparents (and aunt) lived for many years on the Stratton side of the B3139 near Chilcompton. My aunt and cousin still do. Stratton on the Fosse – modern day population c.1000 Chilcompton – modern day population c. 1900

In 1942 my grandfather, Walter Wells, was foreman in charge of the British workmen constructing an aerodrome for the RAF at Aldermaston which in June 1942 was given to the American AAF for use as a transport base. The first American army personnel to arrive were the Seabees (Construction Battalion). One evening as my grandfather was cycling home he was stopped by a GI who asked him to post a letter for him as the GI was not allowed off the base. Grandad took the letter and put it on the table in the sitting room of the house which my family had rented. My father was home on leave at the time so there were five of us in the room at the time; father, mother, myself Grandma and Grandad. My father picked up the letter and read the name and address. It was addressed to my father's mother who lived in London at the time. The American GI was my father's nephew, his name was Adolf Ravitz. My father's sister, Fanny, had been a GI bride at the end of WW1. Adolf (an unfortunate name at the time) did visit our house but, unfortunately, I never met him as I was at school during the hours that he came. He was killed in the Ardennes in 1944 so I never did meet him.

I just finished reading the Wilkie Collins novel, "Armadale". The appendix has the following wonderful coincidence (it will not mean much to you if you have not read the novel. But if you have, it is quite a coincidence!):<br /> "NOTE--My readers will perceive that I have purposely left them, with reference to the Dream in this story, in the position which they would occupy in the case of a dream in real life: they are free to interpret it by the natural or the supernatural theory, as the bent of their own minds may incline them.

I just bumped into a Kiwi I met in Queenstown, New Zealand 4 years ago on a morning rush hour tube in London. It was rammed and we were at different ends of the carriage, but for some reason we both looked up at the same time. We both did a double take and then burst out laughing. Crazy!