Cambridge Coincidences Collection

As of the 23rd May 2022 this website is archived and will receive no further updates.

understandinguncertainty.org was produced by the Winton programme for the public understanding of risk based in the Statistical Laboratory in the University of Cambridge. The aim was to help improve the way that uncertainty and risk are discussed in society, and show how probability and statistics can be both useful and entertaining.

Many of the animations were produced using Flash and will no longer work.

Well I Never!

Professor David Spiegelhalter of Cambridge University wants to know about your coincidences!

Birthdays on the 14th

Multiple members of our family were born on 14th of the month. Anthony 14.6.31(grandad); Sheila 14.5.35 (nana); Jennifer 14.1.60 (daughter); Isobel 14.6.04 (granddaughter); Alex & Henry 14.3.05 (grandchildren). What are the chances?

Ms Sh

In the late 1980's I was in a relationship with a man with the initials AS. He lived in a large block of flats in the city of London. Our relationship ended and years later in 2001 I fell in love with another man who lived in the same block of flats on another floor whose initials were - AS.

Four birthdays in One

Travelling in a car with three other passengers a chance comment revealed that all four of us shared the same birthday (day and month).

Same name, age and address

I live in a house comprising two flats. A notice to collect a parcel from the post office arrived. I went to the post office to collect the parcle with my ID. Upon opening the parcel I discovered it was business cards for a DJ with my name (Michael Grant). I took the parcel home and knocked on the other flat's door. The parcel was for my neighbour who is also called Michael Grant. His middle name is John and mine is James. He is also 28 years old. So it turns out that 2 men that don't know each other are both called Michael J. Grant, both 28 years old and have the same address. He has a similar build and the same hair colour. I haven't found out if we share any other similarities.

Telepathy or coincidence?

When I was at college in Salisbury in the 1970's, I shared a house with a friend (from Bristol) and spent the weekends with my partner in our isolated cottage 40 miles away. I split up with my partner towards the end of my training and stayed in Salisbury all the time. At the end of term I had to go to the cottage for a few days to sort out my affairs. I travelled as far as I could by public transport and my ex-partner drove me the rest of the way. My friend knew it would be difficult for me and said if things got too much, I should ring her in Bristol and she would ask her partner to collect me. It was ok at first and then things did get difficult so one morning I walked a mile and half to the nearest phone box and rang my friend. I was told by a flat mate that she had gone to see an aunt in Bexhill on Sea by train. I started walking back and my partner came along in the car and we stopped for a drink in the local pub. When we got back to the cottage our neighbour said a friend had turned up and she had let her into the house. I knew exactly who it was and sure enough there was my college friend.

Chance meeting

My (late) wife and I live in the UK but own a holiday property in Spain. In 1995 we were on a holiday in Australia and were spending a few days in Brisbane. We took a trip around the harbour on a boat which stopped at various quays and passengers were at liberty to get on and off as they chose as many times as they wished. We spotted an openair quayside cafe at one stop, so got off to have a coffee. We had only been sitting there for a few minutes when in walked a couple we knew from our visits to Spain. They were on a round the world cruise and their ship had docked in Brisbane for one day only.They were not on a harbour tour but were just out walking and coincidentlly came into the same cafe as us. Needless to say they joined us, and a few photographs were taken to mark this coincidence.

Appendix - double trouble!

My 18 year old daughter woke in considerable pain one day and I took her to the doctors surgery. Whilst waiting for her to come out, I took a call from my 22 year old son who told me not to worry but that he was in A & E at his local hospital as they thought he may need his appendix out. Imagine my shock my daughter appeared and said that the doctor wanted her to go straight to hospital as he thought she had appendicitis! My son had his removed at 5pm in Kingston hospital, Surrey followed by my daughter having hers removed at 10pm in Southend hospital, Essex - That is one Friday I will never forget!!! The nurses and doctors at Southend were amazed and immediately asked if they were twins - but no, Mark born in 1986 and Claire in 1990. Everyone has found it staggering and very unusual.

Twins

On Monday 9th January 2012 we went to see The Comedy of Errors at the National Theatre. The play is about 2 sets of twins, one set the servants of the other set, who are separated soon after birth. 30 years later one master and servant arrive at the town where the other master and servant now live, and there is a long series of mistakes until they eventually meet. In this modern dress production the servant twins are dressed in identical replica Arsenal shirts. The following morning, at breakfast in our London hotel, we were amazed to see a pair of twins, about 10 years old, both wearing replica Arsenal shirts.

Appendix - double trouble!

My 18 year old daughter woke in considerable pain one day and I took her to the doctors surgery. Whilst waiting for her to come out, I took a call from my 22 year old son who told me not to worry but that he was in A & E at his local hospital as they thought he may need his appendix out. Imagine my shock my daughter appeared and said that the doctor wanted her to go straight to hospital as he thought she had appendicitis! My son had his removed at 5pm in Kingston hospital, Surrey followed by my daughter having hers removed at 10pm in Southend hospital, Essex - That is one Friday I will never forget!!! The nurses and doctors at Southend were amazed and immediately asked if they were twins - but no, Mark born in 1986 and Claire in 1990. Everyone has found it staggering and very unusual. Debbie Bamber

Related ancestors

1) I have been researching my family tree and realised a name which came up on my tree was the maiden name of someone in my department at work (we had been discussing maiden names one day). I thought no more about it but then, out of curiosity, asked my friend if any of her family came from Somerset and she, after confirming with an uncle, was able to say that yes, they did. After a bit of research, it turned out that my 5 times great aunt by marriage and her 4 times great aunt by marriage were sisters!! This was more surprising as neither of us were brought up anywhere near Somerset. 2) On 3 separate occasions while living in London, I have met different friends from my school in Northern Ireland. On one occasion,one friend was in the same shop as me and the other two occasions were on tube trains. I couldn't get over the coincidences of being on those trains, on those carriages and at the same times as my friends. 3) On a number of occasions, my sister, mum and I would all find we had bought the same blouses to wear at Christmas - bought separately from each other!

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