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!

On the magazine cover - turn round, and there she is for real

Several years ago I was at work waiting for my turn to get something done (there was nobody else in the queue), and I idly looked at the front cover of the company magazine and saw a young lady there - engineer of the year. Next thing I knew, I was aware that someone else had joined the queue - and there she was! My question is, what's the probability of having one coincidence like that per year, given that there are so many opportunities for having coincidences?!

Favourite footballers

We always read the list of birthdays on The Guardian obituary page and discovered a few years ago that my husband shares his birthday, 10 May, with his favourite footballer of all time - Dennis Bergkamp. A few months later we discovered that I share my birthday, 21 December, with my favourite footballer of all time - Steve Perryman.

Sisters with same Birthday

I was born on 25th June, 1939 and my sister was born the same date, 25th June 1946, i.e. 7 years apart. Our Father and his sister were born on the same date, 1st August, our father 1909, and his sister 7 years later.

Academic connections

In 1968 I went up to Edinburgh University to study for an MA in Archaeology. At the last minute I managed to find a place at Masson Hall of Residence and in conversation with the Warden, Janet Pares, about Russia was recommended to read a history by Bernard Pares. In 1988, after funding for my research post in Anglo-Saxon Archaeology ceased, I applied for a post in the University of London Library and they suggested that I should apply for a job in the library of the Institute of Latin American Studies, University of London. I worked there from 1988 to 2001. In 1992 I read a memoir by Professor R.A. Humphreys, the first director of the Institute, about his wife, Elisabeth, and realised that she was the sister of Richard Pares, the historian, and sister-in-law of the Warden of Masson Hall.

Cross Roads

In June 2011 my wife and I were touring the north of England. The weather was unsettled and so on the spur of the moment we decided that rather than go off on a hike we would visit the town of Richmond having never before been there. Last summer a group of sufferers from Parkinson's undertook a mammoth fund raising cycle ride from Lands End to John o Groats and then across Ireland. They set off early in June. Among them was our friend Mark Vallance whom we have known since Uni in the 60's. We had seen an internet picture of their departure but had no idea of their proposed route or the time they anticipated the whole journey would take. I had noticed from the photo that they were wearing very fetching light blue lycra cycling gear. As we rounded a bend coming into Richmond out of the corner of my eye I noticed a group of cyclists in shiny blue approaching the junction we were at. I pulled up onto the pavement ( on double yellow lines) and jumped out of the car as Mark literally pulled alongside ( and was probably cursing this inconsiderate motorist!) Had we been 10 seconds later or earlier we would not have met. Neither of us could believe it.

Former colleague

My name is Clive. I am a peripatetic music teacher. In late October, 2008, my wife and I were visting Brownsea Island, in Poole Harbour. There, we met Miss H, who had previously taught at a school I visit. In late October, 2010, we were visting Shaftesbury (of Gold Hill fame) and there, we met Miss H again. I suspect that the probability of two such chance encounters is small but would appreciate knowing just how small.

Met relative of London tutor, from Australia, in Nairobi.

I was in a Mission Guest House in Nairobi on a table of 8 and we introduced ourselves, first name & country. A lady was there from Australia, & I said " i know someone in Australia, A.E.C." [ my O.T. Lecturer at LBC. in 1961-63 He emigrated in the late 60s or early 70s She said "Do you mean Arthur C>" & I replied "Yes". "He's my brother!", she replied. The date was about 2001

Venice coincidence

In 1991, during the first day of a holiday in Venice, my wife and I saw a number of small posters advertising an exhibition by an artist in a local church. There were a number of such exhibitions in Venice at the time by other artists but because this poster included an attractive watercolour we decided to keep it in mind and if we came across the church would visit. Some days later we saw the church and went in. There were a few other visitors but it was only a small display and we left after a few minutes. As we were leaving the artist asked us to sign his visitors book. In doing so I noticed there the entry immediately before ours was of someone, who we don't know, from the same small Shropshire village - they must have been there at the same time as ourselves.

Romantic coincidence

I recently married a widower. I have the same first name (Barbara) and same birthday (5th July) as his late wife.

Shared Birthdays

We are a small family but we have managed to share quite a few birthdays.... My brother and I were born six years apart but both in early August. My birthday is the 10th and his is the 15th. His two daughters were both born in early August and the younger was born on my birthday and he shares his birthday with my first husband. My daughter shares her birthday with her young first cousin once removed and my younger son shares his birthday with another first cousin once removed. The latter cousin emigrated to Canada with his family .Two days after arriving and needing to buy a car he answered a small ad in the local paper. It transpired that the vendor was not only a fellow Welshman but many years previously had once lived in the very same house that my mother currently owned. Another coincidence concerns my now late mother who always wore a wristwatch. When she died peacefully in her sleep one night her watch stopped at 4.50am......and so had the only other clock in the house.......... A very remarkable coincidence ...

Pages