Cambridge Coincidences Collection

Well I Never!

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

TRAVELLING DRESS

Some years ago I was walking one quite Sunday afternoon through the streets of Kensington in London with my family and we passed a dress shop. In the window was a white dress decorated with blue dinner-plate size roundels of sailing ships. I admired it and stopped and told my family and we all looked at it and then moved on and forgot about it. Three months later I was sent to work in Singapore and when settled in I gave a party. Guests included my English neighbour who brought his girl-friend. Looking at her I suddenly realised the dress seemed familiar.

unlikely?

I recently attended pre admission tests at a local clinic. The nurse asked what my surname was. Hers was the same. My christian name is Michael. Hers was Michelle. When I told her that my date of birth was 6th May she told me that that was her date of birth. The only difference was the year.

Fastest milkfloat in the West

My father and his brother were driving. My father told his brother that someone had created a vehicle called "The fastest milkfloat in the West" by putting a Chevy V8 engine in the back of it. His brother refused to believe him. Later during that same car journey, a vehicle over took them. It had the modified milkfloat on the back, with the paint job my dad had seen in a magazine a while before, and the Chevy V8 exhaust pipes clearly on display!

(1)shared birthdays (2)unexpected meeting

My neighbour and I share a remarkable series of birthday dates: 1. She and I are exactly 1 week apart. 2. Her (late) husband and my brother share 6th June. 3. My daughter and her son share 9th June. 4. My other daughter and her daughter share 25th November. 5. Her mother and my granddaughter share 30th November. Unexpected meeting: Pam and I live in the same village in Somerset, but our paths rarely cross, apart from when we consulted her about a forthcoming visit to South Africa, where she used to live.

Gallery Chance Meeting

In July 2011, I was visiting the Museum of Art in Philadelphia on my first visit to the United States. One small gallery is dedicated to new acquisitions. I believe I was the only person in this gallery when my sister-in-law's brother and his partner walked in. They live near my brother and his wife in a village in North Norfolk, U.K. I was staying with friends in Philadelphia.

THE REUNION!

I have a friend who was born and lived in South Africa. When she was a little girl at school, the class teacher left, and the girls had a collection to buy her a book. They all signed the inside page of the book so that she would remember them. My friend grew up and after going to University, came to visit England, meaning to look around and return to South Africa. However, she met the love of her life, married him and remained here. They had two sons, who now have children of their own.

Penguins

Some people find this hard to believe but its a true story. My wife and I are video makers and we specialize in making work with contemporary dancers ( this will be relevant later on). Just before the birth of our first daughter in 2002 my wife picked up a little soft toy kit of a penguin and lovingly sewed it together ready for the happy day. After she finished it I pointed it out that she had sewed the beak on the wrong way round so we named him 'mumble'.

Met school friend walking round a lake 155 miles from our home town

In the Summer holidays some 15 years ago, my Mum took my sister and I to Keswick in the Lake District (we had travelled from Chesterfield in Derbyshire). We had been there some days, enjoying a nice holiday and on the particular day in question, had set off to walk around part of the Lake which we hadn't really explored before. After going along some way, we noticed a family coming towards us who looked familiar - the family of one of my good friends from school!

Shanghai Coincidence

I flew to Atlanta this April to meet with a physician and whilst in the consultation I mentioned my son worked in Shanghai. The physician asked if I would be kind enough to give him my son's phone number so he could call him and get the names of some good restaurants in Shanghai. I said of course and agreed to give him my son's phone number. Two weeks later the physician emails me with this story.

birthtime, date, weight coincidence

My grandson was born on 6th October, at 6.10 a.m., and weighed 6lb 10oz Sincerely, Anne B

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