Cambridge Coincidences Collection

Well I Never!

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

The Apprentice

This happened to my late father about 40 years ago. Waiting at the carousel after a plane trip from the Isle of Man to Liverpool, a chap approached my father and asked whether he had a car and, if so, whether he could give him a lift to the city centre. Whilst chatting during the journey, the chap, now living in Devon, asked my father where he was from originally. When my father answered 'Stockport', the chap said that he had been an apprentice painter and decorator there in the mid '40s to a man named 'John C.' Who was the painter in question?

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.

Kurt Atterberg's Second Symphony

I'd always loved the symphonies of Swedish composer Kurt Atterberg, especially the Second Symphony. For some years I had thought of getting a complete set of the recordings. Eventually I ordered the boxed set from Amazon. It arrived on December 12th 2011. I looked through the booklets and discovered that December 12th was also Atterberg's birthday. Then, reading the notes about the Second symphony, I found that its first performance was also on December 12th. (Incidentally, it was composed almost exactly 100 years ago, between 1911 and 1912)

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.

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.

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.

Romantic coincidence

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

Brazilians in Truro

My Brazilian fiance had travelled from Sao Paulo in Brazil to live in London to attend and sit a masters in law at the LSE, which she passed. I was moving out of the flat I rented in Islington and she was moving into the same flat and we became friends. During the Queen's golden jubilee In 2002, the country was given an extra bank holiday and we decided to travel to Porlock in Devon and stay overnight. While we were there, we decided to go further West into Cornwall to St.Ives.

Two Fathers,Two Lost Sons

After my wife and I separated she moved away with our son Matthew then aged two and I use to visit every month / six weeks. On his sixth birthday I visited and the house was empty no furniture they had gone. Eleven years later I had re-married and we owned a restaurant in Bath, we were just about to close for lunch when an American tourist walked in saying he had lost his way and was looking for directions to an address in Bath.

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