Cambridge Coincidences Collection

Well I Never!

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

Telephone number

During the months after the death of my wife in 1995 I was helped to deal with my loss by a female friend that I had not seen for some time and who had experienced a similar loss. I had written her number down on a cream coloured envelop. In the weeks that followed I agonised as to whether it would be appropriate for me to make a romantic approach to this friend. Finally deciding against the idea I tore the envelop into pieces and put them in a waste paper basket.

Living in Same Property, plus others

Unexpected meeting in Spain- Just after I left school in 1960 I went to Spain with seven others from my Scout Troop in a minibus. After touring across France and Spain we arrived in Alicante. When walking down the main plaza we bumped into two school colleagues, Tommy and Helen Jenkins. This was when few English people holidayed in Spain . Living in the same Property- This covers two coincidences concerning a flat in a large house ( 8, The Drive Walthamstow) my wife and I lived in when we were first married in 1968.

Same Birthday

We have three generations but four people with the same birthday in my family. My mother: Winifred Smith (nee Jennings (born Hereford, Herefordshire) 7th August 1933 Myself: Paul Andrew John Smith (born Hereford, Herefordshire) 7th August 1955 My eldest daughter: Natasha Alison Dawn Smith (born Truro, Cornwall) 7th August 1986 My son: Simon Ian John Smith (born Truro, Cornwall) 7th August 1987 I also got married (now divorced) on 7th August 1984 Neither myself, or my two children were planned! My daughter was born late and my son early and all of us were natural births!

Old Friend

My name is Beryl. I attended Holly Lodge High School in Liverpool. Whilst in sixth form I had 2 close friends, Shelagh and Pat. We left school in 1956. We three attended different Universities and lost touch for many years. We were all aware that we had married but because we were no longer close we neither attended weddings nor knew the nanes or professions of the three husbands. During the academic year 1986-87 I studied for a Master's Degree in Manchester University. One of my tutors was Professor Tom Christie.

Mrs

My son has two children by two different partners, both children were born on 14th February, five years apart. My son shares his birthday with his neice, 34 years years apart.

Prayer answered or Coincidence ?

As a newly converted catholic in the 1990s, when my father needed a serious operation, I decided to have a mass said for him. The operation was due for February of that year and so in early February I requested a mass be dedicated to my father, rather hoping that it would be at one of the February masses. My father was not religious and would not have welcomed or understood this request. I said in prayer, " I know my dad is very anti God but please let me know you are with him " The date of the mass allocated to my father was 26th March of that year.

Car plates match

I live in one of three similar houses in a village. Without collaberation, each family owns a dark blue car with the registration beginning WG07.

Sea sun and computer

We were leaving for a two week sailing holiday in the British Virgin Islands. We parked in the long term car park at Gatwick and took the airport bus to the terminal. As I left the bus I noticed that someone had left their laptop behind on a seat. I picked it up and handed it in to lost property. I didn't think any more about it other than the glow of righteousness. We proceeded from Gatwick to Antigua and on from there on an island hopper to Tortola .

Birthday Honours

Last October on my 68th birthday, two cards arrived from my adult children who live roughly 150 miles apart. I opened the first card from my son.It was from a well known on-line greeting card company which contained his humorous personalised message. Then I opened the next from my daughter. Exactly the same card but with her own greetings inside. Coincidence, or what?

Chance Meeting

My husband and I were visiting Paris in the early 80s and on the Tuesday we decided to go to the Louvre. We walked up to the entrance and found it closed. We didn't know that it was closed on Tuesdays. As we turned to leave my husband's friend, and best man from our wedding 2 years previously, turned up leading a whole hoard of school children. They were staying on a campsite outside Paris. He too was about to visit the Louvre on a Tuesday! Neither of us knew the other was even going to France.

Pages