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Random Coincidence?

(101 Posts)
LRavenscroft Sun 04-Dec-22 10:11:47

I was chatting the other day with some friends over coincidences. We were in the Lake District and got chatting to a very elderly lady and when she found out where were from she said 'Oh, I worked their as a midwife in the 50s'. We worked out that she had probably delivered both of us! She was absolutely delighted at the thought. Obviously, without revealing any details have any of the Gransnetters had any similar coincidences?

volver Sun 04-Dec-22 20:02:20

I wonder how many involved haranguing and badgering someone because they didn't give you the answer you wanted?

Just saying. hmm

(Sorry. LRavenscroft. Couldn't help myself.)

MawtheMerrier Sun 04-Dec-22 20:09:03

Who knows?
Anybody admitting to it?

Sago Sun 04-Dec-22 20:13:39

MawtheMerrier

How many of these posts have involved asking somebody where they were from
Just saying grin

I was thinking the same.

We have had a number of coincidences, one being a lovely Irish family that came to view a house we were selling in the North of England, I asked the gentleman where he was from, he told me it was Dublin, I said I thought his accent was Kerry, he said it is was but he was largely raised by a Kerry family as his parents worked overseas, it was my Uncle and Aunt!

We recently bumped into a friends son and his wife in Oslo.

Nannytopsy Sun 04-Dec-22 20:29:24

I thought that Maw!

MawtheMerrier Sun 04-Dec-22 20:33:58

Our eldest D became friendly with a girl from our village in N Bucks at school in Bedford.
On enquiring more closely we found that her father had not only been in Paw’s house at a well known (at the time boys’) boarding school in the North of Scotland but was just three along from him in the school photograph.
When I commented that he didn’t seem terribly enthusiastic, Paw said that the girl’s father had been an obnoxious little sh** as a boy at school and he (Paw* ) had seen no reason to change his opinion since.
Oops!

LRavenscroft Sun 04-Dec-22 20:37:07

volver

I wonder how many involved haranguing and badgering someone because they didn't give you the answer you wanted?

Just saying. hmm

(Sorry. LRavenscroft. Couldn't help myself.)

Penny just dropped! Ha! Ha!

ginny Sun 04-Dec-22 21:10:29

volver

I wonder how many involved haranguing and badgering someone because they didn't give you the answer you wanted?

I didn’t understand what you and Maw were getting at but the penny has just dropped.
Over the last 3 weeks I have asked numerous people where they come from. I’m not resigning though.

Grammaretto Sun 04-Dec-22 22:07:03

grin
A while after we were married, we were talking about family holidays we had had.
I had gone aged 18 to Yugoslavia as it was then with my mum and my siblings. One day at the campsite a British campervan arrived. Now it just wasn't cool to make friends with other Brits when you had travelled so far from home.

Guess what? DH was in that campervan and tent with his parents and siblings.
We met a year later in England.

Callistemon21 Sun 04-Dec-22 22:52:32

MawtheMerrier
😂😂😂

We've had a few coincidences over the years, several in Australia.
It's a small place of course.

We chatted to an Australian man running a museum in the Outback, turned out his aunt and uncle live just behind us in Wales.
And other coincidences too.

paddyann54 Sun 04-Dec-22 23:54:01

Not mine it was more about where we had worked and if we had family in the same trade we were obviously both Weegies and knew the same places.He said he often stayed with his GP's in a particular street I said my Great uncle lived in that street ,his GF had the same name as my Dad and when he said his grannys name I knew who he was.We called our parents who had lost touch years before and they were delighted to get together again .
I didn't question his heritage or his right to be here ....THAT was the issue with "Lady H"

Chestnut Mon 05-Dec-22 00:30:50

MawtheMerrier

How many of these posts have involved asking somebody where they were from
Just saying grin

It's normally considered a friendly way of starting a conversation, or at least it was. My friend is always asking people about themselves and one question leads to another. She says it's because she's so interested in people. I wish I had that skill because it breaks the ice very quickly and makes friendships very easy to make. I suppose she would be offending certain people if she did that today, which is a shame because not having this kind of exchange really does build barriers

Humduh Mon 05-Dec-22 06:32:47

What an uplifting and beautiful story

LRavenscroft Mon 05-Dec-22 07:05:44

My godmother was friends with quite a famous artist and she also owned a beautiful little white terrier whom we will call X. As a child I played a lot with X in my godmother's garden but the poor little thing died in the Sixties. A couple of years ago I was in an antique shop browsing and suddenly saw a sketch of X done by said famous artist with the words 'Homage to X' June 1965. Well, I just had to buy it and it now hangs proudly in my house.

Damdee Mon 05-Dec-22 12:04:58

Many years ago my husband had a prang with another car. He got out and so did the other driver - turns out they had exactly the same first and last names.

I was in a swimming pool abroad once, far from home, and I overheard an unusual girl's name mentioned by other people in the pool. This was my daughter's name so I listened in, and it turned out they were actually talking about her - so I introduced myself.

Nannan2 Mon 05-Dec-22 12:05:28

Just saying what?🤔

mimismo Mon 05-Dec-22 12:06:12

In a random bar in Galicia we came across a couple from my area of London, tho' I didn't know them. On leaving the bar we crossed paths with a Spanish couple. The guy looked at my husband and asked 'Are you Maria's brother?' Yes, said my husband. It turned out that this guy worked with my sil, who had told him we were in the area. Amazing!

Nannan2 Mon 05-Dec-22 12:06:15

*meant for Mawthemerrier

MommaBear Mon 05-Dec-22 12:08:23

Hi,
I really like that you likely met your midwife.
My big coincidence for the day is my surname is the same as original poster!!
There aren't that many Ravenscrofts around who my husband and I don't already know so it may well be I know you IRL... If you know me, please Facebook or Whatsapp me!
I'll help you narrow it down by saying I'm the one who has just moved down from Midlands to South Wales.
If you still can't place me then still a pleasure to know there are more of us about than we knew!!
xx

Nannan2 Mon 05-Dec-22 12:08:43

-Damdee- i bet the insurance folk thought someone was playing a joke on them?😅

MommaBear Mon 05-Dec-22 12:10:05

LRavenscroft

My godmother was friends with quite a famous artist and she also owned a beautiful little white terrier whom we will call X. As a child I played a lot with X in my godmother's garden but the poor little thing died in the Sixties. A couple of years ago I was in an antique shop browsing and suddenly saw a sketch of X done by said famous artist with the words 'Homage to X' June 1965. Well, I just had to buy it and it now hangs proudly in my house.

This is so lovely

frenchie Mon 05-Dec-22 12:11:05

The sons Driving home for Christmas has always been a special song for our family.
When it came out years ago, it was my song as we always drove to France for Christmas.
The girls remember the happiness and excitement of our journeys.
Now that DH and I live in France, it’s for DH that the song is for and the joy that we have to see our girls and little children.
This morning, on her way to work, DD1 heard the song on the radio and messaged me. As her message pinged, the song came on my radio!! And it was 2 different radio stations 😱❤️❤️

Candelle Mon 05-Dec-22 12:12:42

There are probably many many coincidences regarding meeting people abroad but we have two: in the middle of Castro in San Francisco (a gay area and a tourist site in its own right) my husband heard his name being called, turned around and there was his colleague's secretary.

Whilst walking on a deserted French beach in the middle of nowhere, we bumped into a family walking towards us and on coming closer it turned out to be neighbours from a few houses away. I am sure others have many more stories to tell, too.

mousemac Mon 05-Dec-22 12:24:52

I was invited to dinner by someone I can only describe as a terrible snob. She was keen to show off her latest acquaintance, the mystery man from London (this was in the depths of the Country).
He and I had been in the same year at primary school together. I believe she never forgave me.

Chameleon007 Mon 05-Dec-22 12:36:38

My sister in law and I have exactly the same names which can cause confusion in the family. Her son often rings me instead of his mother.

LRavenscroft Mon 05-Dec-22 12:37:12

MommaBear

Hi,
I really like that you likely met your midwife.
My big coincidence for the day is my surname is the same as original poster!!
There aren't that many Ravenscrofts around who my husband and I don't already know so it may well be I know you IRL... If you know me, please Facebook or Whatsapp me!
I'll help you narrow it down by saying I'm the one who has just moved down from Midlands to South Wales.
If you still can't place me then still a pleasure to know there are more of us about than we knew!!
xx

I am really sorry but that is only my Gransnet name. I used to love the music of Raf Ravenscroft from years ago and the name always stuck with me. Aren't you lucky to have such a lovely surname.