Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Last night for some reason talk in the Dobson home turned to opportunities at school. In passing I said my VI form Maths teacher, Joy Holmes (Old Girl, herself) had left CH at the end of the school year when I had left at Christmas, and had gone to teach in Nigeria. John queried the name, he knew her in Ibadan long before he met me! She went on a trip to Ghana with him and several others her first Christmas there. It seemed amazing making this connection after 35 years of marriage.

After leaving CH I was in a band for a few years with a couple of other OBs. One of them, Jim New, had a friend called Gemma. Gemma once mentioned to a friend of hers that she was going to see her mate Jim's band in London. When the friend asked her the name of the band it was the same name of the band she was going to see. That friend was none other than my cousin. It's a small world...

I used to work in a bar in leicester with the brother of an OB living in burgess hill [nr. CH] when not at uni..

I might be young but its a start!

And I've walked past a small red car with a CH crest hanging off the rear-view mirror parked near my flat in Brum... Actually come to think of it, I haven't seen it for a while. Any thoughts?!

Katharine wrote:had gone to teach in Nigeria. John queried the name, he knew her in Ibadan long before he met me! She went on a trip to Ghana with him and several others her first Christmas there.

and we used to escape Nkrumah's Ghana by going to Nigeria. How things change.

As to coincidences, it has been mentioned here that RR taught at a school close to where I live in France and that in Australia I met a girl who lives in that same town and works at the hospital where I am treated from time to time.
The owner of a teashop we sometimes go to in Weatherby, Yorkshire cames from the next village in France. The owner of the local fish and chip shop just happens to be the cousin of a neighbour in France.
When on holiday in Tenereife I was recognised by the local blacksmith from France (village population about 120).
A friend over there lived next door to some friends of ours in England who live about a mile from here.
Another friend in France had as a guest the daughter of the man in Salcombe, Devon, who tauight me to sail.

Enough to make me feel I am being followed!

OK. I think people may have to go some to beat this:

Two years ago at my Regiment's Officer's Association Dinner in London I randomly (no seating plan) sat next to a veteren who had served in the Regiment during the 50s. It turned out that he had commanded 8 Platoon of which I was then commander (coincedence 1), was an Old Blue (coincidence 2) and finally, to cap it all, lived right next door to my grandmother in Dorset (coincidence 3). I swear if he had a lottery ticket I would have run out and bought the same numbers so that we could share the winnings.

and there are those who say there is no such thing as coincidence!

Not a CH coincidence, but very weird.

The first summer vacation after I met my husband we went our separate ways, I went home and he went to work at Pontins holidy camp near Chichester.

Fast forward to March the following year, he was doing work experience in Blackpool and I was in Birmingham. One weekend I visited him and becasue the trains were in strike I got the night coach back leaving B'pool at about 9pm.

When we pulled into St Helens the seat next to me was the only one vacant. A young woman of around my own age sat next to me, and while chatting to her it turned out that she knew my husband from the previous summer in Sussex.

While in Manaus in Brazil, I met someone I had known previously the UK. We had both had a feeling of deja vous, but ignored it because it was so unlikely.

While on the diplomatic circuit we came across several people from different countries that would reappear in our lives. We learnt to check out current partners before asking incriminating questions. We were very amused to meet one man in Pakistan as a potato expert, John had previously known him in Nigeria as a yam expert.

I had a nice coincidence on my trip to NZ, I saw a friend in the departure lounge and previously unknown to us, we were on the same flight. He moved to sit beside me - so few people on that flight he had 4 seats to himself and I had 3. His wife was already in KL, and as I had time to spare went out to meet her. her face was a picture as she saw me come through the door!

Met a fellow OB during a Sunday League football match on a pitch in Gosport. As neither of us were originally from Hampshire when we were at CH, it was a bit of a surprise to say the least.

My team won 4-1.

FrogBoxed wrote:And I've walked past a small red car with a CH crest hanging off the rear-view mirror parked near my flat in Brum... Actually come to think of it, I haven't seen it for a while. Any thoughts?!

.... er ... because you no longer live in Brum, but Cambridgeshire, perhaps???