Coincidences

Writing an Autobiography called 'Our Lives' caused me to reflect on a number of coincidences throughout life.

Some coincidences are small and others are eerie!!   As a matter of interest I highlight a few that relate to my wife Marjorie and myself. It was as if we were destined to be together and have so much in common.

Birth

Both of us have lived all our lives in Blackpool, and both of us regard ourselves as South Shore people.

However we were both born at an address in North Shore. At the time of her birth Marjorie's parents were living, briefly, at 406 Warley Rd, North Shore, Blackpool. She was born at this home address.

Neville's parents decided that his birth should be at a Nursing Home. They chose 46 Sherbourne Rd North Shore.

So, we were born about half a mile apart, and Sherbourne Rd shares a junction with Warley Rd.

St Mary's

Both of us attended St Marys Sunday School from aged about 4. This is perhaps not so strange considering that we lived on Ivy Ave and St Lukes Rd, and St Marys was the Parish Church. However, despite attending the same Sunday School we did not, at that age, know each other.

Brothers

Both had a brother born within a week of each other in April 1944.

Dancing

Neither of us ever went dancing at either the Tower Ballroom or the Winter Gardens or any Night Club. This may not seem so unusual but when compared with the activities of our contemporaries, it was! Marjorie's father would not allow her to go as he was on duty at the Tower some evenings, as a St Johns Ambulance volunteer and didn't think it suitable. Neville, on the other hand had neither the time nor the inclination!

Family Trees

Examination of our respective Family Trees reveal some interesting similarities.

Neville's father was born at Dickenson Rd., Chorlton,  Manchester.

Marjorie's mother was born at Geoffrey St. Chorlton, Manchester.

We both have a Scottish connection.

Neville has ancestors called McDonald. (Mothers Mother).

Marjorie has ancestors called Morrison. (Mothers Father).

Both have a South West family connection. Neville has roots in Cornwall. Marjorie has roots in Devon

Sports Day

At School Sports we both excelled at Long Jump.

1951

In 1951 we both spent time away from their parents for the first time.

Both went to stay with a friends Aunty.

Both Auntys lived in or near London.

Both spent their first unaccompanied day out, in London, without parents or Aunties, at the 1951 Festival of Britain.

University or Vocational Training

It is also a fact, though not a big coincidence, that neither Marjorie nor myself had any ambitions to go to University. We had both decided what we wanted our career to be, and in both cases this entailed starting work/training, at age 16 in my case, and 18 in Marjorie's. 

Accountancy and Nursing.

By age 21 we both had letters after our name.

Trainspotting

Both went to Garstang Train Spotting at almost exactly the same location at almost exactly the same time.

Also, as an ardent train spotter, I read amazing accounts of an unknown (then) railway line called the Settle to Carlisle where Navvies had spent years battling the elements, and snow had derailed trains, and horrendous accidents had taken place.

By the time I was 30 I still didn't know much about the line.

Over the years we were to purchase 5 of the Railway properties near the summit of this line. 3 at Garsdale Head and 2 at Aisgill Summit.

Later still we were to purchase Hellgill Farm. The farm track left the “B” road at Aisgill Moor Summit, where our two Aisgill properties were situated. The track then crossed the Settle to Carlisle line at its highest point. Amazing what tricks of fate life holds in store.

Holidays

Both of us spent virtually all of our holidays before age 14 close to the River Duddon. Marjorie at Millom and Neville at the Newfield Farm and Inn.

One of Marjorie's Ancestors historically ran the Newfield Inn.

The only other holiday we experienced was another coincidence. Both spent a holiday at Fallbarrow Caravan Site in Bowness.

One story involving coincidences starts some time after we were married. Marjorie noticed a bargain deal in the weekend paper. It was for a two night stay at a Pub/Hotel  in Devon. We booked it. When the reservation came, I realised that it was near to Ashburton which is where Marjorie's Grandfather was born. 

He had been killed near the Belgium border in the first World War and we had visited a large Memorial in Belgium with his name on it. I therefore decided to take my Family Tree notes.

The first day at the Hotel we managed to locate the farm where he was born and the Church where he was married. Both were within a few miles of our booking.

A coincidence we thought, that this random booking should have a personal outcome...but then our Mobile went off.

It was a call from Sue and Dinyar who had taken their camper van abroad and were touring Europe. We had not heard for a while and had no idea where they were.

“Hi Folks” said Sue. “You wont guess where we have been today”. “You neither” we replied.

It was then that Sue revealed that they were on the Belgium border and had, that day, visited the First World War Memorial with Grandad Milton's name on it.

So, on the same day, Marjorie and I visited where Grandad Milton was born and where he got married, whilst Sue had visited the place where he died. Eerie!!!

The hairs on your head had a field day!!

The next day we went to Princetown and went on a walk which past through some old Quarries. We arrived in the village about half four and found that its small Museum closed about five. After a dash round the Museum, I decided to purchase a book about Mining to add information to my Family Tree Research about Miners.

I dashed to the books for sale and grabbed one entitled “Mines of Foggintor”. I didn't know where Foggintor was or what kind of mines the book was about. Anyway I approached the sales desk with the book, to be advised that they had just closed, just cashed up, and I couldn't buy the book today.

I explained we were home tomorrow etc and, fortunately, the Supervisor overheard. If I paid her the money then she would add it to tomorrows sales. Great.

It was only later when I started to read the book that I thought I recognised some of the names in it. Amazingly, the book was written by a lady who was a relative of Marjorie, and contains references to individuals from one side of Marjorie's Ancestry.

Scouting

As in many couples case, there was  a slender thread that led to us meeting, and both having been Cub Scout Leaders of the same Cub Pack, 23^rd Blackpool (St Marys).

When Marjorie was about 15 she picked Les up from Cubs, and was asked to help with the pack. Within months she ended up running it. So, from age 15-18 Marjorie was the Cub Leader at St Marys. Her then boyfriend, Tony Shaw, travelled down from North Shore to Lytham Rd to help out each week.

When Marjorie became 18 she immediately left Blackpool for Nursing Training in Edinburgh. Tony continued to run the Pack on his own.

When I was aged about 17, around 1956, I was studying for Accountancy and was allowed Wednesday afternoon off to attend an Accountancy Course at Blackpool Technical College, run by a man called Alf Thompson.

There were only half a dozen in the class and I was to become friendly with most of them. One was Tony Shaw, who had started an Accountancy Course whilst working for Blackpool Tower Company. Tony persuaded me to go down to Cubs one night to see if I enjoyed it.

I did, and within a few months Tony left me to it, and the rest is History. As it happened, Marjorie's mother, Alice Milton, was on the Parents Committee so I met her before I properly met Marjorie.

When Marjorie finished her Nursing Training, in early 1963, she once again became involved in Blackpool Scouting. It was, naturally, on a Cub Leaders event that we met.  And the rest is history!!

This is an extract from Chapter 10 of my Autobiography called 'Our Lives'. It maybe that, by coincidence, people reading this have a life full of coincidences too!