Worldwide Double Acts

There may be "Nine Million Bicycles in Bejing" - to quote a Katie Melua song - but there are definitely only two Nicholas Kearvells in the World. One in the Northern Hemisphere (UK) and the other in the Southern Hemisphere (NZ).

The pair, who are actually 8th cousins, had exchanged e-mails for some time but met up in New Zealand in 2005. Nicholas Paul (on the right), son of Malcolm and June Kearvell, was travelling during his post graduation year and was in New Zealand following the British Lions Rugby Team and met up with Nicholas James (on the left), son of Steven and Elizabeth Kearvell. One further coincidence. The pair are the same age and born within 28 days of each other in 1983

Malcolm and June's eldest son is Daniel Anthony and he too has completed a Kearvell Family double. 'Dan' works for the Russo- British Chamber of Commerce and has been living in Russia for several years. Initially he was Commercial Manager for the Moscow office and then in 2005 moved up to St Petersburg to open their new office. He is now Director of St Petersburg and the North West Territories.

Dan used this information at the initial dinner to announce that this was, in fact, the second time a Kearvell had arrived in Murmansk as his grandfather had arrived on 22 April 1944 as part of Convoy No..... .This reference went down very well with the delegates and many Russians came up and shook his hand. Then at the Saturday Gala Dinner the Murmansk Governor, during his speech, retold the same story and Dan became an even bigger celebrity!

Kenneth Lionel Kearvell (1925-1982) and Blanche Critchley (1924-1980) married at Norton Staffs on 26 Oct 1946

Early in 2005 he organised the first trade mission to Murmansk. The Russians love their formalities and such events are full of formal dinners and toasts with copious amounts of vodka. Dan's father, Malcolm, knew that Dan would have to make a number of speeches and remembered that his own father, Kenneth Lionel, had served on the Russian Convoys to Murmansk dring WW2. Via the Internet Malcolm was able to find the specific dates when his Dad's ship, H.M.S. Magpie, had sailed into Murmansk.

One more coincidence is that there are only two Daniel Kearvells in the world - Daniel Anthony (pictured right top), and Daniel Charles (pictured right inset), son of Laurie and Angela Kearvell from New Zealand. These two, who are 6th cousins, are also of similair age - born November 1979 and February 1980.

HMS Magpie anti-submarine sloop in WW2