Some forty years ago my phone rang one evening and the voice on the other end said, "My name is John Kinchin". I immediately thought this a leg-pull, but the 'other' John had seen my name in 'The Ringing World'. He, too, was a bellringer, regularly ringing with his wife and children in towers around Leicester.
We struck up an acquaintance and we regularly keep in touch - the last being our family reunion in 2012 (even though there is no direct family connection).
Now, an amazing coincidence occurred in mid-January. Gareth Bond, the Mickleton postmaster, received a phone call from Tom Edgar of Lutterworth Coaches in Leicestershire. This gentleman regularly brings tourist coaches through Mickleton during the summer months, and along the entire route he likes to point out items of interest to his passengers. In Mickleton he always refers to the original village water supply structure. It seems some passengers asked for more details about this structure. Tom said he didn't have any more information, so asked Gareth. Being a relative newcomer Gareth said, 'No, but I know somebody who can.' Guess who that was…
I phoned Tom Edgar the next day. The receptionist immediately put me through to his extension. 'Good morning', I said. 'This is John Kinchin of Mickleton. You phoned our postmaster yesterday.' There occurred a stifled silence. Then followed, 'My daughter worked with a John Kinchin in Leicester prior to his retirement.' Yes, it was, of course, the 'other' John Kinchin!
IT'S A SMALL WORLD!!
John Kinchin
(This article originally appeared in the St Lawrence, Mickleton, Church magazine and was submitted by John for this Newsletter.)