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| Raunds graveyard chance encounter leads to distant family meeting | Raunds graveyard chance encounter leads to distant family meeting |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Malcolm Atkins, Rand Smith and Ian Brandon all met by chance in Raunds on Monday | Malcolm Atkins, Rand Smith and Ian Brandon all met by chance in Raunds on Monday |
| A "divine intervention" has led to two families from either side of the Atlantic meeting by chance at the gravestone of their great, great, great, grandfather. | A "divine intervention" has led to two families from either side of the Atlantic meeting by chance at the gravestone of their great, great, great, grandfather. |
| Rand and and his wife Janeel Smith had travelled from Kansas City, USA, to Raunds, Northamptonshire, on Monday, to see where his ancestors hailed from. | Rand and and his wife Janeel Smith had travelled from Kansas City, USA, to Raunds, Northamptonshire, on Monday, to see where his ancestors hailed from. |
| While in St Peter's churchyard they stumbled across two other people, also visiting the same spot — cousins Ian Brandon and Malcolm Atkins from Essex. | |
| After chatting they discovered they were actually fourth cousins and all related to Anthony Smith. | After chatting they discovered they were actually fourth cousins and all related to Anthony Smith. |
| The three families were visiting the grave of Anthony Smith | The three families were visiting the grave of Anthony Smith |
| Mr Brandon, 74, from Danbury, said that, after seven years of promising, he finally went to Raunds with his 73-year-old cousin and Mr Atkins' wife Linda. | Mr Brandon, 74, from Danbury, said that, after seven years of promising, he finally went to Raunds with his 73-year-old cousin and Mr Atkins' wife Linda. |
| They had travelled because they discovered their great, great, great, grandfather used to own a shoe factory in Raunds. | They had travelled because they discovered their great, great, great, grandfather used to own a shoe factory in Raunds. |
| "Once we were in the graveyard there were people looking at exactly the same gravestone and it all came about that we were related," said Mr Brandon. | "Once we were in the graveyard there were people looking at exactly the same gravestone and it all came about that we were related," said Mr Brandon. |
| "It seems very strange we were there at he same time; it was quite spiritual." | "It seems very strange we were there at he same time; it was quite spiritual." |
| The group, including Rand and Janeel Smith, Malcolm and Linda Atkins and Ian Brandon all went for lunch at The Duke of Wellington pub in Stanwick | The group, including Rand and Janeel Smith, Malcolm and Linda Atkins and Ian Brandon all went for lunch at The Duke of Wellington pub in Stanwick |
| Mr Atkins, 73, from Harold Wood, east London, said he was at the grave, about to take a photo, when he saw Mr and Mrs Smith also looking at it. | Mr Atkins, 73, from Harold Wood, east London, said he was at the grave, about to take a photo, when he saw Mr and Mrs Smith also looking at it. |
| Between them they worked out they "must be cousins". | Between them they worked out they "must be cousins". |
| "From that moment on we were talking [as if] we'd been talking for years." | "From that moment on we were talking [as if] we'd been talking for years." |
| It led to them all having lunch at the Duke of Wellington in Stanwick. | It led to them all having lunch at the Duke of Wellington in Stanwick. |
| "You couldn't have written it; I'm still shocked by it; it's a day we'll never forget", Mr Atkins added. | "You couldn't have written it; I'm still shocked by it; it's a day we'll never forget", Mr Atkins added. |
| Rand Smith said he has always been interested in genealogy | |
| Mr Smith, 69, said it was an "emotional" day. | Mr Smith, 69, said it was an "emotional" day. |
| "What was the chance that we would arrive at the same headstone at the same time?" he asked. | "What was the chance that we would arrive at the same headstone at the same time?" he asked. |
| "To get together like that was just priceless. | "To get together like that was just priceless. |
| "We had the most marvellous time; we're still walking on air; we're on a high. | "We had the most marvellous time; we're still walking on air; we're on a high. |
| "It's made our trip; it was not a coincidence — it was a divine intervention." | "It's made our trip; it was not a coincidence — it was a divine intervention." |
| Rand and Janeel Smith had a whistle-stop visit to Northamptonshire and have now gone to Paris, France for a trade fair | Rand and Janeel Smith had a whistle-stop visit to Northamptonshire and have now gone to Paris, France for a trade fair |
| Mr Brandon said: "It ended up a wonderful day, I love history, always have." | Mr Brandon said: "It ended up a wonderful day, I love history, always have." |
| All the distant cousins have promised to keep in touch. | All the distant cousins have promised to keep in touch. |
| Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. | Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. |