Records reveal unlikely kinship

COMEDIAN AL Murray has been left reeling after finding out that a distant relative is landlord at the UK’s ultimate public house.

New India Off ice records made available for the first time on genealogy website findmypast.co.uk have revealed that Murray, best known for his character the Pub Landlord, is a distant cousin of Prime Minister David Cameron.

Even more remarkably, the two men are connected through one of Britain’s most famous writers, William Make peace Thackery, the author of satirical novel Vanity Fair.

The India Office records reveal how Murray and Cameron are related.

The Prime Minister is the 19th Century author’s first cousin five times removed through his direct ancestor John Talbot Shakespear.

Murray is Thackeray’s great-great-great-grandson.

John Talbot Shakespear, Cameron’s great-great-great-great- grandfather and Thackeray’s uncle, was a senior civil servant with the East India Company.

Yesterday the comedian tweeted: “My mum says ‘Don’t know how we are related to PM other than via A dam and Eve’.”

Previously only accessible as original documents or on microfilm at the British Library’s reading rooms at St Pancras, the British in India collection can now be fully explored online at findmypast.co.uk.

Fully indexed, the records can be searched for free and scans of the original documents can be downloaded for less than £1.

“The period covered by these records was absolutely fascinating and includes some of the most important events in the history of the British Empire,” said Debra Chatfield from findmypast.

“The 2.5 million records cover every aspect of life.”

Findmypast. co. uk is owned by Dundee-based publishers DC Thomson and Co Ltd.

PA. Al Murray.