A pair of “inseparable” twins who married two brothers in the same year have celebrated their 90th birthday.
Non identical twins Betty and Esta Kagan, married brothers Cyril Kersh and Mervyn Kersh within four months of each other, after getting engaged on the same day.
Today, Betty and Mervyn Kersh live in Ashurst Road, Cockfosters, a stone’s throw away from Esta – whose husband, Cyril, died last year aged 94.
Mervyn, the vice president of the Normandy Veterans of Barnet, said: “Our lives have been intertwined: we have always lived close together – our present houses back onto one another.
“We have had 65 years of closeness: socially, physically as well as emotionally and over 60 years together.”
In 1949, a family friend phoned to invite Cyril to a New Year’s party – but Mervyn answered the phone instead and believes the girl took pity on him and invited him too.
It was there he met Betty – and the rest is history.
Betty said she “liked the look” of Mervyn who was wearing a navy blue suit when she spotted him at the party.
She says he “stood out” because while most people wore khaki uniforms, he was the only one wearing a suit.
Ester and Cyril met a few weeks later when they accompanied Betty and Mervyn to a dance.
Mervyn said: “Cyril told me he didn’t want to be stuck with her all evening but wanted to play the field.
“But he did stick with her that evening and they ended up getting married.”
After getting engaged on the same day, Betty and Mervyn married in June 1949 with Cyril and Ester marrying four months later in October. In 2014, Cyril was made an MBE and Mervyn was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour.
A group of friends and family came together for a surprise party at the Blue Cheque restaurant in Bushey to celebrate the landmark occasion.
Betty said: “It was a complete surprise for me, I didn’t know how many people would be there or who was coming.
“It was wonderful to see all my friends and family. There was a wonderful atmosphere. I’m very lucky.
“We don’t look alike, that’s the whole thing. People are very surprised when we say we are twins. But there is just this closeness between us.
“Over the years we have shared holidays and have always lived near each other. Our children have grown up together and are all very close.”
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