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In days of yore, as a young shaver appearing before various County Court registrars, often against litigants in person, the registrar would ask me during the hearing if I was any relation to Hermon Cockshutt who had taught the registrar law; to which I replied truthfully that he was my uncle. Sometimes there would then follow an anecdote, or words of praise for my late uncle. All very embarrassing as the LiP might plausibly think we were in cahoots against him or her.

Once, in Wandsworth, I had a slightly different experience, when the registrar asked if I was related to a different Cockshutt (in fact my father). Turns out they shared a tent on Karachi racecourse during the war. Further anecdotes followed from the registrar, to the bemusement of the LiP.