At a quick glance they could pass for identical twins. So it is no wonder retired priest Neil Richardson was greeted with waves and 'hello John' greetings when he moved to Braintree, Essex, 18 months ago. For residents quickly mistook him to be 74-year-old John Jemison, a former head teacher who is well-known in the town. The pair had in fact never met up until a few days ago, leaving Mr Richardson, 69, confused as to why people constantly confused him with Mr Jemison. Neil Richardson, 69 (right), was constantly mistaken for John Jemison, 74 (left), when he moved to Braintree, Essex, 18 months ago and had no idea why - until the pair met recently and realised they are almost identical . Mr Richardson, a former priest (right), was greeted with waves and 'hello John' greetings as he went about his business in the Essex town. He had no idea why until realising people thought he was ex-teacher Mr Jemison . The pair (above) met by chance during a coach trip to London earlier this month and have now met up several times. They have even introduced their wives to one another and claim to have formed quite a friendship . However, upon meeting, the pair quickly realised why others had mistaken them for one another – since they look almost identical. The pair, who are both grandfathers-of-four, also realised that despite being doppelgangers, they also had an awful lot in common - having both attended the same college, both becoming RE teachers and enjoying singing in choirs. They also both enjoy singing, writing poetry and have a keen interest in amateur dramatics. And now they live just 150 yards from each other. Mr Richardson, who worked as an RE teacher before becoming the rector of Greenford Magna in Middlesex in 1982, said he was originally left stunned when he moved to the small town in September 2013 and everyone appeared to recgonise him. He said: 'Complete strangers were coming up to me and saying hello. 'On one occasion, in the Quadrant Cafe, someone actually came up to my table and said: "You are John Jemison, aren't you?" 'The manager was quite sure I was John. A couple of weeks ago, I asked if I could have a word with him after he greeted me with the words, "Hello John". He wouldn't believe that I wasn't John. I had to show him my driving licence. 'It made me very interested to meet this man, who I thought must be rather good-looking!' The pair finally came face-to-face last week when they coincidentally both boarded the same coach for a Friends of Braintree Museum visit to the Magna Carta exhibition at the British Library. Mr Jemison said: 'I didn't instantly notice our resemblance but as I boarded the bus, Neil greeted me with "Are you John Jemison?" Neil Richardson married his wife in 1968 (left) while Mr Jemison also married wife Jenny in the sixties (right) Since meeting, Mr Richardson (left) and Mr Jemison (right) have realised they have an awful lot in common and have had a similar life. They both went to the same college in Chelsea and both trained to be RE teachers . 'I was distracted with the thought: "Oh dear, it's someone else who wants me to do something." 'My wife, however, did a double-take and we began to look forward to the opportunity to meet at the end of our journey. 'It was quite spooky the day we met.' Mr Jemison, who has two children - Elizabeth, 50, and John, 48 - as well as four grandchildren - Megan, 25, Joanna, 23, Sarah, 21, and Bethany, 21, said he just 'couldn't believe it' when Mr Richardson explained it all to him. He said: 'I've really been struck by all the coincidences as we do have so much in common - yet we have never met before. 'My only worry is the number of people who probably think I've been ignoring them when they've been saying 'Hello John' to Neil all this time.' Mr Richardson said they 'hit it off immediately'. He added, jokingly: 'We're thinking of a life of crime. 'If one of us stays at home and the other robs a bank then we will always have an alibi.' Asked if she could tell them apart, Mr Richardson’s wife Marion, 70, said: 'I certainly can - after 47 years together you don't make that mistake. 'People have asked if me and Jenny look alike - I don't think we do but I guess we must share a similar taste in men. 'I just think it is lovely that they have met like this.' As well as looking alike, the two men have lived very similar lives. They both studied at the College of St Mark and St John in Chelsea in the sixties, but never met. Mr Jemison (pictured with his wife Jenny and granddaughters) had no idea Mr Richardson was getting mistaken for him in their hometown until he bumped into his look-a-like during a coach trip to London . Mr Richardson (pictured left aged three, and right as a schoolboy) said the pair have become good friends. He said: 'We realised that we agreed on almost everything, from politics, to our theological views on the church' And they both went on to become RE teachers, with Mr Jemison teaching at Braintree's Alec Hunter and John Bunyan schools, before becoming head of Silver End Primary school, while Mr Richardson became a priest. The pair also both married their sweethearts in the sixties, soon after meeting them, and they both enjoy singing in choirs. When they met for lunch last week, they realised they even had accounts with the same bank. Mr Richardson said: 'There was an astounding moment when we put our cards on the desk to pay and we could almost have said "snap"! 'When we finally met we immediately felt comfortable with each other and found we had so much in common. 'Other people say we're like twins. I can see the likenesses, but he's slightly taller, and I'm slightly fatter.' 'We had lunch together on Friday and realised that we agreed on almost everything, from politics, to our theological views on the church, education and what we think about Mr Gove, and the fact that we both write poetry.' The men are now firm friends and have enjoyed several lunches together, introducing their wives to one another.
Neil Richardson couldn't understand why people always recognised him . 69-year-old was greeted with 'Hello John' after moving to Braintree, Essex . He finally met former head teacher John Jemison, who looked just like him . Pair realised that as well as looking alike, they also have very similar past .