Wales On Sunday

‘PLEASE GET IN TOUCH’

Dying great-gran in appeal to estranged family after 50 years

- HELEDD PRITCHARD Reporter heledd.pritchard@walesonlin­e.co.uk

A GREAT-GRANDMOTHE­R who has not heard from her family in almost 50 years is trying to track down her long-lost siblings after being diagnosed with a terminal illness.

Linda Hutchinson, née Booth, grew up in Dowlais in Merthyr Tydfil in a family of five children – commonly known as the Boothy family.

After falling in love with an Irishman, John Hutchinson, the couple married when Linda was just 16 years old.

But she said her family disowned also a great-grandmothe­r of four. her because they didn’t approve of “She’s the best grandmothe­r in the John, who came from a family of travworld,” Crystal added. ellers. “I think she replaced the fact she

Now aged 65 and living in Peterdidn’t have her family around her by borough, Linda wants to get in touch having a lot of children of her own. with any surviving family members “She’s a proper family person and to reconcile with them. is the glue of our family.

Her grand-daughter Crystal Wood“She has always spoken about her ward, 25, said: “My granny just wants sister, Marcia, and I think she was the to hear from someone, just any conone who was closest to her growing up.tactwhatso­ever,aphonecall­oraletter to let her know they are OK. She “Granny is now very ill and is going was diagnosed with cancer three through chemothera­py. months ago and she is terminally ill. “It would be amazing if someone We don’t know how long she has left. could get in touch with her so she can

“She just wants to talk to them to make contact.” put things right and speak to them Around 10 years ago Linda rebefore it’s too late.” turned to Dowlais for her father’s fu

Linda’s parents were Freddy Booth, neral – the only time she has seen her who worked as a coal miner, and Eifamily since she was 16. leen, who worked as a secretary. Linda believes she also has family

She had two sisters, called Marcia members living in the Swansea area and Annette, and three brothers but most are from Merthyr Tydfil. named Adrian, Freddy and Andrew. Anyone from Linda’s family who

Linda has 11 children and more wishes to contact her can call than 40 grandchild­ren while she is Crystal on 0755383148­4.

 ??  ?? Linda, left, with her sisters Marcia and Annette
Linda, left, with her sisters Marcia and Annette
 ??  ?? ‘She wants to put things right’ – Linda Hutchinson with granddaugh­ter Crystal
‘She wants to put things right’ – Linda Hutchinson with granddaugh­ter Crystal

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