Understand
Essex woman reunited with teenage diary found in London flat after 50 years
Overview
Judy Smith, a 67-year-old NHS receptionist from Essex, has been reunited with a personal diary she kept as a 16-year-old in 1975. The journal was discovered by father-and-son builders Jim and Charlie Grace while renovating an east London flat in South Woodford. Coincidentally, the builders live in North Weald, the same Essex village as Smith. Jim's wife, Yvette, tracked down Smith's daughter via Facebook to return the item.
Key points
- Judy Smith, now 67, was reunited with a teenage diary she kept in 1975 when she was 16 years old.
- The diary was found by builders Jim and Charlie Grace on the third floor of a property they were renovating in South Woodford, east London.
- The builders coincidentally live in North Weald, the same Essex village as the diary's owner.
- Jim's wife, Yvette, used Facebook to trace Smith, eventually connecting through Smith's daughter who lived in Dubai.
- Smith, who grew up in Snaresbrook, said reading the diary back made her cringe and recall what a 'naughty girl' she was.