South Yorkshire Times November 1, 1958

Bridge Over The Atlantic

Society of St. George Make Mercy Trip Possible

Annis Hibberd, a 60 years old widow of the first World in War, of 38, Loxley Avenue, Wombwell, will soon be at the bedside of her 15 years old grandchild, Christine Hibberd, of  2107, Yew Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, who is constantly asking for her.

Christine is suffering from cancer and in the hope that her life will be saved she is have a leg amputed. According to letters received from Christine‘s mother, who has married again and has a boy of eight by her second husband, nothing would give greater consolation to Christine in her extremity than to hear the voice and to feel the soothing touch of her grandmother.

Between Christine and her grandmother ‘there has ‘always been a very close affinity and when she lived in Scotland she came to Wombwell at every opportunity. The family emigrated to British Columbia last year saon_d Christine has since won a scholarship for a commercial college. Chris’s father, Gunner Lawrence Hibberd was lost at sea in the Normandy landings.

“Times” Started It

The circumstances, first disclosed by the “South Yorkshire Times” last week, have made a big appeal to public sentiment and there has mean wide sympathy both for Christine and her grandmother. The matter has been on Mrs. Hibberd’s mind day and night but as her income is restricted to a fifty shillings a week pension a journey to Vancouver was a possibility scarcely to be dreamed of.

Shortly after the report appeared in the ” South Yorkshire Times ” the matter was taken up by the Sheffield branch of the Royal Society of St. George, of which Mr. Stanly Ayres, of 415, Richmond Road, Sheffield 13, is secretary, and the upshot is that Mrs. Hibberd is likely  to be leaving England for Vancouver  by air within the next few days.

Can Stay Six Months

Mr. Ayres told the “South Yorkshire Times” that Mrs. Hibberd would be able to stay for six months, with a possibility of her permit being extended after that date if necessary. Mrs. Hibberd, who is still receiving generous support from neighbours on the housing estate where she lives, is counting the hours between now and her departure.

She says she can hardly sleep with excitement at the prospect of being at Christine’s bedside at an early date. “I still keep wondering if I am in a dream,” she said. “I never thought that such kindness Existed.

Mrs. Annis Hibberd, of 38, Loxley Avenue, Wombwell, packing her suitcase, helped by her niece, Mrs. Doris Humphries, of 33, Loxley Avenue, Wombwell, ready for her flight to Vancouver on November 11th.

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