Head of family of 90 labelled ‘guiding light’ by daughter as she approaches 90th birthday

The head of a family of 90 has been labelled a “guiding light” by her daughter, ahead of her 90th birthday on Tuesday (January 17).

Joy Boyde has nine children, 28 grandchildren and 52 great grandchildren – varying from four months old to 73 – and with her included, that makes a total of 90 family members.

She moved to Blisworth in 1973 and remains there to this day.

Her daughter Katryn Boyde-John, who is Joy’s sixth child said: “My mum feels blessed to be turning 90.

“She is such a strong person and has been through so much. She is very good at coping, is a problem solver, and never gives in.

“She is the rock in our family.”

Joy sadly lost three children and two husbands over the years, but her daughter says she feels “fortunate to still be going and in good health”.

The soon-to-be 90-year-old became a mother at 17 and a grandmother at 39, and now has family members dotted all over the world – Northamptonshire, Wales, Devon, Morocco and even Singapore.

Her family members ensure they remain in regular contact with Joy, despite the distance.

“She is extremely proud of every single family member,” said Katryn. “She never fails to keep up and is always there if anyone wants to talk.”

When Joy’s youngest child turned nine, she began working in a school kitchen and progressed to be the head cook in a private school.

She then moved on to become a warden for sheltered accommodation in Milton Malsor, where she worked until she retired in the early 1980s.

Joy first moved to the county when her first husband’s career in the RAF came to an end, and she resided in Cornwall before then.

The soon-to-be 90-year-old has maintained her hobbies over the years, and remains an avid reader, a lover of crosswords and wild birds, and an excellent cook – and still bakes cakes for family visits.

Joy is also an “excellent seamstress” and made a lot of her daughters’ clothes when they were younger. This skill has now been passed down to them.