Asbestos link probed in death of joiner at Huddersfield hospital

The family of a former joiner who died from cancer believe it was caused while he was exposed to asbestos building Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

Now they want others who worked with him at the Lindley site to come forward and provide information to their legal team.

Edward Brian King died last November aged 81 after a short illness with the terminal cancer mesothelioma. Brian had lived in Huddersfield since 1956.

Before his death he contacted expert asbestos disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate if more could have been done to protect him from the health risks associated with asbestos exposure.

Brian left behind his widow Beryl and his three daughters Beverley, Susan and Jayne. Daughter Beverley O’Connell, who is in her 50s, is appealing to her dad’s former workmates for help as she continues the legal case on her father’s behalf.

Brian, who also had two grandchildren, told his family that he recalled coming into contact with asbestos while working for the main contractor on the construction of the infirmary at Lindley in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Brian was too unwell to provide further details about his exposure to the deadly dust. His family and their lawyers are now hoping other people who worked on the construction of the hospital will come forward and provide details.

Geraldine Coombs, a partner and expert industrial disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell in Bradford, said:

“Brian’s family was devastated by his death. Beryl and Brian married in 1958 and Brian was a much loved husband, father and grandfather.

He told his family he was exposed to asbestos while working on the construction of the Royal Infirmary in Huddersfield and we hope anyone who remembers working with him at the site or anyone with information about who the main contractors were at the site or the use of asbestos materials there will come forward to help the family.”

Daughter Beverly added:

“We miss our dad terribly. Mum and dad had been married for 57 years. Any information those who worked on the construction of Huddersfield Royal Infirmary in the 1960s can provide will help us to understand what happened to our dad. We believe dad was working for contractors called Tersons Ltd when he was on the site.

We want to find out if they were the main contractors on the site.”

Anyone with information should contact the Geraldine Coombs on 0161 838 3061 or email Geraldine.Coombs@IrwinMitchell.com