The partner of a man who died of an industrial disease has appealed for help from his former workmates to establish just where he contracted the asbestosis which killed him.
David Williams died in May last year at the age of 75, with the coroner recording the cause of his death as industrial disease.
The family of Mr Williams, who had been living in Paine Road in Heartsease, Norwich, hopes to track down colleagues who worked with him to establish how he developed the disease which brought his well-earned retirement to an untimely end.
They are particularly keen to talk to people who worked alongside the grandad and step-grandad at the Norfolk Brewery in the 1960s and 1970s.
Beverley Golec, his partner of 24 years, said: “We have already managed to talk to former colleagues from other places where David worked, including a plastics factory and the former Norfolk and Norwich Hospital in St Stephens Road.
“We know that there were asbestos-lagged pipes all over the boiler room at the hospital when David was a ‘stoker’, the popular name then for a boiler man.
“Now, to complete the picture, we need to hear from people who shared his experiences at the Norfolk Brewery, or as it was known in the 1960s, Watney Mann (Norwich) Ltd.”
Phoebe Osborne, a solicitor specialising in asbestos-related disease claims at Ashtons Legal, which is helping the family said: “We are trying to build a full picture of the occasions on which Mr Williams was exposed to asbestos.
“The majority of heating systems had asbestos-lagged pipework back in the 1960s and 70s and we would just like to speak to people who remember about the working environment at the Norfolk Brewery during that period.
“We would also be happy to hear from anyone else who worked alongside him at the UG Closures and Plastics or at the West Norwich or N&N hospital sites.
“David was a very sociable man, and held long-term roles in these companies, so we are optimistic that people will remember him and come forward to assist his family to obtain closure about his premature demise.”
Anyone with information should contact Phoebe Osborne at Ashtons Legal on phoebe.osborne@ashtonslegal.co.uk or on 07483 928171.
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