Did you, or any older friends or relatives, work in the building trade in South London in the late sixties, or anywhere in London during the seventies and eighties?
Anyone who did may be able to help Elizabeth, the widow of William Daniells, who joined Trollope and Colls in Camberwell as an apprentice carpenter and joiner in 1966 and stayed there until 1971.
He died last year from the asbestos-induced cancer mesothelioma.
Elizabeth and specialist asbestos lawyers Irwin Mitchell are appealing for anyone he worked with or knew Bill during his working life as a carpenter to contact them.
Bill and Elizabeth were married for 49 years. They met when he was at Trollope and Colls. Bill later worked as a subcontractor and self-employed joiner until the 1980s, when he switched careers.
Sites he worked on include the Marshall and Snelgrove department store on Oxford Street that later became Debenhams.
Leah O’Keefe, the legal expert at Irwin Mitchell’s London office who represents Elizabeth, said: “Bill’s family remain understandably upset at his death, particularly as his mesothelioma was only diagnosed in a post-mortem examination.
“Because of this, Elizabeth had no opportunity to talk to Bill about when asbestos exposure may have occurred. With this in mind, we’d be keen to hear from anyone who could shed light on the matter.
“Bill’s family have a number of questions about his exposure. While nothing can make up for his death, any detail could prove to be hugely important in providing the family with the answers they deserve.”
Elizabeth said: “News that he had mesothelioma came as a huge shock, particularly as Bill had always been fit and healthy. He didn’t even have a GP for a long period as he never seemed to be ill.
“Bill just loved cycling and was out on his bike at every opportunity. He used to do a 30-mile trip every summer and had done one a couple of months before he became ill.
“It has been very hard coming to terms with the loss and the whole process has been made tougher by the lack of answers regarding the illness. I’d be hugely grateful to anyone who can help.”
Anyone with information which may assist this case is asked to contact Leah O’Keefe at Irwin Mitchell’s London office on 020 7421 3998 or email Leah.O’Keefe@irwinmitchell.com
