Nina Ewers Is Calling Upon Dad Anthony’s Former Colleagues To Help Shed Light On How He Was Exposed To Deadly Dust

The daughter of an electric furnace maker is appealing to his former colleagues for information following his death from asbestos-related cancer.

Nina Ewers, who lives in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, instructed expert asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate after her father Anthony Ewers died from mesothelioma, an asbestos-related cancer, on his 75th birthday. 

Nina, 49, believes her dad was exposed to asbestos while working at R M Catterson Smith Limited, a firm of boiler makers in Wembley from the late 1950s to 1966. 

Mesothelioma is an aggressive and incurable asbestos related cancer that can take decades to develop after exposure to asbestos dust, usually in the workplace but also increasingly via exposure in public buildings, such as schools. 

Anthony, a father-of-four and grandfather-of-six grandchildren, was born in Wembley and worked as an electric furnace maker and fitter for R M Catterson Smith Limited from the late 1950s, not long after leaving school, to the 1965/66 financial year. 

After leaving R M Catterson Smith Limited he moved to Aylesbury, working as a maintenance engineer first at Negretti & Zambra then Schweppes and finally Askeys Limited. 

He remained living in Aylesbury until 1996 when he went to live in Bridgend in South Wales where he later died. 

Nina’s legal team at Irwin Mitchell has spoken to a witness who has confirms the use of asbestos in the furnace making process at R M Catterson Smith Limited but are appealing to Anthony’s former colleagues to provide them with additional information about the working conditions there in the 1950s and 60s.

Nina said: “Dad’s diagnosis was devastating and my family and I are still coming to terms with his death. All we have now are questions. 

“I know it cannot change what happened to him, but I just want to know how he came to be exposed and what, if anything, could have been done to better protect him and his colleagues.”

Anthony was not aware he had mesothelioma until very shortly before he died. He had suffered with heart problems for years and so put his shortness of breath down to his heart condition.  He passed away in the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend, South Wales on July 20, 2016.

At the inquest into his death the coroner concluded that his lung cancer was as a result of industrial disease.

Kim Barrett, an expert asbestos-related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, representing Anthony’s family, said: 

Expert Opinion

“Through our work representing those diagnosed with asbestos-related disease we are well aware of the common use of the substance in manufacturing and other industrial environments and that a significant number of employees have been exposed to asbestos dust during their working life, decades ago.

“The risks of asbestos exposure were known by businesses from the as early as the 1920s and 30s, so by the time Anthony began work in the late 1950s, protective equipment should have been provided to employees as standard and they should have been made aware of safety procedures and the need for caution regarding asbestos. Nina does not believe this was the case during her dad’s time at Catterson Smith.

“We would like to hear from Anthony’s former workmates at the firm, who may be able to provide the crucial information which may help provide Nina and her family get the answers they deserve.

“Anyone who has information on the working conditions Anthony was exposed to, or the measures, if any, in place to prevent employees’ exposure to asbestos at Catterson Smith should contact us as soon as possible.” Kim Barrett - Solicitor

Anyone with information regarding the working conditions on site at Catterson Smith’s in Wembley in the 1950s and 1960s should contact Kim Barrett on 0121 214 5211 or email Kim.Barrett@IrwinMitchell.com.