Boiler Fitter Died Within Three Months Of Being Diagnosed With Mesothelioma

The step-daughter of a former hospital worker is appealing for his former colleagues to help expert lawyers at Irwin Mitchell investigate whether more could have been done by his former employers to protect him from the deadly asbestos dust that ultimately killed him.

Edward Gardner was diagnosed with mesothelioma, an asbestos-related cancer affecting the lining of the lungs caused by exposure to asbestos dust, in January 2016 and sadly passed away less than three months later on 12 April. Edward was 89 when he died.

Edward’s wife, Josephine, and step-daughter, Susan Neal, have now instructed asbestos specialists at Irwin Mitchell to investigate where he was exposed to asbestos and to establish why he wasn’t provided with adequate safety equipment to protect him from the deadly dust.

Together, Josephine and Susan, along with their legal team at Irwin Mitchell, are appealing for former colleagues to help with their investigation as they may be able to shed further light on the working conditions that Edward endured.

It is believed Edward was exposed to asbestos as various hospitals, where he worked as a Boiler Fitter throughout his working life, but the appeal for information is specifically aimed at Edward’s colleagues from three hospitals.

These hospitals are the old Claybury Hospital in Essex, where he worked from approximately 1964 to 1966 and King George’s Hospital in Redbridge, 1966 to 1973, and Goodmayes Hospital in Ilford, where Edward worked for a lengthy spell between 1973 to 1997 when he retired. 

In his role Edward would often work in the underground passages of the hospital, amongst the pipe work and boilers, all of which were covered in asbestos. 

Even though Edward’s work would involve him having to handle asbestos and create a lot of dust, Josephine, who worked at Goodmayes Hospital at the same time as Edward, claims that Edward was never provided with any protective clothing or masks.

Lacey St James, the industrial disease specialist at Irwin Mitchell’s London office representing Edward’s family, said: “Mesothelioma is an extremely aggressive type of cancer that is caused by asbestos exposure decades before symptoms develop. We often see cases like Edward’s where, unfortunately, victims were unaware they were battling the disease until the very end of their lives.

“We believe Edward was substantially exposed to asbestos while working for numerous hospitals over three decades. These are the old Claybury Hospital in Essex, King George’s Hospital in Redbridge and Goodmayes Hospital in Ilford.

“Regrettably, Edward suffered with dementia in the latter stages of his life, so when he was diagnosed with mesothelioma he was unable to comment upon his asbestos exposure. We therefore require the help of his former colleagues and urge them to come forward with any information about the working conditions at these hospitals during the times Edward was working at them.”

Susan said: “His illness took hold so quickly that there was little time to get answers while he was alive. We are desperate to hear from anyone who can provide any information that would help Irwin Mitchell with their investigation into how he was exposed to asbestos.”

Anyone who worked with Edward and can prove any information is asked to contact Lacey St James at Irwin Mitchell on 0203 040 3445 or email

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