Freddie Davis Says Wife Pearl Felt ‘Hurt And Let Down’ After She Was Exposed To Deadly Substance By Local Authority

The husband of a dedicated former teacher has spoken of his devastation at losing his wife to asbestos-related cancer after a decade in Kent primary schools.

Freddie Davis from Maidstone was at Pearl’s bedside when she passed away aged 69 on January 4 2017, just nine months after the onset of her mesothelioma symptoms. Mesothelioma is a terminal cancer that affects the lining of the lungs.

Pearl, who worked in three schools in Kent between 1987 and 1999 instructed expert asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate the source of her exposure before her death.

Her legal team are asking for former pupils and teachers from the three schools to come forward to help determine how Pearl became exposed to asbestos.

Freddie, 71, said: “Pearl was deeply hurt by her diagnosis and felt let down by Kent County Council which is responsible for those school buildings and those who worked or were taught there.

“You always think labourers get mesothelioma because they work so closely with these substances, but to be in a classroom day-in day-out with young children, it came as such a shock to us.

“What was also incredibly upsetting to Pearl was the idea that children may have been put at risk on those premises. It doesn’t bear thinking about.”

Pearl joined St Mary’s Primary School in Gillingham in 1987. Her classroom was a school outbuilding which is believed to have contained asbestos ceiling panels. She taught there for a year before moving on to Glen Coe Primary School in Chatham.

She worked at Glen Coe until the early 1990s, occupying a purpose built hut. These were often constructed from asbestos containing materials. While there she pinned her young pupils’ work to the wall panels and hung displays from the ceiling tiles.

Throughout the 1990s Pearl worked at Northborough Primary School in Maidstone during which time there was a fire and the school was left smoke damaged.

Once it was safe to re-enter, the teachers were required to assist with the clean-up operation prior to the pupils returning. It is understood that asbestos was removed from the school cloakrooms during this period.

Expert Opinion

“Asbestos was commonly used in the construction of public buildings, such as schools, local government buildings and universities. At Irwin Mitchell we have seen an increase in people affected by asbestos-related diseases who have spent time working at these institutions.

“As Freddie says, diseases caused by asbestos exposure are more commonly associated with heavy industry but clearly the substance has affected those outside these traditional industries.

“We have regularly called for the improved monitoring, management and auditing of asbestos in public buildings and we have also called for a clear plan or ‘risk register’ to ensure the most harmful material is removed from public buildings, such as schools.

“We would like to see some commitment from Government to workers and members of the public to ensure that there is a clear plan to remove asbestos from all public buildings so that people like Pearl do not continue to pay the price for the authorities sitting back and doing nothing.

“We would also ask that anyone who was a former teacher, staff member or pupil at St Mary’s, Glen Coe or Northborough Primary School at around the time Pearl was there to come forward and help us give Freddie the answers he deserves.” Natalia Rushworth-White - Associate Solicitor

Anyone who worked or was taught at St Mary’s Primary School, Glen Coe Primary School or Northborough Primary School in the 1980s and 1990s should contact Natalia Rushworth-White on 0370 1500 100 or email Natalia.Rushworthwhite@IrwinMitchell.com