Call For Former Colleagues To Help With Search For Answers Regarding Illness

The devastated family of a former customer service manager who died from asbestos-related disease at the end of last year have joined with specialist lawyers to call for her old workmates to come forward and help them in their battle for justice regarding her illness.

Marilyn Beddow, who was from South Wales but lived in Hereford at the time of her death, passed away aged 70 in December 2017 after a 17 month battle with peritoneal mesothelioma, a terminal cancer of the lining of the abdomen commonly associated with asbestos exposure.

Prior to her death, Marilyn had instructed specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate how she came to develop the illness. 

Now, with her family keen to continue with the legal battle in her memory, they have joined with the experts to appeal for anyone who worked with Marilyn at the Hereford-based galvanising firm Joseph Ash Ltd between 1998 and 2005 to come forward with information about the presence of asbestos at the company’s Mortimer Road site.

Hayley Hill, the specialist lawyer at Irwin Mitchell’s Birmingham office who is representing her loved ones, said: 

Expert Opinion

“Marilyn’s family are understandably devastated by their loss and are keen to make sense of how she came to develop an asbestos-related illness.

“Before she passed away, she made a statement on her employment history which included her belief that the Joseph Ash Ltd building probably contained asbestos. As part of our ongoing investigations, we are keen to learn more about this and would be hugely grateful to anyone who could provide details regarding it.

“Any information could make a big different to our efforts to get her family the justice they deserve.” Hayley Hill - Senior Associate Solicitor

Marilyn initially worked as a sales administrator when she joined Joseph Ash Ltd in 1998, but then moved on to become a customer service manager.

Marilyn’s son Mark Pelham, 44, recalls: “Before she died, Mum had a look back across her employment history and mentioned on several occasions how she thought that the site may have contained asbestos. Among the issues she mentioned was that the galvanising plant itself was an old building which had suffered some wear and tear and was always very dusty.

“Losing Mum has been difficult for the entire family and we are especially concerned that she may have died as a result of exposure to a material which could and should have been avoided. If anyone has any information which might help us it would be hugely appreciated.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Kim Barrett at Irwin Mitchell’s Birmingham office on 0121 214 5273 or email Hayley.Hill@IrwinMitchell.com. 

Read about Irwin Mitchell's expertise in mesothelioma cases.