Information Sought On Father-Of-Two’s Time At Timber And Paint Supplies

The daughters of a former carpenter from Suffolk are calling on his old workmates for help in discovering how he came into contact with the asbestos that claimed his life.

Brian Murphy, 80 from Haverhill, died from mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung associated with exposure to asbestos, often decades previously.

Following the father-of-two’s death, expert asbestos-related disease lawyers at Irwin Mitchell are continuing to investigate on behalf of the estate whether Brian’s illness could be linked to his work history.

Brian’s family, including his two daughters Jacqueline Randle and Caroline House, have now joined with the legal team to find answers. Ahead of Worker’s Memorial Day, they are joining the legal team in appealing for any of their dad’s old workmates to come forward with information that might help them understand more about the working conditions he would have faced.

They particularly want to trace anyone who worked with Brian at Timber and Paint Supplies in Muswell Hill, London during the late 1950s/very early 1960s.

Expert Opinion

“Brian’s passing is another example of the dreadful legacy of asbestos exposure which has left so many families having to face the death of their loved ones to terrible diseases.

“If any of Brian’s former work mates could help the family, it would mean a lot to them and could prove invaluable in providing them with the answers they’re looking for.” Natalia Rushworth-White

On leaving school, Brian joined Timber and Paint supplies as an apprentice carpenter and worked with the maintenance team. Brian lived in Muswell Hill, London, at the time. He worked with 5 others including the foreman and plumber. This involved Brian working for the firm at a variety of sites, including hospitals.

Brian did a variety of jobs including working on the roof, in ceiling voids, on guttering and plastering and within the boiler room. It is believed that he came into contact with asbestos dust at the time, as this was present within the hospital buildings. However, as Brian has sadly died, he cannot provide any detail in respect of his working conditions, leaving his family struggling for answers as to how exactly he was exposed to asbestos dust.

Brian had been in good health and loved to exercise including swimming, rowing, scuba diving, water skiing and flying gliders. In autumn of 2020 though, he began to experience aches and pains and shortness of breath. On consulting his GP, he was sent to hospital and had fluid drained from his lung. Tests, scans and a biopsy led to Brian being diagnosed with mesothelioma in late 2020. Brian died in July 2022.

Jacqueline said: “The last few months since dad’s passing have been hard to face, not just for my Caroline and I, but for the whole family.

“Dad had been in good health for his age and the diagnosis of mesothelioma was devastating. He looked to make the most of his time after the diagnosis but it was terrible to see him suffer in the end.

“Dad wanted to find more about his asbestos exposure, but was unable to make much progress before he died. If anyone who worked with dad could get in touch, it could prove a big help. Any details could help us find the answers that dad was looking for.”

Anyone with information that could help the family is asked to contact Natalia Rushworth-White at Irwin Mitchell on 01223 791893 or email at Natalia.Rushworth-White@IrwinMitchell.com

Workers’ Memorial Day on 28 April remembers those who have died as a result of their employment, and campaigns to improve health and safety standards in the workplace and increase protection for employees.

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