Widow searching for answers over her Stoke Newington husband’s asbestos related death
Roy Rydon died of mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos. - Credit: Archant
The widow of a retired heating engineer from Stoke Newington who died of an asbestos-related disease wants to track down his old colleagues in her hunt for justice.
Roy Rydon in his days at G N Haden & Sons. - Credit: Archant
Roy Rydon, 80, died in September 2015, two months after being diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung most commonly associated with asbestos exposure.
Now his widow Norma is using Action Mesothelioma Day to get answers over his death. She is using top lawyers to investigate his case and they want to speak to anyone he worked with at GN Haden and Sons in Holborn during the 1950s and 1960s.
Norma, 70, said: “Before Roy died he did say that during his apprenticeship and early part of his working life he had worked directly with asbestos.
“He specifically recalled his work involving the removal of asbestos which lagged pipework in boiler plants and various other works he did. In later life he worried that he would get this dreadful disease due to this.
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As a youngster Roy lived in Kings Crescent, Stoke Newington. He later moved to Wickford.
“Almost three years on it remains hard to believe Roy is no longer with us and I still miss him so much every day,” Norma added. “It was awful to see the impact that mesothelioma had on him, particularly the speed at which his condition deteriorated.
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“We would be hugely grateful to anyone who can help us get the answers we believe we deserve regarding Roy’s death.”
Roy joined G N Haden & Sons Ltd as an apprentice in approximately 1952 and then became a fitter and welder who would often work in industrial boiler houses in the 1950s and 1960s.
Alexia Kapranos, a lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said: “We are determined to help Roy’s family get answers about the condition which led to his death and as part of our work would appreciate more details regarding whether he was exposed to asbestos at this employer. If anyone would be able to help us it would be hugely appreciated.”
Action Mesothelioma Day is on Friday and aims to raise awareness of the disease.
Anyone with information which could help this case is asked to contact Alexia Kapranos at Irwin Mitchell’s London office on 0207 421 3903 or email alexia.kapranos@irwinmitchell.com.
