Family believe Liverpool mother’s death may be linked to washing husband’s asbestos covered clothes

John Barry, Angela’s husband, died in 2005 from lung cancer. A post-mortem examination found evidence that John had suffered asbestos exposure, although a pathological link was not confirmed. 

Angela and John’s family are now looking to understand how the couple were exposed to asbestos. 

John worked as a radiographer in the late 1960s and early 1970s for construction company Babcock & Wilcox, assessing pipes for cracks and damage on sites across the country.

 One of John’s relatives who worked for the same company recalls that radiographers would remove asbestos lagging from pipes while carrying out their jobs. 

Another of John’s relatives recalls working with him at construction company J L Buchan during the early 1970s as a labourer. He says the jobs they worked on involved removing a school roof which contained tiles with asbestos in them, and carrying out renovation work on old houses in the Liverpool area where asbestos sheets were used. 

John’s family believe he may have been exposed to asbestos while working in either of his roles at Babcock & Wilcox and J L Buchan. They also recall that, during this time period, Angela regularly washed his work clothes in a dolly tub and may therefore have experienced secondary exposure to asbestos. 

Angela worked as a cleaner for Liverpool City Council, then known as Liverpool Corporation, from the 1970s to the 1990s. The family’s legal team is investigating all possible lines of enquiry into how she may have been exposed to asbestos. 

John was 68 when he died from lung cancer. Almost 20 years later, in December 2024, Angela died from mesothelioma. She was 82. 

John and Angela, who both grew up in Liverpool, married in the 1960s having met while working at a shop in Crosby.  

John and Angela’s family are now asking anyone who worked for Babcock & Wilcox in the 1960s and 1970s and J L Buchan in the 1970s to come forward, as they may be able to provide important information about his working conditions. 

Leigh Day senior associate Lisa Gormley, who represents Angela and John’s family, said: 

“Angela’s family are still coming to terms with her loss and are searching for answers about how she may have been exposed to asbestos. It appears likely this exposure came from something as ordinary as washing her husband’s work clothes.

“We know this was a common experience for many families at the time, and it is important we fully understand the conditions John worked in. We would be very grateful to hear from anyone who worked at Babcock & Wilcox during the 1960s and 1970s and J L Buchan during the 1970s who may be able to share what they remember. Even the smallest detail could be vital in helping to piece together what happened for Angela’s family.”