Widow's hunt for former colleagues after ex-Rolls-Royce sandblaster Lyndon Williamson dies of industrial disease

THE widow of a former Rolls-Royce worker is looking for his ex-workmates after it was determined her husband died from an industrial disease.

Lyndon Williamson had positions at British Rail and Celanese before joining Rolls-Royce in 1978 as a sandblaster.

He worked at the city firm for eight years before he retired.

During an inquest into his death, it was heard how he would often come home covered in dust.

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The hearing was told how he worked with silica as a sandblaster and it was ruled this led to the development of his lung disease over many years.

Mr Williamson, of Hobkirk Drive, Sinfin, died in April, aged 90.

His wife, Hermine, 81, said she never saw her husband at work, so she had not witnessed any exposure he might have had to deadly dust.

She said: "It was a dusty job – he used to come home with so much dust on him, yet he never complained or moaned about it. It was just part of his job.

"I would wash his clothes and I would have shake it off first."

Mrs Williamson said her husband had been "ill for quite a while" before his death.

He had been struggling to breathe and, in hospital, a shadow was discovered on his lungs.

She said: "It was very sad when he died. His breathing was so terrible.

"The only way to determine what the shadow on his lungs was would have been with a biopsy but it would have only satisfied curiosity – he was so poorly, he couldn't have had treatment.

"So it seemed cruel to put him through it and it was only after the post-mortem we knew what was wrong."

Mr Williamson's inquest at Derby and South Derbyshire Coroner's Court last year heard how no asbestos bodies were found in his lungs, although this was said to be not unusual.

Deputy coroner Louise Pinder ruled he died of an industrial disease.

Mr Williamson is survived by six children, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

His wife said: "He was a very quiet man – he would never say three words if two would do.

"He liked spending his free time at the allotment he had and, years ago, he used to play darts.

"But, more recently, he preferred to go to church and we liked to go together. He was a really lovely man."

Mrs Williamson said she had remembered the names of about four people he worked with but thought there could be others.

Anyone who worked with Mr Williamson is being asked to call Chris Stansfield, at Nelsons Solicitors, on 0115 989 5227.