Appeal for tradesmen who worked for M J Gleeson Group Limited

The widow of a former Quantity Surveyor is seeking to get in touch with any of his former colleagues at M J Gleeson Group Limited, a construction company that built the Gloucester Grove Estate in Peckham between 1977 and 1978.

Mr Richard Abrahams, who lived in Maidstone, Kent, worked for M J Gleeson Group Limited during the 1970s. He developed mesothelioma in November 2018 and passed away at home in August 2019. Mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos.

Whilst working for M J Gleeson Group Limited, Richard helped to construct the Gloucester Grove Estate in the London Borough of Southwark between the years of 1977 and 1978. We believe that he was exposed to asbestos during this time.

Evidence confirms that Asbestolux sheeting (a type of insulation board containing asbestos) was used in flats on the estate for fire-proofing between the walls of the flats. It was also used to enclose pipework within the kitchens and bathrooms.

Mrs Abrahams is seeking to get in touch with old work friends of her husband who recall their time spent together building the Gloucester Grove Estate, especially those who remember handling the Asbestolux. She is particularly keen to speak to Colm Higgins and Alf Jarrett, two sub-contractors who worked with Richard.

She commented: “I’m very grateful for the support that both the London Asbestos Support Awareness Group and the Asbestos and Mesothelioma team at Hodge Jones & Allen have provided. They’re doing everything they can to investigate the case, but it’s crucial that we’re able to find someone that remembers working with Richard.”

Isobel Lovett, a Partner at Hodge Jones & Allen who acted in the case, said:

“I cannot stress this enough – a witness coming forward in this case will make the difference in helping Mrs Abrahams find justice for her husband’s suffering.
“It’s really important that we hold companies accountable for failing to properly protect their workers, but this will only happen if we get support and testimonies from witnesses, who may themselves have or in future may develop asbestos-related illnesses.

“At Hodge Jones & Allen, we see a lot of cases that relate to asbestos exposure which occurred as far back as 50 years ago. Asbestos diseases are not a thing of the past. Due to the long latency period between exposure and onset of these illnesses, asbestos remains a threat to many workers, particularly those who have worked in the construction sector, impacting families up and down the country.”

The London Asbestos Support Awareness Group provides a support network based in Kent, Essex and London, offering emotional and practical support those who have been affected by asbestos diseases.

For further information, please contact:

Yellow Jersey PR:

Georgina Whittle, Associate Partner

Georgina@yellowjerseypr.com
T: 0808 239 4011 | 0808 239 5975

Sarah Jehan, Account Director

Sarahjehan@yellowjerseypr.com
T: 0808 239 2247 | 0808 239 5975

Alex Crean, Account Executive

Alex@yellowjerseypr.com
T: 0808 239 3996 | 0808 239 5975

Emma Becirovic, Account Executive

Emma@yellowjerseypr.com
T: 0808 239 8378 | 0808 239 5975