The family of a former fabricator and welder who spent more than a decade working at the Smiths Crisps factory in Brentford are appealing for his former colleagues to come forward with information about the conditions he worked in decades ago. 

Ronald “Ron” Cheshire sadly died in June 2024, aged 84, just weeks after being diagnosed with epithelioid mesothelioma - an aggressive and incurable cancer caused by exposure to asbestos, many years before symptoms appear. 

Following his death, a coroner confirmed that he had died from an industrial disease linked to asbestos exposure. 

With legal support from the specialist asbestos team at Thompsons Solicitors, his family are now seeking help to support a claim against his former employers, in an effort to secure justice on his behalf.  

Ron worked for Smiths Crisps between 1954 and 1970 in the Electrical and Mechanical Department at its Great West Road factory in Brentford. 

As a fabricator and welder, he worked on machinery, pipework and plant equipment in buildings dating back to the late 1920s, when asbestos was widely used. His family say that during this time he had regular contact with asbestos insulation and lagging, particularly during maintenance and repair work. 

It was at the factory that Ron met his future wife, Eileen, who worked in the packing room. They married in 1960 and even held their wedding reception on site - a reflection of how central the workplace was to their lives. Their nuptials were covered by The S.P.C – the Smiths in-house magazine. 

The couple later continued working for the company in Richmond following a house move. Ron went on to work as a fabricator welder for various other companies until his retirement in 2011, Ron’s family are now urging anyone who worked at the Smiths Crisps factories in Brentford or Richmond during the 1950s to 1970s - especially in maintenance, engineering or fabrication roles - to come forward with any information about working conditions, asbestos use or safety practices at the time. 

Mrs Eileen Cheshire, who now lives in Margate, said: “This has been an incredibly difficult time for our family, knowing that Ron became so ill as a result of asbestos exposure. 

“We would be very grateful to anyone who can come forward with information to help us better understand the circumstances of his exposure and why more wasn’t done to protect him.” 

Anyone with information that could assist is encouraged to contact Laura Morrison who leads the London asbestos team at Thompsons Solicitors on 0207 290 0059, or via email at LauraMorrison@thompsons.law. 

The appeal comes ahead of International Workers’ Memorial Day on April 28 and acts as a stark reminder of the lives lost and shattered by industrial diseases, and a renewed call to make jobs safer for everyone. 

Despite being banned in the UK more than 25 years ago, asbestos still causes around 5,000 deaths each year in Great Britain, with diseases such as mesothelioma often taking decades to develop after exposure. 

Laura Morrison added: “Mr Cheshire’s case highlights a stark reality - the human cost of industrial disease extends far beyond the individual worker. 

“In many cases partners become carers, children witness the decline of a parent’s health, and families are left coping with grief, anger and financial hardship - all because basic protections were ignored.” 

Thompsons Solicitors supports the TUC’s Time to Get Rid of It campaign, which calls for a fully funded national plan to remove asbestos from public buildings and prevent further loss of life.