‘Asbestos snowball fights’ - Former South Shields shipyard worker’s family appeal for information
The family of a Sunderland man who worked in a South Shields shipyard are calling for information following his death from lung cancer.
Bert Culling MBE, of Sunderland, began work at Brigham and Cowan Limited, based in South Shields, as a 15-year-old school leaver and spent around 30 years with the firm.
He joined the shipbuilding firm in 1951 as an apprentice plater who specialised in boilers, before progressing to roles including boilersmith, chargehand and foreman.
His family said that due to being unware of the risks, Bert and his workmates would often have snowball fights with debris from dislodged lagging.
The lagging was used to insulate pipes and his loved ones suspect that it contained asbestos.
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Bert, who was awarded an MBE in 2022 for services to the Sunderland Laryngectomee Club and to the National Association of Laryngectomee Clubs, went on to be diagnosed with laryngeal cancer in the 1980s, undergoing surgery to remove his voice box.
Following the 88-year-old’s death in September 2024, it was found that he had lung cancer and asbestosis, an incurable lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibres.
An inquest into his death in March 2025 concluded that he died from pneumonia caused by lung cancer and asbestosis - with the hearing ruling that he died as a result of industrial disease.
Bert’s wife Ethel, 89, and other family members have instructed lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate whether he was exposed to asbestos while working at Brigham and Cowan, which closed in the 1980s.
Ethel, who was married to Bert for 64 years, said: “Bert was only in his 40s when he started suffering with symptoms and was forced to give up work.
“It was difficult for a man who took pride in his work and skills to realise his active working life was finished at such a young age. Despite this he tried to carry on as best he could.
“Bert was known for his strength and determination, but after the symptoms linked to his larynx started, he couldn’t lift anything heavy or dig the garden.
“As Bert’s laryngeal cancer developed he was in and out of hospital. Despite this we were so proud of his dedication to supporting others and the laryngectomee clubs.
“The day he received his MBE was the proudest moment of his life. He felt so honoured and humbled to be recognised on behalf of everyone involved in helping patients and trying to improve healthcare for them.
“Sadly, in the end it got too much for him. To later find out Bert had lung cancer and asbestosis came as a surprise.
“It was then I remembered how Bert started work not long after the Second World War and the ships were powered by coal fire boilers.
“Bert said his work was incredibly dusty and that he and his workmates would pick up debris and have snowball fights with it.
“Bert was the most loving and caring husband and dad. He was my best friend and a real family man who didn’t deserve to suffer like he did.
“While we have some answers, still having unanswered questions regarding Bert’s asbestos exposure just adds to the grief we feel.
“We know nothing can make up for what’s happened, but we feel we owe it to Bert to at least honour his memory by establishing how he was exposed to asbestos.”
Anyone with information about the working conditions at Brigham & Cowan Limited is asked to contact Stephanie Denham at Irwin Mitchell on 0191 434 0731 or by email at [email protected].
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