SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Uk's highest Judges have granted relatives of asbestos workers who died from mesothelioma to sue the Insurance companies who have squirmed for decades so they didnt have to make payouts to asbestos victims.This hopefully will also include workers at Armleys J. W Roberts.Although it has been closed down for years now the fear of contracting asbestos related diseases is still relevant even to the family of the victims. My Mother died in 1983 of mesothelioma. The only way you can contact that disease which is slightly different from Asbestos is by breathing in fibres from the asbestos material. I was born 200 yards away from the Roberts factory and I went to Armley Clock school whose back school yard was only about 10 yards from the open door of Roberts. The dust would fly about and blow into the school yard. I remember some of the kids getting hold of big chunks of it and wrapping it around their chins and pretending to be Santa Claus. No one told us how dangerous it was in those days.Some of the people who went to the Clock school and Armley Park have died from the disease. My friend Alan Drury who I was at school with from being 4 years old died before his 50th birthday from it. He used to skip in the dust down near Legards Garage where he lived.Good news for me after all these years and hope it is for everyone who tries to sue for some compensation. Unfortunately, it doesnt look good for anyone who didnt work with asbestos even though we were exposed to it by living in the factories vicinity.

I watched a programme some years ago re the houses around the area. Apparantly there are still asbestos fibres under the floorboards. They showed pictures of kids playing in the stuff !! It really freaked me out to think generations had been exposed to the stuff in such quantities. The Good Old Days, eh?    

I lived at 8 Arksey Terrace when I was a kid and can remember playing on all the bags of asbestos at the back of Roberts factory. It was like winter in the summer time. I remember watching that same programme too.        

Chrismgonna have to reduce your Asbes claim by 70% contrib neg as your avatar appears to be smoking a fine port-dipped cee-gar.

Jogon wrote: Chrismgonna have to reduce your Asbes claim by 70% contrib neg as your avatar appears to be smoking a fine port-dipped cee-gar.

Chrism wrote: Jogon wrote: Chrismgonna have to reduce your Asbes claim by 70% contrib neg as your avatar appears to be smoking a fine port-dipped cee-gar. That reminded me that a few days back when I was walking by the stone benches on Kirkgate (near Briggate) I saw a man sat down smoking a pipe. I realised at the time that I've not seen one being smoked outside for many years.

My Gt Aunt Connie ( Constance ) Ford died in 1987 due to the Roberts factory

/quote]LEO I saw a man sat down smoking a pipe. I realised at the time that I've not seen one being smoked outside for many years. Never smoked + not keen on acrid smell of cig smoke but love outdoor pipe smoke. Seems to attract and nice sorta chap, and when outdoors they help keep midges of you.In fact I kinda like the idea of Pipe Smoking (but won't), the specialist shops look inviting. The pipes nicely made + all sorts of paraphernalia, even jackets and hats!Smell of Grandad now I think of it..