Maurice Hughes, who worked for Modern Art Glass, died aged 79 from mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lung associated with exposure to asbestos.
He was employed at the company’s offices in Thamesmead and worked in various hospitals and hotels across the capital.
His son, Karl Hughes, 55, has taken on the services of Irwin Mitchell’s specialist asbestos-related disease lawyers to find out how his father came into contact with the hazardous material and whether more could have been done to protect him.
Karl and his legal team are seeking help from anyone who worked with Mr Hughes at Modern Art Glass in the 1970s.
Rebecca Buxton, the asbestos-related disease expert representing Karl, said: “Maurice’s family remain devastated by his death and continue to have questions about how he was exposed to asbestos.
“While nothing can bring Maurice back, we’re determined to support Karl in his search for answers.
“While many people associate asbestos with heavy industry, its use was widespread across various public buildings.
“We’re now appealing to anyone who worked with Maurice at Modern Art Glass, particularly those who remember working in hospitals or civic buildings, to come forward with any information.
“Any detail, no matter how small, could help.”
Originally from Leyton, Maurice worked for Modern Art Glass between 1970 and 1976.
His role involved installing sheets and panels suspected to have contained asbestos backing, which released fibres into the air during handling and installation.
The company has since been dissolved and no longer operates.
Maurice began experiencing symptoms including breathlessness and initially believed he had a chest infection.
He was later diagnosed with mesothelioma following an X-ray and biopsy.
He underwent six cycles of chemotherapy between November 2019 and March 2020, but died on July 28, 2022.
Maurice was a loving dad to Karl and Leigh husband to Kathy, who has also passed away.
He enjoyed spending time with friends, fishing, and working on his allotment.
Karl said: “Dad was a hardworking man who enjoyed the simple things in life.
“When he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, it came as a huge shock to us all and we struggled to accept what it meant for dad.
“Having to watch him deteriorate before losing him to this horrible disease has been incredibly difficult and I’m still trying to come to terms with it, especially as we also lost mum within such a short time frame.
“What makes the grief and pain even worse is the fact that dad’s work could be to blame for what happened to him.
“He was the best dad and I miss him every single day.”
