Family asks local community to help piece together exposure history
The family of a Birkenhead man who died after developing an asbestos-related lung disease has issued a public appeal for former colleagues and shipmates to come forward with information about working conditions where he may have been exposed to asbestos.
Terance Boyd died in August 2025 at the age of 76. It was only after his death that medical investigations confirmed he had asbestosis, a progressive lung condition caused by inhaling asbestos fibres, typically many years earlier.
Work history spans shipyard, Merchant Navy and local employers
Mr Boyd's family say he worked as an apprentice fitter at the historic Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, describing duties that took him into boiler rooms and industrial spaces where asbestos-containing materials were commonly used. They also note a spell in the Merchant Navy during the 1970s and subsequent roles at several local employers.
- Apprentice fitter at Cammell Laird shipyard, Birkenhead
- Merchant Navy service during the 1970s
- Later employment at Tate & Lyle Ltd, Pura Ltd (Merseyside Foods), and Lorne Stewart PLC
- Work at the Royal Liverpool Hospital in the 2000s and 2010s
His family recall him returning home from shifts covered in white and grey dust, a detail they say has heightened concern about where and when exposure might have occurred.
Ships and workplaces named in appeal
To help establish the circumstances of Mr Boyd's exposure, the family have published a list of vessels and employers where they believe he may have worked or served. They are asking anyone who served alongside him or who can describe conditions in engine rooms, maintenance areas, boiler rooms or ceiling voids to get in touch.
| Merchant Navy vessels | Other employers / workplaces |
|---|---|
| M.V. Otaio | Tate & Lyle Ltd |
| Calchas | Pura Ltd (Merseyside Foods) |
| M.S. Freetown | Lorne Stewart PLC (Royal Liverpool Hospital site roles) |
| M.V. Tabor | Cammell Laird (apprentice fitter) |
| M.V. Karnak | |
| Booker Viking | |
| M.V. Aroadian |
Solicitor involvement and what the family wants
Thompsons Solicitors’ Liverpool office is representing the family in their search for information. An asbestos specialist at the firm reiterated the request for witnesses, underlining that the nature of Mr Boyd's engineering and industrial roles means colleagues and former shipmates could hold crucial details about work practices and conditions.
"Mr Boyd worked in engineering and industrial roles throughout his career, and we want to hear from anyone who remembers conditions at the sites or aboard the vessels where he worked."
The appeal is aimed at people who recalled the working environment in engine rooms, maintenance areas, boiler rooms or ceiling voids — places where asbestos insulation, gaskets and other materials were routinely used in the decades before stricter controls were introduced.
Why local witnesses matter
Asbestosis is a long-latency disease: exposures that occurred many years earlier can lead to symptoms only later in life. For families and legal teams to establish liability, detailed recollections about past working practices, protective measures in place, and whether materials likely to contain asbestos were present are often vital.
For the Birkenhead community — where shipbuilding and heavy industry remain strong parts of local history — the appeal has a direct resonance. Former colleagues, tradespeople and seafarers in the area who remember Mr Boyd or recognise the vessels and employers named have the local knowledge that could help the family understand what happened.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Thompsons Solicitors’ Liverpool office, which is handling enquiries on the family’s behalf.
