News

Family appeal for help after father dies from lung cancer

Published

10 years ago

July 26, 2016

William John Bowen: Died of mesothelioma on December 12, 2013

A GRIEVING family is appealing for their father’s former work colleagues to come forward to help prove where and when he was exposed to deadly asbestos dust and fibres.

William John Bowen, from Haverfordwest, died of mesothelioma on December 12, 2013.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive and terminal type of lung cancer caused in the vast majority of cases by breathing in asbestos dust.

The grandfather-of-five was a construction worker mostly in the Pembrokeshire area. With the help of Birchall Blackburn Law and the National Asbestos Helpline, the family is seeking anyone who worked with William between 1961 and 1976.

During his working life he was employed by W M Eaves & Co Ltd, Taylor Woodrow Ltd, P Lonery & Sons Ltd, Cambrian Construction Company Ltd, Davies Construction Company (Wales) Ltd and Andrew Scott (Civil Engineering) Ltd.

The family is especially interested in hearing from anyone who worked for Andrew Scott (Civil Engineering) Ltd from 1967 to 1975. During that time William helped build the Parc Gwyn Crematorium, in Narberth, between August 1967 and October 1968.

Pearl Edwards, William’s step-daughter, says: “We used to visit Parc Gwyn Crematorium regularly, so that my step-father could visit my mother’s grave. Dad always used to talk about this particular job and tell us about having to cut asbestos collars when he was laying the drainage pipes for the crematorium.”

The pipes were made out of clay but William had to saw and fit asbestos collars around the joints of the pipes. It was a very dusty job, especially when sawing the preformed asbestos collars.

William also worked as a painter and labourer on site at Brawdy Naval Base and a number of Pembrokeshire schools, including Tasker Millard School in Haverfordwest. During the 1960s and 1970s asbestos was widely used throughout the construction industry in schools, offices and homes for its insulating and fireproofing properties.

Pearl says: “Dad was always a very hardworking man. In the whole of his working life, he only had three weeks off work, due to a short period of unemployment. Until his final year dad had always been quite a stocky and strong individual. He was very good for his age and no-one would believe he was in his nineties.”

Pearl’s husband, Gwilym, says: “He always remained very independent in his own home and he was even able to continue with light gardening until the cancer took hold. He was a very proud and independent man and did not like to accept help from anyone.”

In early 2013 William began to complain of a pain in his back, which ran around to his chest. Pearl and Gwilym thought it was caused by his angina but the pain got worse. From July 2013 he started to become short of breath and was losing weight quickly.

Pearl says: “Dad wasn’t eating and we had to try to make sure he finished his food. In the December he was taken to hospital by ambulance and the doctors had to drain a dark and unpleasant liquid from his lung. He remained in hospital until he passed away and was in excruciating pain. The doctors had problems controlling his pain.

“In the weeks following his death we had no idea that he had died of an asbestos related condition. We didn’t find that out until sometime later when we received the post-mortem results.”

Craig Howell, an asbestos-disease specialist and partner with Birchall Blackburn Law, says: “Asbestos related diseases take decades to develop, which often denies hardworking people like William the justice they deserve. To help William and his family, we need to hear from anyone who may have worked with him – or near him – in the Pembrokeshire area within the construction industry between 1961 and 1976. They could have vital information about where William was exposed to the deadly dust and fibres.”

Colin Tunstall, from the National Asbestos Helpline, says: “We talk to people, like Pearl and Gwilym, every day who have been devastated by past exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma is cruel and unforgiving. Families are left grieving for loved ones snatched from them in a matter of months, when they expected them to live many more years. Sadly, the asbestos legacy will continue to destroy the lives of tens of thousands of people over the next couple of decades.”

More than 2,500 people a year die from mesothelioma in the UK, according to the Health and Safety Executive. Between 1981 and 2011, there were 1,620 recorded deaths from the asbestos-related lung cancer in Wales. Pembrokeshire accounted for more than 88 of those victims. The number of mesothelioma deaths is yet to peak and the Department of Work and Pensions predicts that 53,000 British people will die from the lung cancer between 2013 and 2037.

Anyone who knew William John Bowen, and about the use and presence of asbestos during the 1960s and 1970s in Pembrokeshire’s construction industry, please call Craig Howell of Birchall Blackburn Law on 01244 684 475, or Colin Tunstall at the National Asbestos Helpline on freephone 0800 043 6635. Alternatively, email [email protected].

Community

Free children’s workshops to bring fantasy sea creatures to life in Milford Haven

Published

4 minutes ago

February 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Creative Festival of the Sea sessions offer hands-on fun for families at Waterfront Gallery

CHILDREN will have the chance to create their own magical sea creatures next month as part of Milford Waterfront’s popular Festival of the Sea celebrations.

The Waterfront Gallery, based in the Old Sail Loft on Discovery Quay, Milford Haven, will host free Fantasy Sea Creatures workshops on Sunday (Mar 1).

The sessions will run from 10:30am to 12:30pm and 1:30pm to 3:30pm, with two activities taking place at the same time, led by resident artists Lesley Dearn and Gina Hughes.

Designed as drop-in sessions suitable for children aged four and over, each 30-minute workshop will accommodate up to six children at a time. All materials and tools will be provided, although children must be accompanied by an adult.

Gina Hughes will lead a clay modelling activity where participants can explore textures while creating fish and small sea creatures inspired by those found along the Pembrokeshire coastline. Children will be able to take their creations home after the session.

Meanwhile, Lesley Dearn’s workshop will introduce simple watercolour printing, blotting and stencilling techniques to help children design magical fantasy sea creatures. Participants will then bring their designs to life using drawing, painting and collage, producing artwork to keep.

Organisers say the workshops offer a valuable opportunity for children and families to enjoy creative, screen-free time together while exploring imagination and artistic materials in a relaxed environment.

The Waterfront Gallery is one of southwest Wales’s leading art venues and is a registered charity. Run by artist volunteers, it is also home to the Wales Contemporary Annual Competition.

For more information, contact Nicola Schoenenberger via email at [email protected].

Charity

Tenby golf captain raises more than £8,000 for hospice charity

Published

1 hour ago

February 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Fundraising year inspired by personal experience of end-of-life care

TENBY GOLF CLUB has announced that £8,360.68 has been raised for the Paul Sartori Foundation after a year of fundraising led by club captain Heather Morgan.

Heather’s captaincy was particularly notable as she is only the second female captain in the club’s history since it was founded in 1888. Her choice of charity was inspired by personal experience, following the care and support provided to her mother by the hospice-at-home charity.

Her mother, who lived to the age of 97, was able to remain at home during her final days thanks to the support of Paul Sartori’s clinical team.

Heather said she could not have managed without the compassion and professionalism of the staff, who supported both her mother and the wider family during a difficult time. She therefore chose the charity not only to raise funds, but also to increase awareness of the services available to families across Pembrokeshire.

The fundraising year included a packed programme of well-supported events, including a charity golf day, Captain’s Day, and a popular night golf competition. Members and guests also supported quiz nights with themed food, a special performance by Tenby Male Voice Choir, as well as Easter and Christmas raffles.

Joanne Lutwyche, Events and Fundraising Officer for the Paul Sartori Foundation, said: “Becoming a charity of the year is a great privilege for us, and we always aim to support our community fundraisers as much as possible during the time we are chosen.

“Our fundraising and events team have been astonished by the generosity of the golfers throughout the year. We have been invited to support events at Tenby Golf Club, and they have been great fun to be part of.”

The charity has thanked Heather Morgan, Tenby Golf Club, and everyone who contributed to the fundraising efforts, saying the money will help provide hospice-at-home care for people living with life-limiting illness across Pembrokeshire.

The funds raised will enable more families to receive care and comfort in their own homes at the most difficult times.

Photo caption: Heather Morgan with Brendan Monnelly, General Manager at Tenby Golf Club (Pic supplied).

News

New project launched to preserve Pembrokeshire’s hidden place names

Published

2 hours ago

February 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Communities invited to share historic names of fields, lanes and landmarks

A NEW project has been launched to uncover and protect historic place names across the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park — from forgotten fields to little-known lanes — before they disappear from living memory.

The initiative, led by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority in partnership with the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW), will gather local knowledge from communities throughout the Park and record it in the national List of Historic Place Names for Wales.

A series of community workshops will take place during 2026, giving residents the opportunity to share names passed down through generations, including those linked to fields, footpaths, buildings and local landmarks.

All information collected will be compiled by Dr James January-McCann, Place Names Officer at the RCAHMW, and formally recorded to help safeguard this cultural heritage for future generations.

Pembrokeshire’s landscape reflects a rich linguistic history shaped by Welsh, English, Nordic and Flemish influences. Organisers say capturing this knowledge now is vital, not only to preserve local identity but also to support landowners, communities and the National Park Authority in future land management and heritage projects.

Tomos Jones, Community Archaeologist at the Park Authority, said: “This is a fantastic project that empowers local communities to come forward with their place names knowledge. The information can then better inform our understanding of the National Park area and help us develop relevant projects.”

Dr James January-McCann added: “Given Pembrokeshire’s rich linguistic history, this is a brilliant opportunity to discover how strong those influences remain today, and to deepen people’s knowledge of their heritage.”

With the National Eisteddfod taking place in Pembrokeshire this year, the project will also use the festival as a platform to reach a wider audience, including a dedicated talk supported by the Eisteddfod team.

Six community workshops are currently scheduled for 2026, with the ambition to expand the programme in future years.

The first workshop will take place at St Davids City Hall on Wednesday (Feb 18), with members of the public invited to drop in at any time between 10:00am and 4:00pm to share information or speak with the project team. Further sessions will be promoted locally and through social media.

Caption: A series of place name workshops will be held to capture the rich linguistic heritage of the local area.