A much-loved dad who "had an infectious laugh" was known by everyone and anyone.
Thomas Littler's family said he loved to make, create and build, and share his artisan skills with everyone he met. His son Stuart said he was known by everyone in the town and they could rarely go the local shop without being stopped 20 times.
Mr Littler, from Earlestown, was 90 when he was rushed to Whiston hospital after feeling lethargic and under the weather with a high temperature. But Stuart, 50, who lives in West Sussex, said he never saw his dad again.
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After being diagnosed with covid-19, Mr Littler deteriorated significantly and he died in hospital on February 4, 2021. But it wasn't until the coroner's investigations that it was found he suffered from asbestosis.
Asbestosis is a lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibres, believed to have been during his working life, which also "contributed to his death". Stuart told the ECHO: "Could we have had more time with him? In many ways, dad was a working class Northern man, there's nothing wrong with that, every life has value, but he was a great skilled artisan like many of his generation. He could fix anything, even well into his retirement.
"He would repair things for people and create one off things, he spent his life in his workshop, he loved to make, create and build, usually things out of wood. Everything would be repaired if it could be.
"Well into his 80s he was still driving his Mark One Cortina, as long as it would start, he'd drive it. But my fondest memory was his laughter, when I was a kid we'd be watching a cartoon and we would be laughing at my dad, laughing at the cartoon, he had an infectious laugh."
The family is appealing for information as to where Mr Littler was exposed to asbestos. An inquest, held at Bootle Town Hall, reported that Mr Littler was admitted to hospital where he tested positive for covid.
The report added: "Thomas had worked in industries in life that would on balance, at that time have brought him into contact with asbestos. In particular but not excessively when he worked on the railways refurbishing carriages."
Mr Littler worked on the railways from his apprenticeship in the early 1940s right up until his redundancy in 1983. In 1963, he started to work on the Horwich site before moving onto the refurbishment of wagon and passenger repairs.
Stuart added: "When I was a boy, he used to take me cycling and swimming every weekend but the last few years his health became more of a concern. We had a stairlift fitted at his home, we offered to buy him a flat closer to us but he'd lived in the town all his life.
"In 2020, we were all told not to visit our parents because we may kill them, but I regret not going to help him more. We had regular phone calls but I didn't realise how bad things had got for him.
"He was taken to hospital with covid and a week later I was dealing with a coroner. From when he was diagnosed and passed away, I never saw him. We only found out he had asbestosis during the coroner investigation, I'd never heard that word before. He'd been in and out of hospital over the years and no-one thought to test."
With a passion for railways and working men's clubs, Mr Littler met his soulmate Kathleen at Ashton Pro Dance Hall in 1949, as Stuart said he paid sixpence for entry. For their 60th wedding anniversary, Stuart's gift of a telegram from the Queen "blew him away" as he was "pleased to no end."
The pair, married for 65 years, began to enjoy retirement visiting Spain until his health deteriorated, but he also enjoyed a trip to Blackpool. Stuart said: "He loved a stroll along the prom. Dad was born and bred in Earlestown apart from when he was doing his national service with the RAF, every time we went the shop, he knew everyone so we'd have to stop 20 times. But he was loved by everyone."
Mr Littler leaves behind his loving wife Kathleen and sons Peter and Stuart. Mr Littler's son Antony, passed away 20 years ago.
The family’s lawyer, specialist industrial disease expert Anthony Waddington from Simpson Millar, said the family is keen to hear from anyone who might have information about exposure to asbestos with British Rail at any of the sites that Mr Littler worked at between 1944 and 1983.
He said: "Mr Littler had a fascinating career with British Rail, starting as a trade apprentice in Earlstown in Newton Le Willows in 1944, before moving to Horwich Works in 1969. It has been deeply upsetting for the family to learn that he had been suffering from Asbestosis, and that the condition contributed to his death.
"They are now looking for answers as to whether more could and should have been done to protect him from asbestos exposure and are keen to hear from anyone who has information about the working conditions he may have been exposed to throughout his working life.
"We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who worked with him during his time either at Earlstown or the Horwich Works between 1944 and 1983 when he would have come into regular contact with the carriage heating systems."
Anyone with information about Mr Littler and working conditions between 1944 and 1983 at British Rail is being urged to contact Anthony Waddington at Simpson Millar on anthony.waddington@simpsonmillar.co.uk, or on 0345 357 9200.
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