Nellie Kershaw facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nellie Kershaw
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| Born | c. 1891 |
| Died | 14 March 1924 (aged 32–33) Rochdale, Lancashire, United Kingdom
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| Monuments | Monument commemorating deaths due to asbestos, Rochdale |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Asbestos-textile worker |
| Employer | Turner Brothers Asbestos |
| Known for | Subject of first published account of death due to asbestosis |
| Spouse(s) | Frank Kershaw |
| Parent(s) | Arthur Kershaw Elizabeth Kershaw |
Nellie Kershaw (born around 1891 – died March 14, 1924) was a textile worker from Rochdale, England. Her death was very important because it was the first time a disease called pulmonary asbestosis was officially described in medical books. This was also the first time a death was clearly linked to working with asbestos.
Before her case was even published, a doctor named William Edmund Cooke said that tiny mineral bits in Nellie's lungs came from asbestos. He was sure these bits caused her lung damage and led to her death. Nellie's employers, Turner Brothers Asbestos, did not accept any blame for her illness. They refused to pay her family any money or help with funeral costs. They said it would set a bad example and make them seem responsible. Nellie was buried in a simple, unmarked grave. Her case led to new rules in 1931 to protect workers from asbestos.
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Nellie's Early Life and Work
Nellie Kershaw was born in Rochdale in 1891. When she was 12, in 1903, she left school. She started working in a cotton mill. Five months later, she began working at Garsides asbestos mill.
On December 31, 1917, Nellie started working at Turner Brothers Asbestos. Here, she was a "rover," which meant she spun raw asbestos fibers into yarn. She was married to Frank Kershaw. They had at least one child, a daughter born around 1920.
Nellie's Illness and Death
Nellie started feeling sick in 1920 when she was 29 years old. But she kept working at the asbestos mill. She finally stopped working on July 22, 1922, when a doctor said she was too sick to continue.
Her doctor wrote that she had "asbestos poisoning." Because of this diagnosis, Nellie could not get regular sickness benefits. Her insurance company told her to ask her employer for help under the Workmen's Compensation Act. They wrote to Turner Brothers many times for her.
However, Turner Brothers refused to pay. At that time, asbestos-related illness was not officially recognized as a work-related disease. The company told their insurance firm to "reject the claim." They thought it would be "very dangerous" to accept any responsibility.
Percy George Kenyon, the manager at Turner's, even wrote to Nellie's doctor. He demanded to know what the doctor had told Nellie about her illness. He also wrote to the insurance board. He said, "We reject the term 'Asbestos Poisoning.' Asbestos is not poisonous. There is no known disease like that."
Nellie herself wrote to Turner Brothers at least once. She asked, "What are you going to do about my case? I've been home for 9 weeks and haven't received a penny. I think it's time I got something from you. The National Health refuses to pay me anything. I need food and money."
There is no record that Nellie received any money from any official source. This was between July 1922 and her death. She died at 6:30 AM on March 14, 1924, when she was 33 years old.
The Official Investigation
E. N. Molesworth, the local official who investigates deaths in Rochdale, had to look into all "unnatural" deaths. Because Nellie's doctor said she had "asbestos poisoning," Molesworth started an official investigation on March 14, 1924. This investigation was put on hold for an autopsy.
Dr. F.W. Mackichan did the autopsy. He said the cause of death was "pulmonary tuberculosis and heart failure." But the investigation was delayed again. This was so Nellie's lungs could be looked at very closely under a microscope.
When the investigation started again on April 1, 1924, Turner Brothers sent their lawyer to attend. They wanted to "avoid any financial responsibility" for Nellie's death.
Dr. William Edmund Cooke, a specialist in studying diseases, gave his testimony. He worked at Wigan Infirmary. He said his examination of Nellie's lungs showed old scars from a past tuberculosis infection. But he also found a lot of fibrosis, which is a thickening of tissue. In this tissue, he saw "particles of mineral matter." These particles had sharp edges and varied in size.
Dr. Cooke compared these particles to asbestos dust samples. He concluded that they "came from asbestos." He was sure they were "the main cause of the lung damage and therefore of death."
Nellie's doctor, Walter Joss, also gave written testimony. He said his diagnosis of "asbestos poisoning" was based on his "past experience." He had seen this lung condition in many of his patients who worked with asbestos. He personally saw 10 to 12 similar cases each year.
Nellie's death certificate was issued on April 2, 1924. It stated the cause of death as "Fibrosis of the lungs due to the inhalation of mineral particles." Later, in 1927, Dr. Cooke published a more detailed report about Nellie's case. In this report, he gave the disease its current name: "pulmonary asbestosis."
New Rules and a Memorial
Because of Dr. Cooke's report, the Parliament ordered an investigation. Dr. E. R. A. Merewether and C. W. Price studied the effects of asbestos dust. Their report was given to Parliament on March 24, 1930.
The report concluded that asbestosis was definitely linked to breathing in asbestos dust for a long time. It also included the first health study of asbestos workers. This study found that 66% of workers who had been employed for 20 years or more suffered from asbestosis.
This report led to the first Asbestos Industry Regulations in 1931. These rules became law on March 1, 1932.
In April 2006, a relative of Nellie Kershaw helped unveil a memorial stone. This stone in Rochdale honors all victims of asbestos around the world. The memorial service was organized by a group called Save Spodden Valley. This group is concerned about asbestos pollution at the former Turner's factory site where Nellie had worked.
