Turner Brothers Asbestos, Rochdale Site


1879: Asbestos production begins.
T&N publication: Turner &Newall- The first 50 years.

1890-1910: Expansion of asbestos production areas.
Maps and 1919 inventory of TBA site available from Rochdale Local Studies Dept

1920: Creation of Turner & Newall consortium. Rochdale is the HQ for the newly
formed group until 1948.

1924: Worlds first reported case of Asbestosis.
Nellie Kershaw TBA Rochdale spinner. Geoff Tweedale, Magic Mineral to Killer Dust, OUP, 2001.

1932: Reports of “extremely serious” health hazards arising from asbestos dust at
Harridge Mill- Letter from TBA Rochdale’s insurers- Commercial Union
See copy of original letter and Geoff Tweedale p121, p202. ibid.
Note: The Harridge Mill site was adjacent to the woodland cleared by Treelink Ltd
on May 15th 2004.

1936: First case of Mesothelioma (cancer of the pleura caused by exposure to asbestos)
TBA Rochdale employee Mr William Pennington (1871-1936).
Geoff Tweedale: Difficult Questions: Historical Evidence of Mesothelioma at Turner & Newall.

1955: Lung cancer mortality study published of TBA Rochdale asbestos textile workers.
Doll: American Journal of Medicine: 36: 31-47.

1950s Expansion of factory site.
See satellite photograph and plan.

1957: TBA Rochdale document confirming 15,000lbs of asbestos dust was dumped
every week. (over 300 tonnes p.a). [Production levels rose during the 1960s. This figure
does not include production waste].

mid 1960s: Closure of railway depot at Shawclough. Closure of Harridge Mill.
Witness statements describe the amount of asbestos environmental pollution during
the 1930s-1960’s around the Rochdale site- especially within metres of where woodland
was cleared in May 2004.

1970: TBA Rochdale reported production of asbestos materials:
including: 2,250,000 yards of asbestos cloth p.a : 5,500,000 Miles of asbestos yarn.
T&N publication ibid.

1980’s: T&N stop contributing to pension fund due to a large surplus in the pension fund.
Such “contribution holidays” occur on several occasions for the next 2 decades.
www.tandnpensions.co.uk. See: “Document library” then: “Frequently asked questions”

1990s: Major Site survey conducted by T&N and Wimpey.

c.1996: Removal of contaminated soil from former Harridge Mill site, Woodland Road.
See photograph. Note: the treetops at the back of this photograph, behind the large piles
of gray fibrous waste, form part of the woodland felled by Treelink Ltd on May 15th 2004.

1998: Sale of Turner & Newall to US Federal Mogul Corporation.

2001: Federal Mogul files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US (T&N subject to UK Administration).

2001: “Rolling demolition” programme: Weaving and asbestos production areas demolished
by 2001, the former Office Block demolished by 2003.

Assurance given that any asbestos stripping in TBA building prior to demolition would be done
“in very stringent conditions” with “the area of work enclosed in an airtight tent in which a
negative air pressure and a filtration system are maintained to keep any fibres and particles
in the area”.

However, health and safety plans, method statements and test results for asbestos could
not be released by the HSE to the public without the consent of the site’s owner.

2004: Rochdale Council Draft Unitary Development Plan (UDP) published.
It states that…

12.48 “the whole site is contaminated as a result of the industrial processes carried out there”
…and, any development must comply with: (amongst other matters)
i. …environmental and transport assessments…
iii. … An Environmental Impact Assessment will be required for the ‘whole site’…
iv. …must provide a permanent solution to the ‘whole site’s’ industrial legacy of pollution
through remedial works…
v. …must take into account the land contamination problems…
ix. …provide links with, adjacent woodland and undeveloped areas to enhance their open
space and amenity value. There is an opportunity to create new open space adjoining the
river, linking with the existing open spaces to the north and south of the site;
xii. …nature conservation features of …the Spodden Valley (e.g. woodland and water features)
must be given appropriate protection…further conservation and enhancement measures
should be included where possible;
xiii. …operation and amenity of existing and new uses is not unduly compromised during
development.
See highlighted excerpts from the draft UDP.

April/May 2004: Sale of whole of the Rochdale site. Approximately 72 acres
Rochdale Observer article states new owner is MMC Developments Limited / Rathbone Jersey Ltd.

Correspondence from the Administrators of T&N considered the site:
“an asset of dubious value, (possibly even a liability)”

The Administrators also confirmed that if asbestos related cancer and mesothelioma deaths
arise from any future development on the site, the liability for this rests with the new owners and
developers of the land.
Speech given by Anthony Coombs, Member of the T&N Creditors Committee, John Pickering & Partners,
-Spotland Methodist Hall, Public Meeting , 25th May 2004.
At the same meeting, a former TBA Health and Safety Officer confirmed that much industrial
waste was dumped by TBA, for decades, down a disused mineshaft on the area of woodland
cleared by Treelink Ltd in May 2004.

RECENT ACTIONS BY THE NEW OWNERS OF THE SITE
MMC Developments / Rathbone Jersey Ltd:

May 13-14th 2004 (Thursday, Friday):
Temporary mesh fencing erected along public access areas of site (approximately 1 mile of
mesh panels). Lemonpark Ltd employees gave verbal abuse when local people made enquiries.
Plain clothed security guards patrol by public areas.

Saturday May 15th:
2am: Low loaders with Bulldozers move on to factory site.
7am: Forestry contractors begin tree felling at Woodland Road.
Main forestry contractor: Treelink Ltd.
Outside contractors also brought in by Treelink. (in total approximately 30 contractors and
security guards were on site that Saturday).

Monday 18th May: Woodland clearance halted.
Forestry Commission Officer confirms that unlicensed tree felling had occurred.
It is unlawful to clear more than 5 cubic metres of timber without a licence.

Other Government Agencies and local council departments began monitoring the site. All
have confirmed that NO NOTICE WHATSOEVER was given by MMC Developments / Rathbone
Jersey or Treelink before work commenced on the site.

Health & Safety Executive secured a voluntary arrangement to halt work that disturbs soil
on the site pending soil sampling.

20th May: RMBC issued provisional Tree Preservation Order for areas of trees throughout
the site.

June 2004:
Core samples taken from land off Woodland Road. Commissioned by MMC / Rathbone Jersey.
Surveyors photographed wearing protective clothing but not using facemasks correctly.

July 2004:
Protest at Rochdale Town Hall

August 2004:
Workers photographed on site disturbing soil with mechanical diggers. No protective clothing
or masks worn in possible contravention of Health and Safety guidelines (HSG:66).
No notice given to Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or Rochdale Council before work started.

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end.