John Plumb, of Barrow, was found dead by his friend

John Plumb, known as ‘Jack’, of Clevelands Avenue, Barrow, was discovered by his friend of around 23 years Leslie Garstang.

In a statement read to Cockermouth Coroner’s Court, Mr Garstang, who visited Mr Plumb ‘around three times a week’, called at his home at 10.30am on August 7, 2023. 

He ‘saw water running down the door’, and thought it was ‘unusual’ that his door was locked, and curtains closed, as Mr Plumb, a retired technical specialist, usually unlocked the door at 7am to allow access to care staff. 

Mr Garstang saw water coming through the ceiling, and ‘rushed upstairs’, to find Mr Plumb wearing a shirt, unresponsive in his bathtub, which was overflowing, with the water still running cold.

Mr Garstang alerted another friend and neighbour Angela Sanderson, a nurse, and they called paramedics, who confirmed Mr Plumb’s death. 

Assistant Coroner for Cumbria Dr Nicholas Shaw heard from Mr Plumb’s daughter Beverley that he was not in the habit of taking baths but would sit on the side of the bath while shaving, with bathwater running to aid in washing. 

Dr Shaw said it would appear likely that Mr Plumb had had a medical episode while shaving and fell into the bath. 

His daughter said that Mr Plumb had been married four times, with his third and fourth wives having passed away. 

A statement submitted to the court by Mr Plumb’s GP, Dr Hameed of Abbey Road Surgery, said he had been ‘generally in good health’ until July 2022. 

Dr Hameed wrote that Mr Plumb was ‘understandably devastated’ at the death of his wife the previous month, recording that Mr Plumb said ‘they used to do everything together’. 

He also is reported telling Dr Hameed that he had tried to take his own life on the night she died ‘to join her’ but it had not worked. 

Engagement with the community mental health team (CMHT) was discussed. 

Mr Plumb also enquired about the possibility of a blue badge due to a ‘shortness of breath’, leading Dr Hameed to refer him for medical investigation. 

After a deterioration in his condition, Mr Plumb was diagnosed with a ‘possible malignancy’ in January 2023. 

He said he ‘did not want to prolong his life’ but make the best of the time he had left. 

A review with the CMHT said he had made ‘great efforts to move forward’ and found coffee morning meetings with Age UK ‘helpful’, and had a good support network’, and ‘relied heavily' on Angela Sanderson, who he ‘regarded as a friend’. 

Mr Plumb, who lived alone, was given palliative care medication. 

A diagnosis of mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer related to asbestos exposure, was made during the postmortem examination, as was the diagnosis of a heart attack, which was likely to have caused his sudden death. 

His work history showed Mr Plumb had a long career in engineering and was involved in piping and submarines. 

Dr Shaw commented: “In these environments, exposure to asbestos is not unknown, indeed it’s quite common in Barrow.  

“He was clearly a very intelligent, professional gentleman who had a long, and by all accounts successful working career. 

“Let’s remember he lived to the age of 90 and that's not given to all of us by any means, and he had 89 of those years in decent health. 

“I suspect had he not had malignancy, he wouldn't have died when he did.” 

Dr Shaw concluded that Mr Plumb died from an industrial disease.