Della Ryness-Hirsch, whose son Nicholas died aged 35 after being accidentally infected with Hep C as a child due to contaminated blood products used in hospitals including Great Ormond Street and the Royal Free in the 1980s

A FORMER tenants’ association chair whose son was contaminated with a deadly disease in hospital has gone to her grave without justice being done, her family said.

Della Ryness-Hirsch, who died aged 81 on March 13, for many years ran a “hippies’ emporium” in Fitzrovia with her husband Dan.

Their son Nicholas died aged 35 after being accidentally infected with Hepatitis C as a child due to contaminated blood products used in hospitals including Great Ormond Street and the Royal Free in the 1980s.

Nick left behind a young baby girl and an extended family who have suffered “prolonged anguish” over many years of inaction by successive governments.

While an independent inquiry concluded in favour of the families, Ryness-Hirsch, who lived in Highgate, died before receiving a six-figure payout due to small print in the compensation agreement that distinguishes packages owed to “affected” and “infected” victims of the scandal.

Della Ryness-Hirsch’s son Nicholas

Her sister, the Liberal Democrats peer Lynne Featherstone, told Extra: “My sister will never see justice done. And there are a lot of other elderly and frail people who are dying off. There is a great deal of concern about affected people who are not estate beneficiaries. The government insists that all infected claims be processed before affected claims are considered. People are being left to die without justice.”

Baroness Featherstone reiterated her calls in the House of Lords this week for “parents, ex-wives and siblings” of infected parties to have their claims processed as a matter of urgency.

Ryness-Hirsch was a key player in the early days of the campaign for justice, eventually forcing politicians to hold a public inquiry that was launched just under a decade ago.

The Infected Blood Inquiry, which published its final report into the scandal in May 2024, concluded it “could largely have been avoided” and there was a “pervasive”­ cover-up to hide the truth.

A compensation scheme was announced, but a follow-up report led to delays in claims being processed.

Mark Stewart, is another Camden resident who spent decades involved in the case, was infected in the Royal Free Hospital along with his father and brother.

His mother Kitty died last year, weeks before her compensation, of around £500,000, was due to be paid. Her claim died with her and her final words were to her son to tell him not to give up his campaigning.

Lynne Featherstone: ‘People are being left to die without justice’

On the death of Ryness-Hirsch, he said: “She was one of the early original campaigners after losing her dear son Nicholas to this scandal.

“With the great help and support of her sister… Baroness Lynne Featherstone, and her constant determination to hold the government to account, we might never have got the public inquiry and the truth that followed. So I would like to say thank-you to the Hirsch family for that, and I hope Della can now RIP.”

Della Ryness-Hirsch, a former Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Association chairwoman, set up and ran the Nice Irma shop on the corner of Goodge Street and Charlotte Street.

It began in the 1970s selling waterbeds and bohemian goods and evolved into a popular boutique selling flamboyant bedspreads and textiles until it closed in 1998. With Dan Hirsch, she also ran Ryness Electrical in Goodge Street, Fitzrovia, which closed in 2020.

Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in later life, she was described by her wider family as a kind, generous, and strong woman who remained interested in the world.

A statement added: “But now she has died and will never see justice completely done, even though her and others’ efforts brought about eventually the contaminated blood inquiry and its finding of guilt of the government – all governments – in paying compensation.

“She was a mother to Jake and Nick, grandmother of Tilly, Molly and Neve, sister Lynne Featherstone, mother-in-law of Sam and Olga and aunt to Jenna and Cade. May she rest in power.”

The government said it had made changes to the scheme, which totals around £11.8billion in compensation payments, to speed up the process for affected parties and was introducing new awards to recognise exceptional loss.

A statement from Nick Thomas-Symonds, paymaster general and minister for the cabinet office, said: “While this government understands no amount of money will make up for the suffering endured by the infected blood community, I hope that these changes to the compensation scheme demonstrate our commitment in ensuring this community receives the compensation they rightly deserve.”