Fred Dibnah RIP

Not so well known outside the UK as John Peel but another broadcasting gem has passed away. God bless you Fred.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/3988667.stm

FRED DIBNAH MBE (for those that did not know of his work, from his website)

Since Fred Dibnah pushed into the world in 1938, a world, which in his view has been going downhill ever since, he has had two main passions – Steeplejacks and Steam Engines. His mum used to say that as a baby in his pram, he would be watching the steeplejacks at work. As a little boy, his bedroom window overlooked the railway line where he could watch the steam locomotives going about their work to his hearts content.

Over many years he studied the way that steeplejacks erected their ladders and scaffold saw their faults and found his own methods. A joiner by trade and still today, a perfectionist, Fred is best known for ‘felling’ chimneys – the job he likes least, his preference is that of restoration.

Some people mistakenly think that Fred ‘blows up chimneys!’. Not True. Fred has never and will never use dynamite. As usual, Fred prefers an old fashioned method of cutting a mouth out in the bottom of the chimney and propping the opening up with bits of telegraph poles and wooden chocks. Once enough of the chimney is propped up on wood he then sets light to a large fire, which burns the chocks away and the chimney then falls to earth in the designated direction. Not a precise science things do not always go to plan, it is a lot more precise than dynamite and has enabled Fred to be awarded jobs where dynamite would have caused too much damage.

Until 20 years ago, Fred was only a steeplejack working locally to his own area of Bolton, Lancashire with an unusual interest in steam engines. Whilst working on the town Hall in Bolton, gilding the topmost finial, the local BBC TV filmed a short news item about him.

As a result of this, Fred was approached by a television producer with a view to making 1 half-hour film as part of a series about people with unusual occupations. After several months of filming, the final article was an hour long documentary, screened in his own right. This won two awards for the producer. This was called “Fred Dibnah – Steeplejack” and was aired in 1979.

Since then Fred’s life has been followed with interest. A series of 8 half-hour programmes looked at his work as a steeplejack, scaling dizzy heights, to his eccentric ways with his beloved steamroller. Further 6 half-hour programmes covered the sadness of divorce and the effects of being a TV personality. In March 1992, the BBC cameras started once again to follow Fred and his new family around for the making of 4 more programmes. These were screened in 1994 and a BBC book “The Fred Dibnah Story” was released.

Now Fred has two videos out, not BBC, covering Fred’s two favourite subjects. “The Ups and Downs of Chimneys”, showing how Fred ladders a chimney and “All Steamed Up” where some of Fred’s many steam restoration projects appear.

Fred has always had a great love of steam engines. From his early childhood he remembers the great mill engines endlessly turning , producing Lancashire’s thread and the last of the steam road vehicles still moving around Bolton’s highways – it was these memories that fostered the idea of steam preservation. Fred started by purchasing a steamroller and then undertaking a full restoration project. Uneasy with modern methods and new fangled tools, Fred decided to equip himself with a workshop powered by steam. A small stationery engine renovated and installed now provides the driving power for many of Fred’s tools. As a result of this expertise, Fred was asked to undertake a major restoration project at Glynllifon Parc, Caernarfon. When it was completed the steam engine and boiler won a steam heritage award. Since then Fred has worked at Wetheriggs Pottery in Cumbria, restoring the old machinery to its full character and potential, one of the things Fred loves doing the most.

In 1996 his weather vanes brought him back into the public eye with his Kellogg’s advertisement. Also in 1996, Fred went through a second divorce from Sue, mother to Jack and Roger.

Now Fred has a new lady in his life, Sheila Grundy from Blackpool, to whom he is now married. Sheila has a son called Nathan. Fred and Sheila married on 26th September 1998. Third time lucky for Fred! The good news is they are very happy.

Fred has a lovely easy going personality that has not been affected by his fame. Also a fabulous storyteller who has an amazing ability to paint pictures with words and keeps his audience spellbound from start to finish.

Fred rarely had the time these days to continue his life as a steeplejack, as you can imagine life is very hectic. When he felled chimneys, steeples and towers he normally attracted massive crowds when the word went round that ‘Fred’s doing a dropper’! One of the last chimneys that Fred dropped was due to fall to earth the day that the Princess of Wales died. No one expected to see crowds that day due to the tragic events and yet thousands turned out to see this powerhouse of a man, small in stature, drop a 160ft chimney.

Most people at the ripe age of 66 are thinking of retirement or slowing down at least. Not Fred. Young at heart, fit and virile as ever his work routines would be punishing to a man half of his years. If you ask Fred his secret his answer invariably is “It’s the Guinness” which he drinks every evening after he has finished one of his gruelling days.

Fred’s television career continues apace. His many successful series for the BBC include “Fred Dibnah’s Industrial Age” (1999) , “Fred Dibnah’s Magnificent Monuments” (2000), “Fred Dibnah’s Buildings of Britain” (2002) and Fred Dibnah’s The Age of Steam” (2003). There are BBC books and videos to accompany all of Fred’s television series’. He has recently concluded the BBC documentary “Dig with Dibnah” and this summer he will begin work on a new 12 part series “Made in Britain” which sees Fred touring Britain visiting sites of industrial and architectural heritage on his beloved steam engine.

Fred was awarded an MBE in the 2004 New Year’s Honours list.