Fred Dibnah

Fred Dibnah MBE (29 April 1938 – 6 November 2004), born in Bolton, Lancashire, was an English steeplejack who became a television personality, a cult figure and, latterly, a national institution.

Biography and career

Fred was firstly famous for his profession as a steeplejack, though rather than being a traditional repairer of tall buildings he earned a reputation for chimney felling. Bolton, once famous for the soot and grime produced by the town's multitude of mill chimneys, required many of the town's landmarks to be removed as the mills closed and the cost of maintaining obsolete chimneys became prohibitive. So Fred became an entrepreneur offering to remove these without the need for explosives. The technique was to cut a throat at the bottom of the chimney, prop the brickwork with wooden props and then burn the props so that the chimney fell, hopefully in the intended direction. He fixed things too, as his work on chimneys, Bolton Town Hall and a number of church spires testify. Fred always said that, although he was most famous for demolishing chimneys, he much preferred to repair and preserve them.

Related Topics:
Chimney felling - Soot

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At the age of forty he came to the public eye when the BBC broadcast a short news item about him. His warm, earthy manner combined with his endless enthusiasm endeared him to viewers, and the BBC made a one hour documentary, Fred Dibnah - Steeplejack, the following year. This featured Dibnah at work, both repairing and demolishing chimneys. Much of it was taken up by his monologue while climbing (entirely fearlessly) chimneys and spires, but the highlight was his demolition of a tall brick chimney, his running from the collapse and his boyish glee at the spectacle.

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Fred Dibnah's rough-hewn Lancastrian manner (and his ever-present flat cap) belied his gentle, self-taught philosophical outlook. He went on to write and present a number of series, largely concerned with the Industrial Revolution and its mechanical and architectural legacy.

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Fred was also an enthusiastic steam fan and had his own Aveling & Porter traction engine built in 1912 and an Aveling & Porter Steam Roller "Betsy", Reg No: DM3079, built in 1910. Fred hosted a number of further BBC series looking at steam and the Victorian era when it was the backbone of industry.

Related Topics:
Aveling & Porter - Traction engine - 1912 - Steam Roller - 1910 - Victorian era

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Fred was awarded an MBE in the 2004 New Year's honours list. He died in 2004, following a three-year battle with cancer. Thousands of people lined the streets of Bolton on the day of his funeral as his coffin was taken through the town on the back of his favourite traction engine, driven by his son, with his Steam Roller, Betsy, following.

Related Topics:
MBE - 2004 - New Year's honours - Traction engine

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