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Fred Dibnah

A

Alberta

Super Moderator
Staff member
Just finished FRED by David Hall.

Had to smile when it said that he would rather enjoy a walk around the back streets of Birmingham than go on holiday.

A man who should have been born in victorian times and his wives suffered because of this but to read about his passion for engineering and building was so interesting.

He hated bringing down chimneys that men had taken so much time and effort to build but in these modern times they were obsolete.

A bit technical at times but nevertheless very enjoyable.
 
I loved Fred he was such an interesting man much admired by his peers, and yet he knew a lot more than most of them put together. A great thirst for learning and departing his knowledge to so many. A sad loss of a craftsman...Cat
 
I still miss the man. But we still have this.:)

[ame="https://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=tZXCfK_HHSg"]YouTube - Fred Dibnah - Robin Hood[/ame]
 
Alf, that was very enjoyable. I didn't know Fred wished I had he seemed like a very interesting man.
Thank You again
 
Topsy I'm surprised you haven't seen him where you live, his programmes and himself are still well loved.:)
 
Unfortunatly Alf we get more american programmes than U/K ones, which is very sad they don't know what there missing.
 
That was great Alf he was such a character. I love to watch his series on the TV especially the old ones when he was demolishing the old chimney stacks.
 
His last Wendy:)

[ame="https://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=945T56ZxFkE"]YouTube - Fred Dibnah - The Last Chimney[/ame]
 
Wonderful Alf.

What an inspirational man he was.

He had cancer and was in such pain when he felled his last chimney.

Looks like his son Roger has inherited some of his fathers character,love the top hat.
 
i must agree.. what a great character fred was. i never missed an episode and my brother has all of them on cd.

wales:)
 
Did you realise that after Fred died his house & yard was raided by thieves who stripped the house & his workshop of many irreplaceable items? Freds wife and sons were not living there at the time after his death.
Fred Dibnah's home ransacked (From The Bolton News)
I have a DVD showing his mates trying to rescue his steam engines by removing them onto a low loader to take to a safe place, the thieves had even removed brass parts off the engines simply for scrap so they couldn't steam it up the slope & had to bring in huge haulage equipment & tractors.
Many of the items Fred proudly displayed in the house & were shown on TV have disappeared also.
I understand some of the stolen metal inc. engine name plates were later recovered from a scrapyard but I don't know the outcome.

Another shock
Fred Dibnah's historic house fails to sell at auction (From The Bolton News)
 
That is so sad I just can't belive how evil some people can be. Fred collected a lot of things and I am sure the theives knew this! I just don't know what to say!:(
 
Fred had started to dig a Victorian-era coal-mine in the back yard of his house - true!! I wonder if that's what put people off bidding for the place!

A couple of Fred-isms for your delectation:

"I ain't never fell off a chimney - that's summat you do only once, like".

"These days you can 'ave 20 blokes workin', and another 60 blokes tellin' 'em they can't do this, can't do that, and need to wear an 'ard 'at"

"The modern world stinks!"

Big Gee
 
Another quote from Fred when at the top of a massive chimney was

# when I go I hope it's not a slow death from some horrible disease, I'd rather fall off the chimney & get it over & done with with quick like #

Apparently the house has now sold to a person who wants to remain anonymous, the sale price will also not be disclosed, I bet it went for a song,
unbelievable really
 
Alberta said:
Wonderful Alf.

What an inspirational man he was.

He had cancer and was in such pain when he felled his last chimney.

Looks like his son Roger has inherited some of his fathers character,love the top hat.
Click to expand...
:)hi Alberta i have that book to read on my shelf,what a fantastic person,
i know he had his faults, but what an engineer i would have so liked to have met him. as it goes on Friday last we were coming to the end of our stay in Nottingham,and went to wollaton hall it is free, just pay to park it is packed in on part of the machinery Fred would tinker with, you could almost feel him there.wollatonhall.org.uk great day out regards dereklcg
 
Brilliant, I'm about half way through the book. As I read it I can hear him talking where theyve used direct comments he has said. Brilliant book well worth a read. I do think he must have been a difficult man to live with, very old fashioned. I hope you Bra-women take note!!!

Oink Oink It's Going

Did You Like That
 
hello.robi.i loved to watch is shows,yes i did hear he was a perf perf fectonis. what ever.any way as any one been down a pit?.i did the big pit what a great day out.or should i have put a day under.:D
 
Ive never been down a pit, not a real one any road up. I have been to the Black Country Museum and gone down their mock up of a pit, it's pretty good the first time you do it.

Fred was a man who expected his dinner on the table at the end of a days work, he didnt like the thought of lying in the sun when he could be tinkering with his engines etc. Fred enjoyed his industrial surroundings, the streets he grew up in, and Im sure I read that he would much prefer a trip to Birmingham's heartland than a day in the country or lying on a Spanish Beach........The book does say he kind of changed when his first wife left him... it came as quite a shock. Whats that saying about Behind Every Good Man? I guess he was just very old fashioned, but I thought he was a smashing bloke, I could have listened to him all day.

Derek what brilliant pictures.
 
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hi. ta for reply.what a weird feeling when you are 300 or so ft under ground. but would not do it again.to be honest with you it was a bit :'(:'(.i know what fred would have said.'' did you **** that" bless him
 
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