Obit: Fred Dibnah (Nov 2004)

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 10 May 04 - 01:52 PM

Fred is on TV tonight, BBC2 , show starts at 8pm

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: harpmaker
Date: 08 May 04 - 06:56 PM

It was a brilliant method of droping chimneys & Fred was a master.
For those who have never seen, I will explain.

Fred would chop out a hole at the base of a massive chimney & then choc the brickwork up with a large balk of wood (like a section of telegraph pole) Then he would start to elongate the hole sideways, chocking as he went, untill he got half way round the chimney.

So you've got thousands of tons of bricks resting on all this wood.

Then he got wagan loads of old scrap timber & old tyres and placed it round the base of the chimney. (by this time he had a massive crowd, locals & film crews etc)
Then he would set fire to it!
It was a long wait, but eventually the chimney fell as the wood burned away!
He always got a cheer & a round of applause, & he always said 'did you like that!' with a big beaming smile! Then he would say 'right then'----- 'to the pub'!!

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: fat B****rd
Date: 05 May 04 - 04:07 AM

I've always enjoyed Fred's programmes and am very sad to hear of his illness. A great English Institution.

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: harpmaker
Date: 04 May 04 - 06:10 PM

Thanks ard mhacha (ang?)

Greg Stephens, can you give us an events calender where these narrow boat/steam/music things happen, as I would realy like to pay a visit.

Strollin', we echo your sentiment, from Beverley, Iam shure.

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 04 May 04 - 03:15 PM

Mrs. Johnny was very upset to hear about Fred's illness. If you're out there Fred, very best wishes from Gainsborough.
Johnny

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: ard mhacha
Date: 04 May 04 - 02:25 PM

Sorry to learn that Fred has cancer, I have never missed his programmes.
Harpmaker you are right, his early programmes were very good/

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: harpmaker
Date: 03 May 04 - 08:09 PM

and thank's Jeff!

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: harpmaker
Date: 03 May 04 - 07:40 PM

I wish our (UK) BBC would show the very first episodes of Fred as quite a young guy (When he used to blow chimneys up) You guy's in the US would be amazed!
Does anyone know if you can get these on video? or DVD?
As Strollin' Johnny quit rightly said, "its compulsive viewing"
Phot, very sorry to here about the terminal C, thats a real shame, he deserves better.
Thanks to Jean Phillips & McGrath for the very interesting links.

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: Big Jim from Jackson
Date: 01 May 04 - 11:18 AM

A few years ago Gary and Vera Aspey sang a song (It's on there latest album) dedicated to Mr. Dibnah. Being here in the middle of the USA, I had not heard of him. Through the song I got a little bit of a clue as to who and what he is. I wish BBC America would carry his shows so that we over here could enjoy his excapades.

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 01 May 04 - 09:53 AM

Definition of a Lancashireman = a Yorkshireman with his brains kicked out.
eric

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: GUEST,Jean Phillips
Date: 01 May 04 - 08:09 AM

Here are another couple of sites dedicated to the great man:

http://www.vanl.freeserve.co.uk/gvlFred.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/programmes/dibnah/

For those with cable/satellite TV, there's a showing of The Fred Dibnah Story on the UKTV Documentary channel at 8pm on Sunday 2nd May.

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: Phot
Date: 01 May 04 - 03:06 AM

Fred was made an MBE in this years houners list, richley deserved I say. But make the most of the man while you can, he has terminal cancer, not a nice thought I know, but look what he's given us. How many peopple have a replica coal mine in their back garden?

Wassail

Chris

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: LindsayInWales
Date: 30 Apr 04 - 10:23 PM

I often wonder how Warrington survived when it migrated into Cheshire...what a bloody travesty eh? Fortunately my lot came from Preston which isn't likely to be anywhere else but Lancashire...

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: harpmaker
Date: 30 Apr 04 - 10:07 PM

Anyway ile have got to go now --'Cos Corrie's on.

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: el ted
Date: 30 Apr 04 - 06:08 AM

I thought Lancashire was a type of cheese, but it's really a town is it?

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: GUEST,IanN
Date: 30 Apr 04 - 05:57 AM

Lancashire's a small village on the outskirts of Cheshire. It's quite nice though. Unlike the neighbouring suburb of Yorkshire where for some reason nobody seems able to spell.

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 30 Apr 04 - 05:56 AM

So why did it take a Hullist (I could never accept Hull as part of Yorkshire) to start the thread, Greg? Something about prophets in their own land comes to mind.......

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 30 Apr 04 - 05:34 AM

Lancashire? Where's that?, i think i've heard of it, is it a little village somewhere?

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: greg stephens
Date: 30 Apr 04 - 05:31 AM

Get out of here. JOhn. this is a Lancashire thing.

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 30 Apr 04 - 04:21 AM

I like his hat.

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: greg stephens
Date: 30 Apr 04 - 04:19 AM

Fred has many links with music, and indeed the way he works is very similar to the way some musicians live. The Boat Band (that I play with), and other Cheshire musicians associated with the narrow boat scene, have close links with Fred. I've played at fred's chimney drops, for his TV documentaries, and he's turned out to help launch a Boat Band CD. The boaties, musicians and steamies go to the same rallies, pubs, fairs etc and generally get along fine.
    The great interface of music, boats and steam, the holly Bush Rally at Little Leigh, is alas no more, but we all still meet up elsewhere.

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: el ted
Date: 30 Apr 04 - 04:05 AM

If you stood fred dibnah next to harpmaker, you wouldn't be able to tell them apart.

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 30 Apr 04 - 03:50 AM

Fred was the speaker at a dinner my wife attended a few years ago, and he sat at her table and quaffed a few pints with her. She says he's the funniest man alive, and an absolute mine of information. His TV programmes are compulsory viewing at our house.

He's the sort of guy that makes yer proud to be British!
:0)

Subject: RE: Fred Dibnah
From: Sir Roger de Beverley
Date: 30 Apr 04 - 03:43 AM

The TV series with the steam engines used to open and close with a steam organ playing Monk's March - a morris dace tune I believe (but I'm happy to be corrected if it isn't)

Roger

Subject: RE: BS: Fred Dibnah.
From: harpmaker
Date: 29 Apr 04 - 09:15 PM

Wow!! I did'nt know that, good on yer'

Dear Mr Max,
Maybee you could remove the BS Title. Many thanks John.

Subject: RE: BS: Fred Dibnah.
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 29 Apr 04 - 08:31 PM

A great man - and it's a parallel type of defiant tradition to that surrounding the music, and involves similar people often enough. And sometimes the same people. Here's a site with some stuff about Fred - and a song about him, with a sound file, by Pete Martin, who sounds like he's one of those "same people". Here's the chorus:

'ave you seen 'im? 'ave you 'eard 'im?
Chuggin' down the road, ridin' on 'is old steamroller.
'e's a famous steeplejack
And the old smokestacks
Make his face go black.
'e's a feller from Bolton
Ohh Ohh Fred Dibnah.

Subject: BS: Fred Dibnah.
From: harpmaker
Date: 29 Apr 04 - 08:10 PM

Fred Dibnah, the steeplejack that blows chimneys up. What an amazing guy.
Over the years Fred has had various programmes on tv. (dont know about the US, or any where else)
He's still going strong.

I remember the time he drove a traction engine for miles to get to a rally, with, wife & kids in the caravan, so funny.

I think he deserves recognition here as his life evolves around the Victorian era & the working class, (and steem engines!)

He's a bit like a musican in a strange sort of way.