Fred always came across as being a bit ' happy go lucky ' , but every now and then he says something that made you realise he knew just how potentially dangerous his job was and that if things went wrong , they went wrong big time ! My favourite Fred saying spoken in that great , rich Lancashire accent of his is " , you know , one mistake up 'ere and it's half a day out with the undertaker " !
I get spasms across my chest when I see Fred at work. I haven't seen one of him putting the steel bands round the chimneys. Can't imagine how he kept first one in place hile lifting and bolting on teh others.
Back in the 80s i lived in Bolton Freds town were i worked in a HiFi shop ,Fred came into the shop and bought a Technics rack system off me ,i had to go to his house and install it for him .To quote Fred can you install the bugger for me cause i aint got a bloody clue how to put bloody thing together .A true legend indeed
I live 2 miles away from where this chimney was and I honestly get the biggest buzz knowing that somewhere, a couple of thousand mile away there is some random yank asking his friends if they ever heard of our Fred. Then showing them these videos. The man is a legend and if youtube was around in his day, he would have made a fortune. Let's see pewdiepie try something like that. Kinda puts into perspective what the price of fame and admiration is these days compared to what it took back then to get respect and recognition. Fred will always be a legend to anyone in the North of England.
My great great great grandfather was a steepljack in the 1890’s. He climbed the outside of Norwich cathedral spire in Norfolk England on a rainy, windy, November morning to take the weather vain off for repair with no ropes or harness. He carried it down, did the repairs necessary and them carried it back up and re attached it. The weather vain was made of solid brass and stood 3 feet high by3 feet wide, he was only 5 foot 2 himself
Fred was a legend, what a guy. Nowadays window cleaners in the UK aren't even allowed to even use step ladders 3 feet of the ground due to health and safety dangers. What a joke. Fred would laugh into his beer 🍻. RIP Fred, we loved you.
I hate the fact I can’t get a decent window cleaner anymore because of this ladder crap. There’s guys with these bloody poles now with so called smart water that they spray windows with and give them a quick rub with a brush then demand £10 for it?!! I had murder with one because I had seagull crap on my bedroom window and he didn’t even clean it off and said he’d finished, I pointed out the crap still there and he was adamant he’d finished. Guess what? I was adamant in telling him to F off. Now if I want my windows cleaned I’ve got to do it myself.
@@Eleventhearlofmarsload of bollocks 😂😂my uncle still doing rounds window cleaning off a ladder and a lad I know literally advertises his business as traditional window cleaning lol
To be fair, about the only time Fred fell off and hurt himself, it was from a three or four foot stepladder at home, in his daughter's bedroom I believe.
I met Fred while working in Bolton one day while they were filming the mine shaft dig behind his house. Lovely bloke - I asked for a photo and he asked if I was with the inland revenue 😂
As many have said, that man had balls of steel, or maybe something stronger, so softly spoken, but hard as nails, he had a work ethic and love of his craft that I have never seen equaled. A true British icon, it's so good to see that you too admire his skills and charismatic manner.
There is a video on you tube called ‘the day Bolton stood still’. Worth a watch, not to react to, but just to see what people of Fred’s home town thought of him.
At 8:19 onwards when Fred is manoeuvring that plank across, it can be easy to overlook just how much strength, concentration and effort that takes, and you can hear the eerie, loneliness of just the wind in the background quietly reminding him that if he does get this bit wrong that it it’s there waiting for him, to do all this on his own is nothing short of astonishing, what a guy.
@Mickey Finn Perhaps we are commenting at cross purposes - I meant that amazing people like Fred, rather than some 'superiority' or spectacular leaders, were primarily responsible for the capacity Britain displayed to influence the world.
@Mickey Finn Fred was a Legend, but I'd bet he'd be the first to say he was not a one-off. He was one of the (unfortunately) increasingly rare breed of craftsmen who built and maintained the machinery of the industrial revolution. There was a time, as Fred says himself, when chimneys like this dominated the skylines all around the UK (and particularly in the North), and men like Fred were far more common, as there was still plenty of work for them. Which is the point I thnk Alcagaur1 was trying to make. Tough, hard-working, brave and highly skilled men & women who were the cogs that kept the machine of the empire running.
@Mickey Finn he was a ‘one off’ only in respect he lived his life in a bygone era over his love of steam engines. However, during the great industrial revolution men like Fred were everyday working men. Starting from the coal mines to the steel mills to the engineering works that built trains, water pumps, and all forms of steam powered machinery. Prior to that you were reliant on either a windmill or a watermill. The steam engine enabled power sources to be mobile or built in specific locations. Such as farm threshers in the fields during harvest to industrial works. All of it was steam engine driven or belt fed. It completely changed Britain from a laird and serfdom state to an industrial powerhouse that went on to have the biggest empire in history where we exported this technology across the world. Fred’s steeple jack job was common place as all these mills had these huge chimneys that all needed maintaining. Fred chose to use the Victorian methods rather than modern as he believed they were better for the job. He was an exceptional mechanical engineer and all self-taught. He clearly was a highly intelligent man but says he could barely write so I suspect he was dyslexic. A true British hero.
Every time I watch Fred, I',m always amazed how strong he is. I've been working with 16ft 4 x 2's at ground level and they are a pain to waggle around. You get my drift.
he was an enigma. his physical fitness alone is a mystery, given that he smoked like a chimney, didn't mind a pint or two and probably didn't eat the strictest of diets. a real man's man. Good on ya Fred!
I live in bolton 2 miles from Fred's house. This man is a legend in Bolton there's a statue of him. The museum has a big section dedicated to him. His house became a national heritage site. But has unfortunately shut now. Even the chimney he built on the roof of his mums house in his teens has a preservation order on it. A real proud hard working man is our Fred.
Is it true the council intervened when he attempted to mine for coal under his back garden? I know he built the wheel and pulley system to do it but was it for real? The man is inspirational, a real man's man
Yeah that's true the council allowed the pit head gear and the engine shed for the winding engine. But then didn't give him planning permission for the saft and tunnel. He wasn't going to mine for coal just make a mock working mine with a endless rope Haulage system. With the same coal carts going down the hillside through the tunnel and back up the mine shaft. It would have made a brilliant addition to a fascinating garden.
Stumbled across your earlier video reaction to Fred laddering the chimney, and had to watch this one next. Your character and temperament really make these videos… so much so that I’ve subscribed and intend to watch more of your posts. I’ve stopped this vid @3:04 to write this, as I’m laughing so much at you having seen Fred sat in his swing 😂😂😂 Keep up the good work
Just subscribed your reactions were gold !! My old chap was like Fred working at hight on all sorts of buildings when I was a boy I said to him are you not scared ? He said no time to be scared I’ve got you four hungry mouths to feed ! Never forgotten that . Thank you dad for making me the man I am today. Thank you squirrel for entertaining us 👍👍😎
When you watched the laddering a chimney one, I hoped you'd do this one too as this is absolutely next level. Gonna grab a beer and sit down for this now 👍
It's just occurred to me the thing Fred says quite a bit in these videos, something you NEVER want to have to factor in at that sort of height "With a bit of luck...." 😳
The bit that always gets me is when he's just casually wandering around the 300 foot high scaffolding with no safety harness, a roll-up cigarette in one hand and a board in the other. Absolute legend, balls of steel, but a bit mental.
Fred was a bloody legend, taking it all in his stride and was all so matter of fact about it. Mr Dibnah had no fear and was so calm and went about his business like it was an everyday job that anyone could all do. I know i couldn't do it. I love the look of fear on your face and you're sitting on your arse watching on a screen. 😂😂😂
He was like a time traveller from the industrial revolution. I have worked at great heights, but never without a solid modern platform, handrails and a safety harness. 2 narrow thin planks over a 300 foot drop to the afterlife is just terrifying.
I grew up and worked with men like Fred, he wouldn't have been a exceptional man at the time everyone sort of worked the same way but I'm I'm glad he made these films just to show youngsters today how being strong minded will get you what you want to achieve
Fred's love for his work far outweighs his fear or risk. I used to live near him. I met him a few times. Really nice man. He'd always make sure he had a chat to everyone. It wasn't like modern celebs who just walk past scrawling their signature.. He's stand there for hours talking to everyone. I was only young at the time, I just wish I could have met him when I was older.
How strong must Fred have been? Hold a 14ft plank or threaded bar at one end, and see how heavy that is, when gravity and leverage start playing with you. All whilst sat down, on an unstable platform. I'm a big guy, and I wouldn't have fucked with him.
Free wasn't crazy,he laughed in the face of danger.it's something you obviously don't comprehend just how brave and fearless he was..he knew what could happen and made sure it didn't happen but he was always in the hands of the gods.he was the cleverest man in his various fields I ever knew..I met him twice in visits to his house and it was magical to listen to him and I've visited his gravesite in pure homage to the best man after my father I ever knew
Fred Dibnah is the last of a breed, there are no more like him. Gone but not forgotten, thanks to people like you Hey Look Squirrel! You are appreciated (for your Tribute) as much as we appreciated Fred for his boots on the ground way of life (boots-up-300ft-off-the-ground)
Absolute Legend of a man . Hard to have anything but the greatest admiration for him . Very interesting guy who made a few series about traction engines & the industrial revolution
As Sombody with working experience on sites in the 70s-80s I do remember people like Fred who did not seem in any way troubled by altitude. I have been up on the steel with chaps like him running about while I clung on for dear life. Dibner was an extreme case even then. He also has a way of explaing what he is doing clearly, in such a relaxed way, that you forget he is 10-25 stories up in the air with nothing but empty space under him and a fair bit of wind. It remains surprising to me that he died in his bed, due to cancer and not from falling off a big pile of Bricks up north.
I lived in the same neighbourhood as Fred when I was a kid. Every Sunday he'd be out riding on his steamroller with a gang of us chasing after him shouting "give us a toot Fred", and he always did. What a guy!
There's one set of ladders on each side of the chimney. You can see it when he first climbs up. So he first have to put the dogs, the plank and the braces on one side, then climb down, climb up on the other side and do it all again.
Best reaction video I've seen. Your face when you saw Fred on his swing. That's not the worst of it thought you should see how Fred climbs over the scaffolding after he's come down for his pub lunch.
Watch how he celebrated the Royal wedding. Takes a flag up with him. Stands atop the chimney. Swinging on a pole and proudly files a 20 ft flag. Legend , patriot , gentleman.
I have just noticed there is a second part of the chimney scaffolding(look at the photos on your monitor), it's called "drinking and climbing". Did you noticed that Fred had something in his mouth, which looked like a cigarette, on his way down?
Haha "Fred and his fantastic fucking chair" hahaha really made me laugh. He's just sat on this homemade wooden swing seat...not tied in..nothing...it's a miracle he didn't make a one way rapid descent...He has so much self belief and lack of fear it totally blows my mind.
Seen a few different spins on our brothers from over the pond .But squirrel is the only guy who really understands and genuinely respects what this documentary was about. I never realised as a boy watching this with my family how unbelievable it was .massive respect to squirrel 👏 for bringing this back
@@TheRealSquirrel Fred was essentially Victorian in the way he worked. He was known to love the steam age and how the victorians worked with steam engines to build great buildings and chimneys, he took their philosophies into his own personal work and he was a very good engineer and draughtsman.
My Dad is from Bolton and was an engineer. We used to watch Fred’s tv shows together, though I never saw how he erected the scaffolding, so thanks for posting. 👍
New to the channel. Love your reaction to the legend that was Fred. Have you seen the first episode of Fred Dibnah story. He knocks a chimney down a break at a time. Lots of shots from the top. His demolitions were spectacular with props and fire definitely worth a watch.
I stumbled across the episode *Skyscraper Window Cleaning* from the 2016 *BBC* TV series *World's Toughest Jobs* last month, and thought *"Squirrel would love this."* I'm fairly sure I watched the series at the time, but had completely forgotten about it until then. That episode is on *RU-vid* with the title *Worlds Toughest Jobs | Season 1 Episode 3 - High-Rise Window Cleaning - Documentary.*
From my town Bolton, as a kid I used to wave to him in his Landover all hand sign written on his travels round town doing his chimney work. You want to see him burn a brick chimney down now that's an art. If you was lucky you would catch him holding the traffic up in Bolton with his 50ton steam traction engine stopping at pubs for pints. In his youth he climbed a 270ft chimney for a bet that he could do it by his mates. Last of the proper men none of these wet flannels now.
Love these videos as it gives another view of the legend that is Fred Dibnah . That view is that your face and expressions are what we were all thinking the first time we watched him over 40 years ago !!!
You can just see the visit fro the health and safety, cant you. Man from Health & Safety " He cant do that, it's not allowed". Fred's mate on the ground "You want to climb up and tell him, go ahead."
And he even built his own frigging steam engine as well in his back yard which he used to parade around on an absolute engineering genius, and such a skilled craftsman, and hard as nails when it came to work effort if world war broke out you would want Fred in your bloody trench with you
I thought I did a hard job. And yeah roofing is quite dangerous at times but nothing like this! Hats off! He was only a small bloke but must have been strong as an ox! Guiding those scaffold boarded across the span of those supports. Good reaction vid bro!
Fred was one of the last of a dying breed from a bygone age. He respected the work that men of previous generations had built - and respected them, too. When he took chimneys down he did that with respect, too; no explosives, he used the same methods they used. If you haven't seen him take down a chimney, it's worth a look. Few people these days are trained to work the way he did - or are willing to be trained.
