I’m an American. Never seen or heard anything about this Fred the steeplejack . I didn’t even know what steeplejack was! Now, even though the show is old and Fred has gone to the huge steam engine in the sky, I’m a fan!!. I guess this was aired back when Benny Hill was on the television. I really like and appreciate the Man, his character, the show and his work. Quite a unique Bloak, indeed. R.I.P Fred.
I'm British and I only knew Fred as that old charming presenter of the TV show 'British Engineering'. I only discovered his career as a steepleJack last week and I been obsessed with him ever since. The things this man done were absolutely incredible and I'm ashamed I didnt discovering him earlier.
As well as a truly skilled mechanic,engineer,draughtsman,craftsman, and smoking beer drinker, he was such a natural entertaining British character, not eccentric, just embodied a British spirit that has been lost. He is missed.
Too bad he was a lousy father and husband. You’ll do more good in this world raising a few good kids than fixing chimneys that’ll be knocked down eventually anyway.
I'm a American and both my parents were from England and my father was a stone mason and brick mason so Fred reminds me of my father, hard worker and had a lot of great stories about the second World War and his travels, we had are ups and downs in life but he definitely had that old English spirit of never give up just keep going and work hard and things will work out in the end, I lost Dad last year and miss him dearly he was 89 and still had his mind together thank God. I miss his stories and just talking to him he was great. Thanks for having these videos it brings back great memories for me. Times have definitely changed from that generation hard worker's that just kept going know matter what came a long in life God Bless Them
@T T I would say not much at all sadly. I'm an American and I just stumbled upon him about a month ago..I'm 33, and never heard of him until a random RU-vid video of him climbing a 300 ft chimney. Been infatuated with him since lol. A true man's man. He would be something of a folk tale here
I agree, not many people know of him here in the US. I only found out about him about a year ago by complete chance through RU-vid recommendations, but I've since watched all the available videos on him. He was certainly an absolute treasure, not just to your nation but to old souls all around the world.
Probably lots like him, but they don't get to appear on TV, that's the difference. If Fred just did what he did without being known about, he would've faded into obscurity. I do find some of the stuff he talks about abit BS, like he just makes stuff up, like some bloke stood at the bar making stuff like he'd climbed Everest or something, I think Fred was abit like that.
No such thing as British anymore. I hate to say it but Fred helped to destroy our industrial past by knocking those chimney's down, and know doubt the greedy sods who got their greasy hands on the land have turned it into another industrial business park complex or built some pokey hamster cage size apartments on it.
I lived in Bolton and finally met him in the early 70's. I'd known of him, and had seen him on his steam engine countless times, but had never actually met him until that point. At the time (in my teens) I was an apprentice TV Engineer with E. P. Lees, and me and my mate got a job to deliver a brand new Colour TV (which hadn't been out long, it was all black and white then) to his house. I thought great I will get to speak to him as I'd admired him from afar for many years. After struggling with this huge ctv into his house, he appeared from the kitchen, looked us, and said "If I had my way you'd be taking that 'abomination' back to the shop, where he quickly exited to a back room, never to be seen again. R.I.P Mr Dibnah, "I never watched the damn things... I only mended them."
This is the first time I’ve ever seen Fred, I’m about 5 mins into the program and I’m already extremely fond of the man. He’s clearly a very easy man to like.
Also an American that just discovered this Fred the Steeplejack. Makes me actually appreciate industrialism and the old english spirit. Most of these distinct people, values and charm have been lost in modernism and globalization. but hey at least it’s given me the chance to discover this guy ;)
I had the pleasure, indeed the privilege of being able to visit his place in Bolton once, although it was after he had passed. My girlfriend and I were en route from Holyhead to Farnborough by road some years back (2009 if I remember correctly) with time in hand. We had both been fans and regular viewers for many years so we made a detour to Bolton with the idea of having a look at where he lived. When we got there, we parked up and had a walk up and down outside. The gate was open and a chap inside brought us down the driveway for a look at what was left of his workshops. There was a lot of stuff already gone by then but, strange as it may seem, it was quite a special feeling to be stood there, right where he had been filmed working on his various projects. RIP Fred.
@@unlokia Well, that aged well! Was a dumb comment in the first place, yet now being right has never been more underrated! Well good luck to you, but there's no fixing 'stupid'.
A world where you can do nothing because of red tape and procedure and scared of saying something wrong with fear of the snowflakes destroying all your hard work..... It's a crying shame, it really is
What a legend. I’m 34 and tbh I’m quite an old soul and am quite old school in my engineering ways and I’m sure the Poor bugger wud be heart broken if he saw the skills that are pretty well lost in Britain nowadays
One of the nicest blokes I can possibly imagine living or dead that i could wish to go and have a pint with. He was apparently a very approachable bloke and I regret I never made the effort to go and buy him a pint somewhere while he was here with us. At least we have so many fantastic videos of his exploits over the years and I'm very grateful to Fred and the BBC team that brought him to our screens.
The scene where he adds tye stone ball to the roof is priceless.he said himself he wanted people to remember him.so good to revisit Freds life a second time around .Thanks
Fred has gone but never forgotten .sadly mist but much loved .Thank you for sharing your passion with us❤ R.I.P my friend ❤Thank you for your time when I come up to see meet ❤Regards God bless❤❤
Jesus he was fearless….when he’s sweeping that chimney stack at the start and he just walks up the roof ( whilst damp ) is unreal! I’m a roofer and I’d be using a hook ladder if I was climbing that steep a pitch…the man was either mad or an adrenaline junkie or probably both, what a legend! 😂
What a character....clever ,funny with patter which your drawn too with his wit and infectious laugh. Yes to repeat ...we all miss you but thank god we have you caught on film to continue to enjoy. RIP Fred ...the world thanks you for your life here on earth and hope your spirit is at peace up there on your steam engine in heaven. Best wishes to your family and friends and thanks for posting. 👍👏👏👏🏴😉
I've went down the Chimney hole so to speak , watching everything Fred has done that's available what a legend, from America we miss you Fred hope your blowing that wisle and having a pint up in the sky.
Great man, and sadly, probably the last of his kind. RIP Fred, I hope you are up there having a right good chin wag with Isambard Kingdom Brunel (who was supposedly one of Fred's heroes).
I can just picture it. Fred: "Izzy, what on earth were you thinking with that Thames Tunnel malarkey? You shouldn't have done it like that, you daft apeth".
I remember watching the first airing of the BBC programme introducing Fred Dibnah to the world. Total revelation to see such an authentic and lively character so different from the usual people on TV back in the late 1970's. Mesmerising to learn about his (extra)ordinary life as a steeplejack etc then, never mind learning about it now in the 21st century.
One tuff S.O.B. ! These men , are now very few and far between , if not almost gone ! Very , very , much respect to the men like Fred ! They are very few of us left to carry on the size of balls this man drug up the ladder to make his pay !! Long live Fred !!!
Fred Dibnah. Fred Dibnah was a Steeplejack that all of us did like, Years ago he could be seen on his vintage motorbike. He loved repairing Chimneys but knocked all the big ones down, Fred was such a happy jovial chap who never wore a frown. He never would be beaten he’d always find a way, And if he wasn’t working he went in his shed to play.The shed was run on steam and his boiler fuelled by wood Machines from many years ago but results were very good. He bought a knackered engine it was a traction type, After many years restoring it created quite a hype.He travelled round the country and stopped at all the pubs, Plus changing both the bearings he had fitted in the hubs. It was a gleaming monster and what a credit to the man, He never slept too far from it because he towed a caravan.He always wore a flat cap that stunk of oil and grease, He is no longer with us Fred Dibnah rest in peace. Riley Benstead.
After a lot of time around Atherton and Bolton I now live in France an regret those surprisingly happy days - one chimney Fred brought down was just behind one of my houses - a character sadly missed but treasured. Good luck Fred, hope you're driving your traction engine in the sky
Like Normsweb said he got an MBE but as far as I'm concerned he deserved a full knighthood because he has done more for Britain than most of the many oxygen thieves that got one largely through class rather than ability or value of of contribution they made.
Yeah forgot I sit on my arse all day , at what point in my comment did I say kids are not hard working ? Read it again , look in the mirror and admit you are trolling.
What do you expect from a local small shop lol, and people bang on about supporting local businesses instead of all the big chain shops, well not if they're ripping people off. I avoid corner shops and places like that if I can. I bet Screwfix wasn't around back then. Saying that, I also try to avoid shops that ask for your name and address when you've bought something. I've noticed when I went to my local Machine Mart for a couple of angle grinding discs they wanted to know my address and name, which they printed off, yet all I did was pay with cash. Why are these places wanting your contact details and name for something like that?. I was in my late 30s at the time not some under age teenager. I'm guessing the real reason is to keep a track of what you've been buying under some "safety" excuse. I remember when I was a kid my dad would often ask me to pop down to the local corner DIY shop (which is now sadly a bloody Bargain Booze, and not surprisingly since becoming that the area has become a dump) to get some screws, yet today you wouldn't be allowed to do that because they would be classed as a dangerous weapon lol. We are being treated like children. You can't even buy a knife or a pair of scissors unless you meet the "Challenge 25" requirements. What happened to being 18?.
Fred was fearless , up hundreds of feet up a wooden ladder . No safety ropes , hard hat high rez jacket . Flat cap was all he had to protect his head from falling bricks ect! Hairy scary moments before the chimney's fall to! I doubt you will see a guy like that again , he was a great guy R.I.P Fred.
@@ismailmiah1446 It's not the fact Britain is soft when it comes to health and safety. The development world haven't got money to buy the relevant equipment needed. Otherwise they would have the safety gear as well.
I feel like i miss a man ive not actually met. Everyones has someone similar to this gent in their lives to some degree but they just dont make em like Fred anymore. There are some people need not try to entertain, they just do with being their sincere selves. Fred just seemed like one of em.
@@johnnyd695 Maybe she got fed up of spending her evenings alone and having no holidays because he blew all the money on traction engines and beer down the pub.
@@robwilde6857 She knew what he was like, so she should never have married him. Oh, she waited until he got the big fancy house and had it done up, THEN she left him. Get a clue, kid.
These are the type of men that helped make America rich and powerful, once they were given the freedom and rights the British feudal society denied them.
To see this guy so happy in his trade and his fantastic house extension and repairs,and he’s out and about looking for items for his projects fantastic world and the great era of industry coming to a close and he was trying to keep it all alive in his hard working Life he had ,but sadly short life 66 years of age died sadly,and a new guy took his place over ran heritage centre for a while but he sold it later on to retire himself .a lot to live up to is Fred dibnah.
Why fred appeared in my feed today will forever be a happy mystery. Did he call telly the magic lantern? I cant climb 4 rungs without shaking, this guys fearless
What a bloke Fred was , there will never be another like him , very clever man , turn his hand to anything , born in the wrong era mind you , and the world today Fred would hate it he really would , god bless you Fred .
@@adriancarter825 For once someone who agrees and thinks all this mask wearing is ridiculous. I would like to think he wouldn't have complied, but there is no way the BBC would've had any more to do with him if he he didn't or spoke his mind about it, because the BBC are one of the main organisations behind this nonsense, all fear mongering 24/7 propaganda.
