Fred Dibnah

Frederick Dibnah MBE (28 April 1938 – 6 November 2004) was an English steeplejack and television personality. Having a keen interest in mechanical engineering, he described himself as a "backstreet mechanic." When Dibnah was born, Britain relied heavily upon coal to fuel its industry. As a child, he was fascinated by the steam engines which powered the many textile mills in Bolton, but he paid particular attention to chimneys and the men who worked on them. He began his working life as a joiner, before becoming a steeplejack. From age 22, he served for two years in the Army Catering Corps of the British Army, undertaking his National Service. Once demobilized, he returned to steeplejacking but met with limited success until he was asked to repair Bolton's parish church tower. The resulting publicity provided a boost to his business, ensuring he was almost never out of work. In 1978, while making repairs to Bolton Town Hall, Dibnah was filmed by a regional BBC news crew. The BBC then commissioned a documentary, which followed the rough-hewn steeplejack as he worked on chimneys, interacted with his family and talked about his favourite hobby – steam. His Lanky manner and gentle, self-taught philosophical outlook proved popular with viewers and he featured in a number of television programmes. Towards the end of his life, the decline of Britain's industry was mirrored by a decline in his steeplejacking business and Dibnah increasingly came to rely on public appearances and after-dinner speaking to support his income. In 1998, he presented a programme on Britain's industrial history and went on to present a number of series, largely concerned with the Industrial Revolution and its mechanical and architectural legacy. In the 2004 New Year Honours, Fred Dibnah was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to industrial heritage and broadcasting. He received the honour from Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on 7 July 2004. Dibnah expressed surprise at the award, remarking that he had never expected such recognition for his work. Dibnah died from bladder cancer in November 2004, aged 66.