Fred Dibnah was born on April 28, 1938 in Bolton, Lancashire, England. He was married to Sheila Grundy, Sue Lorenz and Alison Foster. He died on November 6, 2004 in Bolton.
Jayne, Lorna, Caroline, Jack, Roger, Jayne, Lorna, Caroline, Jack, Roger
Parents
Frank and Betsy Dibnah
Star Sign
Taurus
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Trademark
1
pronounced "wh-" words (eg "whole") as "wole" rather than "hole"
2
strong Lancashire accent
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Quote
1
I've never fallen off a big chimney; you only fall off one of them once!
2
[after a chimney that he was preparing for demolition fell down spontaneously a day too soon] Aye, well - nobody's been killed, but it's bloody knackered up their fancy day tomorrow, like. Fell down a day early!
3
Anybody who destroys anything made of stone should be prosecuted. It is not all beautiful, but it took a man all day to make one stone.
4
[talking about dying] The ideal way out would be, I think, instead of dying in bed of lung cancer or something 'orrible like that, just to drop off [a chimney] one sunny day when I'm about seventy-five and that'll be the end.
5
[being scathing about people who demolish chimneys the easy way, with dynamite] With dynamite, they're all 200 yards away, hiding.
6
I'm just a bum who climbs chimneys.
7
Height gives you a wonderful feeling of grandeur. You're the king of the castle up here.
8
I set out as a steeplejack in my youth to preserve chimneys. I've finished by knocking most of them down.
9
Steam engines don't answer back. You can belt them with a hammer and they say nowt.
10
We've become a nation of con men, living by selling double glazing to each other.
11
The modern world stinks.
12
I realise that steam engines aren't everyone's cup of tea. But they're what made England great.
13
A man who says he feels no fear is either a fool or a liar.
14
Did you like that? [said after he's just felled a chimney]
15
One mistake up here, and it's half a day out with the undertaker.
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Fact
1
He was awarded two honorary doctorates: a Doctor of Technology in 2000 from Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, and a Doctor of the University in 2004 from Birmingham University.
2
Whilst Fred was married to Alison, his beloved steam roller was named Alison. However after the divorce, he changed the name to Betsy, the name of his mother, on the grounds that "wives may change but your mother remains your mother"! "Betsy" performed one final act for Fred: as requested in his will, she drove behind his coffin to his funeral at Bolton Parish Church on 16 November 2004.
3
He was awarded the M.B.E. (Member of the British Empire) in the 2003 Queen's New Year's Eve Honours List for his services to Heritage and Broadcasting.
4
Children (with Sue): Jack (born 1987) and Roger (1991).
5
Children (with Alison): Jane (born 1968), Lorna and Caroline.
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Fred Dibnah's Railway Collection
2009
TV Series documentary
Himself - Presenter
Fred Dibnah's World of Steam, Steel and Stone
2006-2007
TV Series documentary
Himself - Presenter
Made in Britain
2005
TV Series documentary
Himself
Dig with Dibnah
2004
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Presenter
Age of Steam
2003
TV Series documentary
Himself - Presenter
Building of Britain
2002
TV Series documentary
Presenter
Timewatch
2002
TV Series documentary
Himself
Magnificent Monuments
2000
TV Series
Himself
Industrial Age
1999
TV Series
Himself - Presenter
The Fred Dibnah Story
1996
TV Series documentary
Himself
Noel's Telly Years
1996
TV Series
Himself
Life with Fred
1994
TV Series documentary
Himself
A Year with Fred
1987-1991
TV Series documentary
Himself
The Saturday Picture Show
1985
TV Series
Himself
Fred
1982-1983
TV Series documentary
Himself
Fred Dibnah: Steeplejack
1979
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
A Tribute to Fred Dibnah
2004
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Known for movies
Fred Dibnah's Railway Collection (2009) as Himself - Presenter
Fred Dibnah: Steeplejack (1979) as Himself
Fred Dibnah's World of Steam, Steel and Stone (2006-2007) as Himself - Presenter
$800,000