Product Description

"Fred Dibnah's World" celebrates the life and work of Britain's best known steeplejack and national treasure, Fred Dibnhah. Before his death in 2004, Fred presented many popular series, including Magnificent Monuments, The Age of Steam and Made in Britain, all of which attracted viewers in their millions. "Fred" is the companion to the 12-part "BBC2" series celebrating the life of this great man, which combines highlights from some of Dibnah's classic programmes with previously unseen footage. The book can of course go much further than the series, including an extraordinarily account of Fred's childhood which evokes a lost England and our great industrial heritage. Fred's passion for the glories of the Victorian age and his fascination with the landscape he grew up in, plus his admiration for the craftsmen and labourers who made it all possible, captivate us on every page. Fred is the personification of everything that made England great in the first place. And, this is a glorious tribute to a man whom millions came to love.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #195348 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 320 pages

From the Back Cover
Fred Dibnah won the hearts of millions of viewers with his television programmes about his life as a steeplejack, and his passion for the industrial history of Britain. With his trademark flat cap, enthusiasm and knowledge of the country’s steam past, his gift for storytelling, and his cry of ‘Did you like that?’ as another giant chimney slid to earth behind him, he quickly became a genuine favourite with viewers.

This is an intimate portrait of Fred, from his childhood in Bolton, to his days as a steeplejack – the job he was to love above all others – and on to his successful television career. We discover all the different sides of Fred’s personality – engineer, steeplejack, artist, craftsman, steam enthusiast, inventor, storyteller and eccentric. This definitive biography will delight Fred’s many fans.

‘Fred Dibnah, philosopher and steeplejack, has been representing the people for nearly 20 years’
Sunday Telegraph

‘Dibnah, a true man of the people…you can almost hear the echoes and smell the oil and smoke in this affectionate delve into his life’
Manchester Evening News

About the Author
David Hall was Fred Dibnah's tv producer for many years, as well as a personal friend of the family. He made all of the most recent television series and is also the producer of Fred Dibnah's World.

Customer Reviews

great reading!!!
Although it says published on 2nd Sept 2006 I managed to get a copy from my local Tesco.Well written and interesting all the way through I found the last chapters particularly poingnant and sensetively dealt with.Fred lead a varied and interesting life and if you love a good biography you will love this one!
Nice one Fred (and David)

The spirit of Fred in a book
This well-written biography trully captures the spirit of Fred's life and I believe Fred would have liked it. This book includes some of his frustrations and many achievements. The only thing missing is smell of Fred's oil soaked cloth cap and a (couple) of pints of Guiness.

Fred all over
I was given this book for Christmas as I've always been a Fred fan but never really a book lover. I started it Christmas Day and hardly put it down! It is compulsive reading.
It is written in Fred language which makes it easy to follow and the last few chapters tell you all the things that never showed up in the TV series. A good read and definitely worth buying.