Just 20 years ago Fred Dibnah was working as a humble steeplejack in Bolton; an unlikely hero, he was approached by a BBC news team keen to shoot a news item about his work and, the rest as they say, is history.
Through compelling features and never before seen photographs this magbook looks back at Fred’s fascinating early life, and celebrates the journey of the humble steeplejack who grew to become the king of his trade.
The publication also includes an audio CD called “Fred Dibnah Live” with recordings from his live tours including:
- The Early Days (11mins)
- T.V. Times (8mins)
- Canvey Island Disaster (17mins)
- Heavens Above (6mins)
- Tristain’s Tale (2mins)
- Car Spotting (2mins)
- Ashes to Ashes (5mins)
- Nine Lives (11mins)
- Donald at the Bottom (7mins)
- One in Four (3mins)
More details from the book’s press release:
Paul Donoghue has spent the last 6 months secretly working on the Fred Dibnah book from his office suite in the newly refurbished Station Business Centre on Station Road, Clowne.
Paul worked with Fred Dibnah in the early 1990’s, and following Fred’s second television series was responsible for Fred’s very first commercial video release. I saw, filmed and photographed it all said Paul, from chimney demolitions, placing weather vanes on the tops of church spires, and all the activities with Fred’s traction engines at his amazing steam powered yard in Bolton.
“I feel honoured to have known and worked with Fred Dibnah said Paul, he was such a unique character. The thing with Fred was that he was the real deal, no airs and graces, what you saw on television was exactly what you got in real life. My greatest memory of Fred was when I was filming him laddering (and inspecting) a huge chimney on the outskirts of Bolton, when Fred eventually reached the top, which incidentally was 180ft tall, he simply climbed off the ladder and then started to walk around the chimney rim with no safety rails or anything to hold on to. As I looked up I will never forget Fred standing there looking down at me with his arms folded as though he was waiting for a bus. Amazing said Paul. He shouted down an invitation to join him at the top. Which I politely declined.”
“During my time with Fred Dibnah we both decided to write a book together. Fred handed over many 100s of old documents and photographs for the project and we managed complete 6 chapters together. Half way through I received a disappointing phone call from Fred saying he would have to pull out of the book because the BBC were returning to make a new television series about him. He always said that we would complete what we had started, but his fame, television commitments and contracts made it impossible for Fred to finish the work he started with me.”
The new Book-Mag is a continuation of the unfinished work I started with Fred Dibnah all those years ago said Paul. Something had to be done with the Fred Dibnah archive I had amassed. I began by acquiring the rights to all Fred’s early books that were written in his own words back in the early 1980’s and set about compiling a book that would be totally in Fred’s own words, using photographs, rare documents and drawings that nobody had seen or used before. The result has been well worth the effort and I am very proud of what I have achieved, it’s a very funny book, beautifully illustrated throughout, and I am sure that the public will enjoy the opportunity to remember the real Fred Dibnah speaking in his own words. It’s a lovely tribute to a great man.
As an added bonus the Book-Mag comes with a free 80 minute compact disc of Fred Dibnah live on stage. The recording was made at one of the theatre venues where Fred appeared during his sell-out tour of England, the CD is hilarious from beginning to end as Fred tells some very funny stories about his life as a steeplejack.
Details
Hardcover: 132 pages
Publisher: Paul Donoghue, Dennis Publishing Ltd (13 Aug 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1907232001
ISBN-13: 9781907232008
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