Fred Dibnah: Steeplejack Part 5

Part Five of Fred Dibnah: Steeplejack.

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2 Responses to “Fred Dibnah: Steeplejack Part 5”

  1. Mr RWDoyle Esq says:

    Does anybody know which mill was chopped in half that he is refering to?

    Thanks

    • Joe says:

      It’s at 3.54 in the above clip. Fred describes a chimney that was felled by the “dynamite men”, it went right through the middle of the mill. The film was made in 1978 and he says the incident took place “some years ago” in Yorkshire.

      A poke about in Google point to a couple of pages that describe Badger Hill Mills, Rastrick: In 1970, some of the older buildings were badly damaged by fire. The newer parts of the mills escaped damage, but it was decided to dismantle the old chimney which developed a bad crack in the fire. However, the demolition went wrong, the chimney fell the wrong way and came down on top of the one remaining mill. The mills had been established by John Smith and his son William in 1868, and grew to the largest woollen mills in the district by 1922. The field next to the road was part of ‘Common Close’ and was leased from the Thornhill Estate. source and source.

      Could that be it?

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