Fred: The Definitive Biography Of Fred Dibnah

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Eleven days later, thousands of mourners watched as Dibnah's coffin (on top of which his trademark flat cap was placed) was towed through the centre of Bolton by his restored traction engine, driven by his son. A cortège of steam-powered vehicles followed, as the procession made its way to Bolton Parish Church. During the hour-long service, David Hall told the congregation "He wasn't a posh TV presenter. He was recognised as a working man who had learned through experience." [99] Following the service, led by the Vicar of Bolton, Canon Michael Williams (a friend of Dibnah), he was buried at Tonge Cemetery, behind his home. [100] McBain, Gayle (2 October 2013), "17 facts you didn't know about Fred Dibnah", The Bolton News, Bolton , retrieved 15 January 2019

An 8-foot (2.4m) bronze statue of Dibnah was unveiled by the Mayor of Bolton, in Bolton town centre, on 29April 2008. The sculpture was created by Jane Robbins. [104] His home was converted into a heritage centre in 2010 [105] but its contents were sold at auction in March 2018. [106] Dibnah's interest in steam power stemmed from his childhood observations of the steam locomotives on the nearby railway line, [36] and his visits to his father's workplace—a bleach works in Bolton—where he was fascinated by the steam engines used to drive the line shafting. [37] A small mill near his childhood home was sometimes mothballed and Dibnah once broke in: In 1967, following disagreements over who should be invited to their wedding, Dibnah and 19-year-old hairdresser Alison Mary Foster eloped to Gretna Green, to get married. [3] [27] Dibnah had first spotted Alison from the top of a chimney and, when one day she walked into the pub where he was drinking, he asked her out; six weeks later, the two became engaged. [28] They left notes for their parents, caught a train to Carlisle and from there on a series of buses to Dumfries. They had initially planned to stay at the house of a friend but as he had returned to Bolton for his holidays, they stayed instead at a local farmhouse. The two had to be resident for at least 21days to be married and so Dibnah agreed to point the gable ends of a local hotel in exchange for bed and board.However, the strain of living with a man so dedicated to his hobbies began to take its toll on his wife: Sometimes he'll have busted his thumb because he's hit it with a hammer; you couldn't really expect him then to come in and start doing things in the house. I just don't think it's fair though, I think you've got to strike a balance and I think ours is about 90/10. Me for 90 per cent of the housework and Fred for 10." [68] He was charismatic and people loved that. It's 10 years since his death and people still come up to me and share their memories of him," said Sheila.

No one quite like Fred...", Bolton Evening News, 8 November 2004, archived from the original on 18 July 2006 , retrieved 19 October 2009– via Famous Boltonians Dibnah died from bladder cancer in November 2004, aged 66. [2] Early life [ edit ] Childhood [ edit ]Bunyan, Nigel (17 November 2004), "Steam-powered funeral for Fred Dibnah", The Telegraph, London , retrieved 28 October 2009

First marriage [ edit ] Dibnah's home, 121 Radcliffe Road, a former Victorian gatehouse in Bolton. Now the (closed) Fred Dibnah Heritage Centre The couple had their first child, a girl named Jayne, in June 1968. Alison was initially worried about her husband's occupation but learned to deal with the risk and to trust Fred. She organised his accounts and even collected debts. She also helped him demolish some of the chimneys that he worked on, by lighting the fire to burn away the temporary supports he had put in place. [31] Chimney felling [ edit ] Volunteers at the Victorian town remember Fred in his trademark flat cap or waistcoat downing two pints of stout and talking passionately about the heritage engines.Town says farewell to Fred Dibnah". Bolton Evening News. 8 November 2004. Archived from the original on 23 June 2012 . Retrieved 3 June 2013– via freddibnah.co.uk. There is so much history all around this area. I have always wanted a cast iron Coalbrookdale bench.