Fred

by David Hall

The companion volume to the 12-part TV series Made in Britain also celebrates the life of the show’s presenter, British steeplejack and national treasure Fred Dibnah, including an account of his childhood, which evokes a lost England and its great industrial heritage.


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, British Literature

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

An awkward interview
'So here's your opportunity to promote yourself. Go sell yourself to the readers.'
'Umm...I'm not good at that chest pumping stuff. I'm British.'
'Okay. Well, you don't have to 'chest pump', just tell us a little about yourself. Who is David Hall?'
'He's British.'
'Yesss, you've mentioned that. Anything else?'
'Such as?'
'Well, like where do you live?'
'In Britain.'
'Hmm, you're not really helping the reader to get a sense of you as an author. Tell us about the types of stories that you like to write.'
'Oh that's easy. Anything. well, almost anything. Nothing gory, I don't have the stomach for it'
'Right. But you must have a preference for a genre.'
'Oh you mean like ticky boxes... I see... then in that case, I like to write romantic-comedy-suspense stories. Short stories. Yes, definitely romantic-comedy-suspense short stories.'
'Okay, now we're getting somewhere. So that latest book of yours...err...what's it called again?'
'Love Line.'
'Love Line. Of course. Why should readers buy Love Line? What are they missing out on?'
'They are missing out on a romantic-comedy-suspense story. Sorry, short story.'
'Right. But isn't it a bit odd a man writing in the romantic genre?'
'No stranger than you asking that question in 2015.'
'Alrighty then, is that the time? We really need to wrap this up. Anything else you want to say to your readers?'
'Yes. Love Line will make you laugh, probably reach for a glass of wine, and give you goose-bumps with a delightful twist. I am not responsible for you spilling your wine at that time. Thank you.'
'There, that wasn't too bad.'
'Hmmm.'

Reviews

[Michael Rumney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This biography is written by a man who worked on some of Fred Dibnah's TV programmes and as such there is a focus on how these programmes were made. Like a TV documentary the book is littered with quotes from Dibnah's friends and relatives. At times the style was repetitive and perhaps more focus should have been on his family.
What comes across is that Dibnah was a very popular character with a strong affinity to Victorian buildings and technology in the way of steam.
His obsessions led to a single mindfulness and selfishness character, traits which made him difficult to live with, hence 2 divorces and I doff my cap to anyone who was able to live with Fred Dibnah.
I think Fred would appreciate a flat cap.

[Tracy Hodge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book taken off my bookshelf to read and pass to a friend!

I think I've read this before, as I could remember little snippets, but it may have been that I just dipped into certain pages!

Despite the long Chapters - I prefer quick read Chapters - I actually enjoyed this book. I grew up watching Fred on all his programmes and my Dad absolutely loved Fred - he was so down to earth - and the book and Fred itself reminded me of my Dad - which is why I loved reading this book.

The book - whilst covering a lot of technical bits obviously - also covered so much of Fred's personality, both good and bad and I loved the honesty of the book.

If there is one thing I will take away from this book, its to live every single day as though its your last day - achieve things everyday, do things everyday, have targets to meet and basically enjoy like - Fred did and sadly his life was much shorter than he would have liked - but when he knew he was dying, he lived everything single day to the full - as we all should do!

[James Tidd · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Hall writes his biography of legendary Bolton steeplejack Fred Dibnah, who won the hearts of millions with his television programmes about his life as a steeplejack and his passion for Britain's industrial history. With a trademark flatcap, his gift for storytelling, and the famous 'Did you like that' as the chimney he was felling came crashing down, he quickly became a favourite with viewers.

Starting working life as a joiner before turning to steeplejacking - the job he loved the most - he learned the importance of good workmanship and the kind of skills he would need for his projects in his back garden; this would range from restoring a steamroller and a steam engine, and building a working mine.

This portrait of Fred, from his childhood to his struggles to make ends meet before television, made him the household name his is today, plus his occasional troubled private life. Hall's readers will discover all the different sides of Fred's personality.

[Stephen Snell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing man, true working class hero. Brave as a lion,he and people like him, are the reason this country has won wars and created the wealth and easy time of it we have today. Wish i had met him, i was 15 years old when the story of his life was brought to us all, and i’m so glad his story was told.

[Darla Ebert · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basically the same as the other Dibnah book, it's ok, just I bought the book as it was promised to give more of the subject's growing up years. There was a bit of Dibnah's childhood but not nearly enough.

[Neil Geddes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Top bloke

[Josh Durham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having an old man stood at the side of you saying 'You're making a bugger of that.' is the best way to learn.

[David Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book I read to research this post was Fred by David Hall which is an excellent biography of Fred Dibnah which I bought from a local secondhand bookstore. Fred Dibnah died a few years ago but was an institution in Britain where he appeared in television programmes like Fred Dibnah Steeplejack & Fred Dibnah's World of Steam to name a few. His programmes were a celebration of the skills that defined Britain in the Industrial Revolution. He himself learnt many of these skills, most famously steeplejacking & pointing brickwork on chimneys. He taught himself the art of demolition & collected many stories which often featured in his television programmes. He fully restored a steam roller, even building a complete boiler because the insurance company weren't satisfied with the restored one. I remember him saying in one of his programmes that on steam trains it would be easy for the boiler to become warped due to the extreme working temperatures were it not for the thick rivets that keep its shape. He built a fully working artificial coal mine in his back garden in Bolton, complete with bricked 100 feet face & steam powered winding machinery. Unlike the museums where the winding machine is normally slowed down, his winding machine was authentic. He was born in Bolton in 1938 & wasn't greatly academic but did 3 years in art school. He liked drawing things like steam engines. I really enjoyed reading this story and it keeps your interest throughout.

[Patrick Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read solely because I remembered his TV series especially as a steeplejack. Fred's eternal fascination with the industrial might of steam draws you in, and although he fulfilled most men's stereotypes of his generation he was an interesting guy and a natural presenter - in a non-glossy sort of way. There was a quiet but belligerent dignity about his determination to keep doing things as he dealt with is cancer diagnosis and failing health.

[Mikeh5972 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The editing of the book could have been improved by taking out some of the repetition. The biography gave a nice impression of the jovial character and single mindedness of Fred even during the final weeks of his life when suffering badly with cancer.

[Mr. D C I Housman]

Good book

Top read could not put it it down. I will read more of the sam thank you for a good read.