Fred Dibnah - 14616

Bolton-born steeplejack who became a major television personality. As a child, Dibnah was fascinated by the steam engines which powered the many textile mills in Bolton. He began his working life as a joiner, before becoming a steeplejack. After two years of National Service he returned to steeplejacking but met with limited success until he was asked to repair Bolton's parish church. The resulting publicity provided a boost to his business, ensuring he was almost never out of work. In 1978, while making repairs to Bolton Town Hall, Dibnah was filmed by a regional BBC news crew. The BBC then commissioned a documentary, which followed the steeplejack as he worked on chimneys, interacted with his family and talked about his favourite hobby—steam. His down-to-earth manner and gentle, self-taught philosophical outlook proved popular with viewers and he featured in a number of television programmes. Toward the end of his life, the decline of Britain's industry was mirrored by a decline in his steeplejacking business and Dibnah increasingly came to rely on public appearances and after-dinner speaking to support his income. In 1998, he presented a programme on Britain's industrial history and went on to present a number of series, largely concerned with the Industrial Revolution and its mechanical and architectural legacy. Dibnah died of bladder cancer at the age of 66. He had married three times, with his third wife a magician's assistant who worked with him as his business and publicity manager, travelling with him across the country on his public appearances. She became a novelist after his death. This is a fine 4-page invitation card from the National Federation of Demolition Contractors (North Western Region) to Dibnah for a Social Week-end at the Windermere Hydro Hotel (19th & 30th November 1983). The card, which has clearly been given to a fan at the event, has been signed in blue ink on the front cover by Dibnah and by one other person (unidentified). In very good condition.