Fred Dibnah - Later Life

Later Life

In 1996 Dibnah repaired the 262-foot (80 m) chimney at Barrow Bridge—the same chimney he had scaled for a bet, in his youth. He was also asked to install a peregrine falcon nest at the top. He was later influential in ensuring the chimney was made a listed building. As a notable raconteur he also became an after-dinner speaker and would wear his trademark flat cap with his dinner jacket. He made an appearance in a 1996 television advertisement for Kelloggs, but 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." Susan met another man and moved out, taking Roger with her and leaving Jack with Fred.

She went away from here saying, "I don't want your antiques, I don't want your house, I don't want any money," But what she did do was take my lads away from me and I can't forgive her for that." —Fred Dibnah,