0:00:10 > 0:00:12It's going! Going!
0:00:14 > 0:00:17HE SOUNDS HORN
0:00:29 > 0:00:31CLAPS AND CHEERS
0:00:32 > 0:00:34Done for!
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Did you like that?
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Abandoned by his wife and daughters,
0:00:56 > 0:01:01Fred Dibnah, the Bolton steeplejack, passed the long and lonely evenings
0:01:01 > 0:01:05in his newly completed steam workshop.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08I'm managing all right.
0:01:08 > 0:01:16The cooking's a bit of a mess, cos you've gotta stop what you're doing for to go and cook dinner.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20It takes a long time! I'm used to just racing in and getting at it.
0:01:20 > 0:01:25I did my first trip to... Met this divorced fellow, young chap.
0:01:25 > 0:01:30He'd only been married for two years and it happened to him.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33He took me to the supermarket.
0:01:33 > 0:01:38Shoving the trolley, I felt a right berk. I've never done owt like that.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41The thing is, it's very peaceful.
0:01:41 > 0:01:47We've got rid of the bloody pop music... And, you know, you've time to think.
0:01:47 > 0:01:54Before, all these young fellows coming round after the daughters. The bloody parlour...
0:01:54 > 0:01:56I couldn't even sit in my own chair.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00Broke the bloody castors off the chaise longue.
0:02:00 > 0:02:05Six of 'em sat on it. Big lads, all six foot tall.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07All of them have gone,
0:02:07 > 0:02:11so it'll give me a chance to lick the place into shape.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15I've sanded the floor in the new extension,
0:02:15 > 0:02:19so tonight's job'll be putting the sealer on...
0:02:19 > 0:02:22and all... You know, like I say,
0:02:22 > 0:02:28now I can play my Joseph Strauss records, or waltzes. I like them.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31MUSIC: A Strauss Waltz
0:03:00 > 0:03:03Now came a new development.
0:03:03 > 0:03:08The spectacle of a man swinging alone, uncared-for and unsupervised,
0:03:08 > 0:03:14proved too painful for some ladies. Fred found himself under pursuit.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17I had one letter from a lady in London
0:03:17 > 0:03:21who said she'd come up and look after me,
0:03:21 > 0:03:25and one of her greatest wishes was...
0:03:25 > 0:03:28to look at my steam engine!
0:03:28 > 0:03:30One or two magic phone calls,
0:03:30 > 0:03:34some of 'em sounding unbelievable.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36"I just thought I'd give you a ring
0:03:36 > 0:03:40"because I'm feeling a bit low at the present moment."
0:03:40 > 0:03:44My answer were, "I am an' all, love!"
0:03:44 > 0:03:49I'm going to treat all of this with a great deal of, er, caution.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55I know who I could fix you up with, Fred.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57O-one of your staff, like?
0:03:57 > 0:04:01- Yup. Are you interested? - What's she like?
0:04:01 > 0:04:06- Good looking lady.- Would she like old iron and...?- I'm sure she would.
0:04:06 > 0:04:12- Oh aye, yes. She's been on her own a long time, now. No commitments.- Mm.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14- Come down, I'll fix you up!- Mm...
0:04:14 > 0:04:20- Hm... Come to where you've got it stacked away, like.- Come to my shop.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23She works mornings. Call in for fags.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27I've never DONE anything like this for a long time.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31It's very nerve-racking, sort of.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35- Very nice, she is.- She might not fancy an old bugger like me!
0:04:35 > 0:04:41- You'll have to find out, won't you? - Only one way, eh? Give it a whirl.
0:04:41 > 0:04:47- How old is she, like?- Well, Fred, she's never told me her age, but...
0:04:47 > 0:04:52- I think it'll suit you.- Not too young for an old boy like me?- No!
0:04:52 > 0:04:54It'll be OK!
0:04:54 > 0:04:57What's she interested in, like?
0:04:57 > 0:05:02- She goes old-time dancing.- Oh, I'm not into that, mate.- Well...
0:05:02 > 0:05:07- She has to find SOME interest. She has to go somewhere.- Oh, yeah, yeah.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11- She's got her own house, no commitments.- Mm. Hmm...
0:05:11 > 0:05:14She's not looking for somebody...
0:05:14 > 0:05:19- to get MARRIED to. But...the ball's in your court.- Mm.- ..eh?
0:05:19 > 0:05:25Y'know, like... I-I don't really KNOW. In my present situation, you know, I...
0:05:25 > 0:05:30I don't even know if I want one round here. It's a bit difficult.
0:05:30 > 0:05:35You know. I think a bit of time going by will be better for me.
0:05:35 > 0:05:41- All I'm doing is INTRODUCING someone to go out with.- Mm.- You know.- Well...
0:05:41 > 0:05:46Perhaps wash your clothes, make breakfast, generally look after you.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50- That's all I'm doing, Fred. - I know, yeah. But you know...
0:05:50 > 0:05:55I-It's a bit difficult. I'm still a bit... I'm MANAGING OK on my own...
0:05:55 > 0:06:02- Well, call in and see me, anyway. - Mm.- Not just the lady. - I'll think about it.
0:06:02 > 0:06:07- Bit difficult for me, at present. - I MIGHT see the lady and mention it.
0:06:07 > 0:06:12Er... You'd get on very well with her, so...
0:06:12 > 0:06:14I'll mention it, OK, Fred? Call in.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18I'll bear it in mind, think about it.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32If I WERE looking for a new wife or a new lady,
0:06:32 > 0:06:38she'd have to be interested in antiques and steam engines, and beautiful things.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Right, Fred!
0:06:46 > 0:06:50As well as liking the world of Queen Victoria,
0:06:50 > 0:06:56she'd have to be able to answer the telephone, and be a bit diplomatic
0:06:56 > 0:07:03with people who ring me up wanting me to do unbelievable things I don't want to do.
0:07:03 > 0:07:08Or have enough sense to suss the nutcases out from the genuine ones,
0:07:08 > 0:07:11get it all written down on paper.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14Somebody who can write(!)
0:07:15 > 0:07:18I like nice dresses,
0:07:18 > 0:07:23preferably the ones that fit. I suppose I'm a bit kinky, really...
0:07:23 > 0:07:28Black nylons and high-heel shoes, and all that sort of thing.
0:07:28 > 0:07:33I think black nylons and high heels enhance a lady's legs, looks nice.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37Half the tackle Alison had, I picked it!
0:07:37 > 0:07:42The majority of her best frocks were black 'uns.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Fired by such visions, Fred pressed on
0:07:45 > 0:07:52fitting out the matrimonial bedroom of the extension he'd built in happier times,
0:07:52 > 0:07:57knowing that though plenty of candidates may be eager to share it,
0:07:57 > 0:08:05few, if any, would be likely to meet the specification for the lady of his dreams.
0:08:16 > 0:08:21Women THEN, when that painting were done around 1870,
0:08:21 > 0:08:25they started at six o'clock in t'morning.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29They all lived within 200 yards of the bloody place.
0:08:29 > 0:08:37They went home for breakfast! A half hour, back to work. My mother did. She worked in a bleach works.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41It didn't do 'em any harm. She reached 80!
0:08:41 > 0:08:45THEY knew about working, in them places.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47England led the world then.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51Everybody were nose to the grindstone.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55Tackle were all "handraulic". The mangle job.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59Now there's more time for looking beautiful than ever, isn't there?
0:08:59 > 0:09:02Because of all the modern tackle.
0:09:02 > 0:09:07Washing machines, dishwashers, fancy cookers, microwaves,
0:09:07 > 0:09:12even record machines you don't have to get off your bum for to make go.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15None of this winding it up, like THEY did.
0:09:15 > 0:09:20There's this equal rights thing now, ain't there?
0:09:20 > 0:09:27Never get any of 'em down t'pits or at t'top of a factory chimney, do you? No way!
0:09:27 > 0:09:31But they want...you know, half of everything.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35Difficult... Mm.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37Fred was not to be tempted.
0:09:37 > 0:09:42He prudently stayed aloof from these concerns
0:09:42 > 0:09:44and kept his mind on his work.
0:09:44 > 0:09:48A bit loose, this!
0:09:48 > 0:09:50I don't think it'll fall off.
0:09:51 > 0:09:56It feels pretty solid up the middle, whatever it's rocking about on.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00- Look at that. - Is just one joint loose?- Hm?
0:10:00 > 0:10:05- I can't hear you for the traffic. - Is it just one joint that's loose?
0:10:05 > 0:10:09Yeah. You'd never believe it, would you?
0:10:09 > 0:10:15It's no wonder they were worried about it. What do you reckon, then?
0:10:15 > 0:10:18- We'll have to do something. - Staging?
0:10:18 > 0:10:21Look, there's another one like that.
0:10:21 > 0:10:26Lightning conductor fell off as well.
0:10:28 > 0:10:33You can see straight through it. Daylight! I can see the train.
0:10:39 > 0:10:44- The remedy is a load of ironwork lapped round it.- It'll hold it?
0:10:44 > 0:10:50- Oh, aye. It'll hold it together. With cast-iron corners.- How thick?
0:10:50 > 0:10:54Inch-diameter iron rods, and cast-iron pieces on t'corners,
0:10:54 > 0:10:58so those eight corners can't spread out.
0:10:58 > 0:11:04It'll be right, then. They'd hold a pack of dominoes together.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08How long d'you think the bars will last?
0:11:08 > 0:11:13Put it this way, me and thee won't be around! Even without painting,
0:11:13 > 0:11:16- they'll last that long. - What's the cost?
0:11:16 > 0:11:21About two grand. It seems a lot, but there's a lot of engineering,
0:11:21 > 0:11:24and every side's a different size!
0:11:24 > 0:11:29Them who built it weren't so good with t'ruler, you see.
0:11:29 > 0:11:36- And it'll be right, after...? - Aye. It's got that bottom part by the whatsits. It won't move.
0:11:36 > 0:11:41The thing is to get a grip of it before it gets a grip of you.
0:11:41 > 0:11:46At £2,000 it's... It wants some finding, first of all.
0:11:46 > 0:11:51- I'm trying to think...- We'll have to put a project up for it.- Yeah.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54See if they can... Have a raffle(!)
0:11:54 > 0:11:56Oof!
0:11:57 > 0:11:59HE PUFFS
0:12:03 > 0:12:08Yeah, if every day were like today it'd be beautiful, this job.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12It's not so pleasant when the wind's bloody howling
0:12:12 > 0:12:16and paint's blowing off t'brush, on to your specs(!)
0:12:16 > 0:12:21You think, "Why did I start this job?
0:12:21 > 0:12:26"God forbid, another 17 years of this... Pay off the mortgage."
0:12:26 > 0:12:30I were nearly ready for retiring(!) Not RETIRING,
0:12:30 > 0:12:34I'll never retire. I'll die doing summat, like.
0:12:34 > 0:12:39But having life a lot easier than it has been over the last 17 years.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43And now I've got another 17 years of it(!)
0:12:44 > 0:12:48I'm getting old, and it's a young man's job.
0:12:48 > 0:12:54- There's not a lot we can do with that.- What sort of a job is it?
0:12:54 > 0:12:58- What?- A lengthy job? - Not really.- Oh!
0:12:58 > 0:13:03What worries me is what's behind. How the masonry is.
0:13:03 > 0:13:09I mean, here there's a great crack I can shove my fingers in.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13'Looking round churches is quite nice and peaceful.
0:13:13 > 0:13:18'At least you're doing summat that has a fair chance of surviving.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21'They don't knock 'em ALL down.
0:13:21 > 0:13:26'I think these Victorians who made their money out of spinning mills
0:13:26 > 0:13:30'were paving their way to heaven when they built these in the 1870s.
0:13:30 > 0:13:35'They'd had the skin off the backs of the lads
0:13:35 > 0:13:37'and, "We'll build a nice church"!
0:13:37 > 0:13:43'The blokes who built this particular church must've had a helluva battle.
0:13:43 > 0:13:48'It's made out of local flagrock, terrible to chop, hard as iron!'
0:13:48 > 0:13:52It's not like it were when we first come!
0:13:52 > 0:13:54You can't swing it about, now.
0:13:54 > 0:13:59It were rocking about three inches each way.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02It looks like you've made a solid job.
0:14:02 > 0:14:10- All the spire's pointed and all. Won't rain in no more.- It'll be here another couple of hundred year?
0:14:10 > 0:14:13- A couple of hundred years?- Easy!
0:14:13 > 0:14:15Good!
0:14:17 > 0:14:23There's no way it's gonna fall down no more. Be there when we're all dead!
0:14:23 > 0:14:25CHURCH BELL CLANGS
0:14:26 > 0:14:30We came the other day to see the bell
0:14:30 > 0:14:35and the "skyline" in the cemetery had changed. God! You know...
0:14:35 > 0:14:38About 24 gravestones couped over
0:14:38 > 0:14:41and smashed to pieces.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44That's about £10,000 of damage.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47What sort of people are these,
0:14:47 > 0:14:51who can shove over these that've stood over 100 years,
0:14:51 > 0:14:56just smash 'em to pieces? They're evidently more than children,
0:14:56 > 0:14:58for to shove a stone over like that.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02In the stages of early manhood.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06They're either out of work and very unhappy,
0:15:06 > 0:15:11and have a grudge against society as we...DID know it,
0:15:11 > 0:15:13all nice and peaceful and proper.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16They want to disrupt everything
0:15:16 > 0:15:20that they can bloody lay their hands on that's disruptable.
0:15:20 > 0:15:26Why have we gone like this now? Things were REALLY bad in the 1930s.
0:15:26 > 0:15:32People were actually HUNGRY. These people aren't hungry with no bloody shoes.
0:15:32 > 0:15:37And yet them fellows in 1930, they didn't do it, did they?
0:15:37 > 0:15:40- Sort of, it...- I- don't know!
0:15:40 > 0:15:44THEY lived in a world full of bloody fear!
0:15:44 > 0:15:48They knew if they did the wrong thing it'd be trouble.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51 And NOW they've no fear of anything.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55I think we've definitely gone too bloody soft.
0:15:55 > 0:16:01"Poor little Johnny couldn't help it, he's under stress", this that and t'other.
0:16:01 > 0:16:06Bloody ayatollah...you pinch a loaf THERE, bang! The whole finger off.
0:16:06 > 0:16:11If they did some of that here, things might be straighter.
0:16:11 > 0:16:18Isle of Man, the vandalism there, when they had the birch - it's only what I've read in papers -
0:16:18 > 0:16:24were practically non-existent. Now, the wonderful bloody Common Market job...
0:16:24 > 0:16:29They can't DO it no more because the Common Market says so.
0:16:29 > 0:16:34It'll never get any better till they fire 'em into line.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36National Service, summat like that.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40There's ALL these arguments against it,
0:16:40 > 0:16:45but the people who argue never come up with a solution, do they? Never!
0:16:45 > 0:16:48It just goes steadily worse day by day.
0:16:48 > 0:16:53What can you do? There's a lot to be said for the olden days, I say,
0:16:53 > 0:16:56and how they did things.
0:16:56 > 0:17:01They were better craftsmen. Better at everything, really.
0:17:01 > 0:17:06They had more respect for property, and things of that nature.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09NOW they have no respect for nothing.
0:17:09 > 0:17:14All as they want is a life o' bloody pleasure! Um...
0:17:14 > 0:17:16Difficult.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19Nothing was cheering Fred up.
0:17:19 > 0:17:27And he'd now taken on a felling job as dangerous as any he'd ever tackled.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38This is an unusual subject, this tower.
0:17:38 > 0:17:43I've only ever done one. It didn't quite go right, but I learned a lot.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47I think I'll have this one right.
0:17:47 > 0:17:52We'll undermine half the tower, below the staircase and everything,
0:17:52 > 0:17:54and prop it up like we do chimneys,
0:17:54 > 0:18:01then set fire to it. If we calculate it right, it's gotta fall over.
0:18:09 > 0:18:14There's no man can say "This is gonna go exactly..."
0:18:14 > 0:18:19Those fellows who send t'bloody rockets off to t'moon and space,
0:18:19 > 0:18:22look how many clangers THEY have,
0:18:22 > 0:18:25and they're clever fellows.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27It's some sort of feeling!
0:18:27 > 0:18:32Somehow this tower, it'll be right. It'll be a good 'un.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35THE POSTS RESONATE...
0:18:35 > 0:18:37LIKE BIG BEN
0:18:37 > 0:18:40Xylophone!
0:18:49 > 0:18:54Hm. There's a fair bit of weight on them, now. They're bent.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03A few hundred tons squeezing on them, now.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07And all these stairs, all t'way up for seven floors!
0:19:07 > 0:19:10Apart from this bit here.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15Some of that'll have to come out.
0:19:18 > 0:19:19Go on!
0:19:19 > 0:19:22AN INDISTINCT SHOUT
0:19:22 > 0:19:24Eh?
0:19:24 > 0:19:28- I can't hear you. - ..As near as I can get 'em.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31It'll do there. Tip them up.
0:19:31 > 0:19:36When we're ready I'll give you the word and we'll get 'em all out.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39That way, is it?
0:19:39 > 0:19:43No. I think what'll happen, it'll go over and disintegrate. HOPEFULLY.
0:19:43 > 0:19:49Dunno, really. Last 'un I did were a clanger. It didn't work very well.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53All right, kids. Stick it in.
0:19:53 > 0:20:00It's all "Hey lads, hey!" with the tyres now. Like a bomb site.
0:20:01 > 0:20:08There's two critical props round the corner Needs a good fire there.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13On top of here, cock.
0:20:14 > 0:20:19Oh, it'll be reet, I think! We've only done one, and it went wrong.
0:20:19 > 0:20:24But I think I learned a lot with that one. We're down on tyres.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28We could do with some for the inside and we haven't got any.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31So it looks like a pot luck job!
0:20:31 > 0:20:35It could all burn away and the thing stay up!
0:20:35 > 0:20:40But somehow, with the weight that's on the props, I don't think so.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44There's a lot of tons just on the OUTSIDE.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48What there is of woodwork inside won't keep the bugger up.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52It'll pull it OFF them sticks inside.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57Now, then! You're gonna ENJOY this.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01All as I want you to do is light the fire, you see.
0:21:01 > 0:21:06I'm very superstitious, I don't like doing it myself. I'll show you.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10As soon as it's going you can toodle off to a safe place.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14We'll get rid of the crowd, and we're away.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17Keep your fingers crossed and pray.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23Got it this time. Right.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26Come on. Round this corner.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31Don't fall down there.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34There you are. Stick it in there.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38That's it. You've done it... That'll do.
0:21:38 > 0:21:43Now round t'corner that way. Mind your haircut(!)
0:21:43 > 0:21:46In here, love. Hey, whoa! In there. Yeah.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49And there...and there.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03It's going, eh!
0:22:08 > 0:22:11We've got the bonfire going now!
0:22:14 > 0:22:19No, you're all right, love. You can move over there.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23EXCITED CHATTER
0:22:25 > 0:22:27Have a good cough, now, Deb(!) >
0:22:32 > 0:22:35FIRE CRACKLES
0:22:41 > 0:22:44FIRE ROARS
0:22:54 > 0:22:57EMERGENCY SERVICES SIREN
0:23:01 > 0:23:03TWO SIRENS
0:23:21 > 0:23:24Some daft bugger must've rung them up!
0:23:26 > 0:23:28LOUD CRACKS >
0:23:28 > 0:23:31Hey! Outside, come on!
0:23:34 > 0:23:37- Go on, outside!- What? - Outside!
0:23:37 > 0:23:40- Hey! Hop it!- Go on! Scat!
0:23:40 > 0:23:43Where's he going, that one?
0:23:43 > 0:23:46FIRE ROARS LOUDLY
0:23:53 > 0:23:56TIMBERS GROAN
0:24:17 > 0:24:22Thing is, the corner's cracked all t'way across, down there.
0:24:22 > 0:24:27It's that bloody central stairwell that's holding it up.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31I can see a BIG crack there. Can you see?
0:24:31 > 0:24:33On the corner there, see. Look.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36You see that crack growing?
0:24:40 > 0:24:42There's summat going now!
0:24:42 > 0:24:45I think it's time we should retire.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16What's holding the bloody thing UP?
0:25:16 > 0:25:19Look at 'em, they're bent!
0:25:21 > 0:25:24A big crack in the wrong place.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36I'm going for a look round the other side.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56I can't see proper for t'smoke.
0:26:05 > 0:26:12Daft bloody pillar in t'middle. There's ONLY that corner holding it up.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28Oh, we have it!
0:26:28 > 0:26:31It's going.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50Hooray!
0:26:50 > 0:26:53LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE
0:26:53 > 0:26:55KLAXON
0:26:55 > 0:26:58THEY LAUGH
0:27:03 > 0:27:05It's no more.
0:27:05 > 0:27:10There you are. The end of another one.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12Yeah. Hmm...
0:27:12 > 0:27:14To the pub(!)
0:27:19 > 0:27:21Hm.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24Did you like that?
0:27:27 > 0:27:32I think, next 'un, we'll make the gap a bit bigger.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35There...an 'ole in my pocket.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39Make the gap bigger. Did you see how them props went?
0:27:39 > 0:27:43Shorter and shorter. They were bent. It's worrying.
0:27:43 > 0:27:48I think next time, about two foot six instead of 18 inches or so.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51- D'you never feel twitchy?- Always do.
0:27:51 > 0:27:58It'd be a brave man who could tackle one of them with a box of matches and not worry(!)
0:27:58 > 0:28:03It's in a bloody big heap now, ain't it? Right, well...
0:28:03 > 0:28:06- DOG BARKS - To the pub. Want a brick?
0:28:06 > 0:28:08THEY LAUGH
0:28:45 > 0:28:49Subtitles by E Kane BBC Scotland - 1996