The Blackburn Giant - The Frederick Kempster Story | Real Story | True Documentary
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ต.ค. 2024
- Learn the incredible story of Frederick John Kempster - known locally, as the Blackburn Giant.
Born to Joseph and Jane Kempster, he was the second youngest in a family of seven children. Frederick's father Joseph worked as a milk carrier for the Aylesbury Dairy Company but unfortunately on Christmas day 1897 Joseph died of asthma and bronchitis at 50 years old.
Jane, Frederick’s mother was left to support the children on her own and tried to earn a living doing housework and laundry. She moved her family to a one room apartment in Islington, but got behind with the rent and so sadly, was evicted.
Jane applied for help at Barnardo's Commercial Street Shelter in the East End of London for the two youngest boys, Frederick and George. The boys were admitted to Barnardo's on 10 September 1898.
Barnardo's, known in the 19th century by its rather wordy title: National Incorporated Association for the Reclamation of Destitute Waif Children, was established in the East End of London in 1866 by Dr Thomas Barnardo.
When Frederick and his younger brother George came into Barnardo's care they were placed in, what was called, the Receiving House in Stepney, in East London.
1 month later On 14 October 1898, Frederick moved to Barnardo's Leopold House in Stepney where he remained for 1 year until the 23rd March 1899 when now 10 year old Frederick, sailed to Canada on board the SS Scotsman, spending 11 days at sea and arriving at St. John on 3 April 1899.
6 months after arriving in Canada Frederick was placed with a Mr. Allen in the mid-western Canadian province of Manitoba. Frederick would spend the next 5 years in Manitoba.
On 12 November 1904, aged 15, Frederick returned to England on board the SS Canada because he was unfit for farm labour. When he arrived in England on 21 November 1904, he was said to be suffering from a weak condition of the knees due to congenital weakness and lengthening of the internal ligaments of the knee joints and growth on the upper end of the tibia.
Frederick had to have an operation and it was performed at Her Majesty's Hospital in Stepney. This was a children's hospital operated by Barnardo's. Frederick would have a lame left leg for the rest of his life. In April of the following year he was able to return to work at Barnardo's Youth Labour House at Commercial Road, East London.
21 year old frederick, now standing over 7 feet tall, whilst at Boys garden city, he was entered into the “Parade of Giants” which was part of The Festival of Empire, a celebration held at Crystal Palace in the run up to the coronation of King George V.
In June 1911, he got a job with Astley & Co.'s American Circus at Chigwell in Essex. Just 2 months later In August 1911, he visited Barnardo's and reported he was in partnership with a travelling circus, and was doing well. This seems to be the end of his association with Barnardo’s. However, at some time before 1920, Barnardo's published a set of at least 4 postcards featuring images of Frederick, and noting that the former Barnardo lad was now probably the tallest man in the world.
In 1914 Frederick and his travelling circus embarked on a world tour.
While in Germany Frederick performed under the pseudonym Teddy Bobs.
Unfortunately his return trip to the German Empire took a turn in August when war broke out in Europe.
Frederick returned home to England safely and continued to tour the UK where he visited Lancashire for the first time, a visit that would change his life and legacy forever.
Frederick was part of a sideshow attraction attached to a travelling fair in Blackburn in 1917 when he contracted influenza. Frederick's influenza progressed and he developed pneumonia.
He was cared for in the Queens Park Hospital in Blackburn, it’s reported that the nurses had to bring 2 or 3 beds together just to fit him on.
Sadly his condition didn’t get any better and his health deteriorated and Frederick would die the following year in 1918. aged just 29 years old.
Frederick was buried at the Blackburn Old Cemetery on Whalley Road in Blackburn, Lancashire.
This is his story.
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#blackburn #cemetery #oldcemetery #frederick #kemster #lancashire #graveyard #circus #sideshow #giant #germany #police #queenspark #hospital #canada #manitoba #scotsman #barnardos #constabulary #drbarnardos
The Blackburn giant, an amazing story told so well, I enjoy your videos, looking forward to the next one already, keep safe PR.👍
Thank you so much BK, really glad to hear you enjoyed it pal and thanks so much for watching! Keep safe also pal :)
Pinac your smashing it bro !
Such a good interesting tale of a gentle giant .
R.I.P Frederick .
Thank you so much pal, I really do appreciate your kind words!! Frederick certainly was a gentle giant, with a heart of gold :) Thanks so much for watching!
Brilliant story well told ! Look forward to more.
Thank you very much Christopher, really happy to hear you enjoyed it :) thanks so much for watching!
Brilliant video thank you, I used to live in the houses just across from the cemetery. I love visiting the cemetery now when I go I will know all about Fredrick 💙 the Blackburn rovers founders are just down the hill from Fred. I’ve liked and subscribed and shared, your amazing xx
ahhhh thank you Rachael, I really appreciate your kind words, The cemetery in Blackburn is just my favourite, I love it there! How cool you used to live just across the road! I am so glad you now know all about Big Frederick now lol Thank you so much for subscribing and sharing also! :) x
Such an amazing story ❤️ you tell them so well.
Amazing story, God bless Frederick. I love listening to your stories of days gone past, more please
Thank you so much Terri, I really do appreciate your kind comment and thanks so much for watching, I certainly will be making many more :)
Amazing story, as always perfectly told 💕
Thank you! 😊 Glad you enjoyed it!
This was fascinating 👏another brilliant story. I'm glad he wasn't treated cruelly. Absolutely brilliant story pinic x
Thank you so much Chrissy and absolutely, he was obviously loved and appreciated and certainly by the good people of Lancashire :) x
@@DarkFascination yes heart warming 💓
Great video keep them coming stay safe 🇬🇧🇬🇧🏴🏴👍👍👌👌☝️
He Sandy, thanks very much I really appreciate it.
This is so interesting and you really captured my attention by telling Fredericks story. I know there was a woman named Sandra or Sandy who was a giant, I saw her in the United States somewhere back in the 70s or 80s she was so funny and friendly. I believe it was in Wildwood N.J . Anyway, very nicely told about Frederick thanks so much.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Frederick sounded like such a kind soul, and what an amazing life he had. I'm glad he wasn't harmed in Germany though and he was able to leave safely. It's too bad he got so sick at the end and passed away so young. Another story so kindly well told!
Frederick did sound like such a kind and loving person didn't he, his story is truly fascinating. I follow the facebook page of the graveyard he is buried in and they have just cleaned up all his grave yesterday and its looking great! The people of Blackburn have loads of respect for him which is lovely :) x
@@DarkFascination It's nice to hear they cleaned up his grave and that the people of Blackburn respected Frederick so well. Blackburn may be on my places to visit!
Robert Wadlow was 8 ft 11.1 inches
Frederick was 7 ft 9.3 in tall, had an arm span of 8 ft 4.5 in
Hi pinac another great one what a fantastic story but such a young age to pass god bless him .it's so nice to see another one of your great stories and you tell them so well with lots of passion hope to see you soon again nanna marg
Hi Nana Marg, lovely to see you, Thank you so much for watching and I know such a sad story and such a short life he had didn't he. Thanks nana marg, you take care and I will speak to you soon :) x
What a life that boy had! Fascinating. Travelling to Canada in those days must have been very tiring. I wasn't aware of him at all. Glad his condition didn't get him down and that he enjoyed his life in the circus and travelling shows. What a grave!! Must visit it and enjoy the view. Thank you for your informative video. Take care.
Hey Denise! I know, he really did have a crazy life, albeit very short, he certainly made the best of it. definitely visit the grave if you can its so big and worth a visit :) Thanks so much for watching, I really do appreciate it.
A heart warming tale with quite a sad end of a wonderful gentle giant!
Thank you Anthony really appreciate your kind comment and thanks for watching :)
Reporting the unreported is one of my favourite channels ✊🏻 deffo a gee wizzzz love the content, love the way you report keep up the great work and respect to you
Gee Wizz Shay, your comment has truly made my day! Thank you! I really do appreciate that and thanks so much for watching!
Wow interesting.
I read somewhere that giants don't live to be old seems they all die young. Amazing story God bless you Frederick
Thanks so much Fred, really appreciate you watching! And perhaps that their organs simply cannot support their huge frames? Who knows, and thanks for sharing that with me.
What one amazing man and a fantastic story still can't get over seeing a 10 foot grave will have to go and say hello to him
The grave is incredible and you must go see it :) Thanks so much for watching, I really do appreciate it.
I'm surprised FJK doesn't get into the top ten giants list at 7''9 as they were all over 8ft but he is in the top 40 Tallest People recorded. A most fascinating story and well narrated again.
Thank you I really appreciate that and at least he made the top 40 :) lol Thanks so much for watching.
Another local tale, well told. I watched your abandoned farmhouse video last night. Spooky as hell. I'll not be visiting there anytime soon (lol). I wrote this article about Fred back in 2010 and if you shoot to the comments section below my text and pics, some of the family descendants have left more info, particularly Fred's great nephew James. Cheers. www.blackburnpast.com/2010/01/frederick-john-kempster-blackburn-giant.html#comment-form
Hey Blackburn Lad, thank you very much for watching I really appreciate it, yes the Abandoned Farmhouse was a freaky one lol :) Thanks for the link I will check out the blog post, I really appreciate you sharing that with me :)
@@DarkFascination Cheers. Really enjoyed your Brockhall and Calderstones videos too. I had quite a few relatives and friends who worked in them. including my eldest sister Freda (RIP) who worked at both hospitals during her nursing career, many moons ago.
Thank you and I am so glad to hear you have a personal connection to both Calderstones and Brockhall, I will be doing another Calderstones video shortly as my subscribers have all helped buy small memorials for the Booth Hall babies graves in calderstones cemetery. So I will be posting an update to that soon. :)
@@DarkFascination Cheers. I will look out for it. I liked the one about the Woodplumpton witch as well and the one about the old hall near Burnley / Colne. I was a bit shocked with the zombie one though. Couldn't believe how much crap they left behind :-(
Thanks buddy :) The Fylde Witch is a great story, and her grave (stone) is just amazing! and Wycoller hall is such an amazing building, you really should visit it. The Zombie Film set was so cool to visit, but like you, I couldn't believe they just left all there like that. :(
Wow i didnt know that about Barnardos original name/title. ❤ Absolutely brilliant video again Brian thankyou for your great work . 😊Every blessing to Fredrick. ❤
In the village of Hale near Liverpoolo there was a Giant who lived at the time of King Charles the Second ,he was known as the Child of Hale he was brought to London to be the Kings Wrestler despite his size he was`nt very good it is claimed he was 9feet 3 inches which is proved by his thigh bone which is in the local Church.
i'm only 5ft 3 pal,i appreciate giants lol,i like being small i can fully submerge in the bath and fit in most things,only time it's a hindrance,is trying to get stuff off the highest shelves in asda lol,loved this video...PINAC did you manage to get your paintwork sorted on your motor ?
" bit it did'nae really happen like that " lol lovin the Scottish twang...you need a MSM position,we Scots are minority here in the UK,play the minority card and talk in your everyday stronger accent,all the other English speaking countries would need sub titles lol
also,imagine taking Frederick to the resistance,giving it...
" you need to sneak this man over the border,try and blend in " lol
sorry PINAC,i'm a tad stoned this evening lol
There's a further sad chapter to Fred's story. His grandfather, William Kempster, was due to emigrate to Aust in 1855 with his brother, Roger (my great grandfather). Sadly William died just weeks before the planned trip to South Australia, thus forcing his widow to remain in England. Perhaps if the family had made it to Aust then poor Fred may not have been sent to Canada as a child labourer or spent his adult life as a circus freak. RIP Fred.
Wow what a truly fascinating and potentially life altering change that could have made for Fred! I really appreciate you kindly sharing your story with me :)
Hiya PINAC, Thanks for the video documentary' very interesting' great presentation. Cheers.
Thank you Jimmy, really appreciate that pal, was remarkable story this and an awesome bit of history :)
Thank you Pinac.reports.your historical events from the past.are great.from london.great work .See you next time. Wow.
Thanks so much Alan, I really do appreciate that pal thanks so much for watching, it means a lot!
I ain't going to lie.... But the more I watch you. The more I'm getting wee soft spot for you... GEE WIZZ!! 🙈😜😘
Gee Wizz Stacey! Thats very nice of you to say!! Thank you so much and I am so glad to hear im growing on you lol :)
nice change from murders bro....you aware of the biblical giants and the giants of Tartaria....?
Thanks os much for watching and no I am unaware of the biblical giants and the giants of tartaria, however, I will look into that now :) thanks.
Hi Pinac another fab story your certainly smashing this, but i really did think you might have left a famous magical stone, but im sure when your up that way again you will leave one x stay around Blackburn take care 👍x
Hey Sadie, Thank you so much, I really appreciate your kind comment, I am waiting on a new batch of magical stones to arrive, sadly I didn't have any with me but when the new batch arrives I will certainly take him one :) xx
Not sure how l came across your channel but glad l did, great story and you tell it so well , now I'm going to have to stay up all night and watch more. Lol new sub. Cheers🍻
Well I am so happy you did find me and thank you so much for subbing me :) I really do appreciate you coming over to my channel and following along with the journey :)
Is this blackburn scotland
He met my grandads grandmother i think it was
Fascinating story, giants always die young, the way it goes unfortunately. Did you not leave the big fella a magical stone?
Thanks very much Jeff, Really appreciate you watching and I am waiting on a new batch of Magical Stones to arrive pal, no doubt I will go back up there and leave him one :)
Very interesting story...enjoyed listening. Thank you kind Sir.
Thank you so much Elaine, I really do appreciate you watching and glad you enjoyed it :)
GEE WIZZ great story about fred shame he died so young rip
Hey Colin, hope you are well pal!! Thanks so much for watching, and I know, its no age at all is it pal!! Gee Wizz Indeed!!
Really interesting tale, and wonderfully presented, keep them coming pal
Thank you very much for watching Peter, really do appreciate it and thank you for your kind comment.
Thanks for that, a story told well. 👍👍❤️❤️
Thank you so much for watching Eric, I really do appreciate it and glad you enjoyed it. Thank you.
I cant believe there was like 20 foot giants existing in ancient times they found their skeletons too
I had a look but I couldn't find anything on this pal, any info?
Wow that grave is hugggggggggeeeeeee!
My friend. I've just discovered your channel - now subbed. I live next to the cemetery so will look for Freds grave when I'm next walking past..
Ahhh thank you for finding me :) and make sure to say hi to big Fred for me :)
@@DarkFascination will do...
@@DarkFascinationCan you please tell me the name of the intro and outro music used in the vid? I can't find it in the show notes...
Really good story
Another very interesting story and told so well thank you
Thank you so much Jean, I really do appreciate it and I appreciate you kindly watching :)
Great to see you back pal , was getting worried lol :)
Hi Bren, I’ve done 2 videos, this and another Rawtenstalls first murder, but no one got notified about my last video sadly for some reason.
Very interesting RIP Fred ✌️
Thank you very much Erric, really do appreciate you watching :)
Is he the tall guy in Ripley's believe or not in Blackpool pinac x
Hey Paula, I am not sure, i have never been in Ripleys. I will do some research and see if I can find out :) x
@@DarkFascination awe thank you xx
quality vid brother 💙
Thank you very much I really appreciate that and I apologise as I have only just seen the comment.
Hello buddy, haven't seen you about for a bit! lol must have missed your last video I,ll have to look it up.
Another fine story, its very odd that you dont have at least ten times the number of subscribers that you have
whatever happened to the ghost hunting? are you getting back to that sometime?.
Oh well, you just carry on with whatever tickles your fancy lol, all the best buddy.
Hi Keith, sadly no one got notified about my last video for one reason, not one notification got sent out from TH-cam and they cant tell me why, they said, it must be the subscribers who have not got there notifications on!!! Ridiculous! but hey ho!! And thanks so much for watching this one pal, I really appreciate, and I will still be doing ghost hunts, I just seem to find a new fascinating tale that I just have to report on lol, but will be doing spooky ones still. Thanks so much Keith!
@@DarkFascination Yeah, I thought it was odd! NP (nobody) did say that youtube has been playing funny buggers with the notifications!. I usually get a few a day and I had noticed that it's been very quiet, well done youtube! But good on AB for getting over 100,000 and Chris nearly 60k other stalwarts of the help the homeless
HEY?
Carry on the great work buddy. hey, did you get your motor sorted?.
@@keithdavies150 I know TH-cam can be a right pain lol sorry about the inconvenience pal. Great on the other you tubers reaching incredible milestones! I feel massively hindered due to not auditing but extremely grateful for what I do have anyway. And yes, got the car sorted, the day before my previous video launched I got it fixed :)
@@DarkFascination ITS NO INCONVENIENCE BUDDY, JUST A ROYAL PAIN IN THE ARSE! see, I only just now received THIS notification TWO HOURS AFTER YOU'D WRITTEN IT!!!
yes, and what a loss to the PINAC movement THAT was!!!! BLOODY DIABOLICAL I call it!!!!!
Totally awesome as always Mr p,r thank you for sharing this fascinating story with us , wow bless him i bet he had very big feet lol 😁
Lol well you know what they say about big feet ;) ha ha thanks so much Tia, I really appreciate you watching :) x
@@DarkFascination 🤣🤣🤗🤗 Your brilliant 👍 one in a billion pinac x
Ahhh thanks so much Tia, I really appreciate your kind words, what an amazing person you are! x
Excellent!!! (as usual).
Thank you very much I really do appreciate you kindly watching and thanks for your comment :)
Hi pinac would it be possible for a shout out from you tomorrow please as it's my birthday 👍
Happy Birthday Paula!! I do apologise ive not got a video coming out today, I really am sorry or else it would never be a problem I absolutely would have shouted you out!! :( x
@@DarkFascination awe that's absolutely fine, thank you for birthday wishes though it means a lot x
Wow this was very interesting, well done!
Hey great to see you again, thanks so much for watching :)
@@DarkFascination I'll be binging over the weekend, have lots of housework! :) Have a lovely day.
Man you are an amazing story teller.
Thank you so much and I really do apologise as I dont know how I missed this comment.
Brilliant once more. Thank you. You should be on mainstream tv with youre talent
Thanks so much pal, I really appreciate your kind words! and thanks so much for watching :)
@@DarkFascination I hope you don’t mind me sharing to my Facebook, keep up the reports pal :)
No, by all means pal, it really helps me when people do that so I really do appreciate it, thank you!
I see the giant has his stone back. Great man
Hi Rik, thanks so much for watching
Amazing to hear the story of my fathers granddads brother. I have followed articles about him since I was a child. Thank you
Hi there Jean! Thank you so much for getting in touch and for watching the video, I hope I did the story proud. What a legendary man Frederick was and is still incredibly loved to this very day, especially by the people of Blackburn! (Lancashire)
Hi Jean. I believe we are related then. Fred's grandfather (William K) was brother to Roger K (my great grandfather). You may know Roger migrated to Aust in 1855 while poor William passed just weeks before departure. His widow & family therefore remained in the UK. I have a copy of a letter dated 1855 asking for a refund on the pre-paid fare for William & family. Likewise, my dad always told me we were related to this gentle giant.
@aussie-all-the-way it's nice to hear from someone I could possibly be related to.
@@jeankempster6693 Hi Jean. There were 3 brothers in that family & I'm assuming then you are a descendant from the youngest brother, Joseph.
@@aussie-all-the-way yes that's correct Joseph was my father's grandad
Brilliant bro love it
Thank you Eamon
Another cool story
Thank you Jon, Really appreciate you watching pal. Was great to learn about Frederick and his story. :)
👌👍
Thank you Vinny
John Middleton, aka The Childe of Hale from Hale Village, Liverpool, stood 9ft 3inches tall.
Gee Wizz ray!! Wow! I’ve never heard of him so thanks for sharing this with me I really appreciate it :)
@@DarkFascination no worries pal, he lived in the 1500s so could be BS but there's a statue of him, you can visit his house and a pub named after him in the village.
@@one_armed_golf I have just come across the statue on Google :) lol I believe there are no real official records of his height but many accounts still that he was huge!
@@DarkFascination his grave is in the local church yard aswell and that's pretty big too. With it being so long ago, you don't know how much of it is true and how much is exaggerated, but its cool that its just around the corner from me and we grew up with these legends that are still spoken about now.
Im definitely going to have to take a visit down to Hale! I have to see his grave in the graveyard and it would be good to see his statue also. Are there any other notable parts in hale that reference him?
A well researched piece. Thanks!
A close up of his headstone inscription would have been great too!
Thank you very much I really do appreciate your kind comment pal and thank you so much for watching, I loved learning of Fred's story.
Apologies pal, will remember this in future. New video coming today has a close up of the grave in question :)
🤘🏻💪🏻🤙🏼
Yes Mc Revie!!
mc. rievie.
Yes brother!
Good morning & thank you for the interesting story, once more.
Yes Local G! Thanks so much pal, lovely to see you as always and thanks so much for tuning in I really do appreciate it :)
@@DarkFascination Good to see you too. There seems to be so much to share about Blackburn.
#KeepThemComing
Sorry I can't hear a word you're saying with that thing on your face. Unfollowed
Everyone else (me included) can hear it just fine? Cheerio then