We met our Beatles Magical Mystery Tour guide, Ricky at 10 AM and started our tour of the Beatles sites of Liverpool. It had an odd sense of doing family history- tracking down addresses and photographing houses. Poor John- he wasn't much of a Beatles fan - but after all of my years of helping with family research, it was my turn!
1. We stopped first at the Maternity Hospital where Brian Epstein was born (#4 Roscoe Court). Evidently, most Liverpudlians were born at home even back in the 40's. Being born in a hospital was only for the wealthy.
1. We stopped first at the Maternity Hospital where Brian Epstein was born (#4 Roscoe Court). Evidently, most Liverpudlians were born at home even back in the 40's. Being born in a hospital was only for the wealthy.
2. Our second stop was 64 Mount Pleasant – where John and Cynthia got married. Evidently John didn't feel that Ringo was important enough to invite him- and Ringo found out that his mate had married from a friend in a pub later that week.
3. Lennon studios – but actually the old site of Maternity Hospital where John was born – by a midwife.
4. After his wedding ceremony, he stopped by the Philharmonic Pub for a drink.
5. We stopped by the Art College where John and Stuart Sutcliffe attended school. We drove by "Ye Cracke Pub" on Rice Street where John would go when he'd skip out on school.
Note- The Liverpudlians are called "Scousers". If you live in the outskirts of Liverpool, you're called a "Plassy Scouser" (a plastic scouser).
6. We stopped by the Liverpool Institute and School of Art where Paul and George attended college. Paul was so affected by his studies there that he has funded the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPER), putting in $1M of his own money. Every year he attends the graduation.
Note- Stuart Sutcliffe is also shown in photos facing to the wall. Evidently, he couldn't play the bass very well, so he turned to the side so that no one in the audience could see his lack of talent. Paul would often pull the plug on his bass.
7. We made a stop at Gambia Terrace, across from the Cathedral of Liverpool. John would meet with Cynthia illicitly here before they were married. He moved in and left a bag of his text books and other stuff. Years later, one of his text books was sold for an exorbitant sum.
8. The suitcase monument was commissioned by Paul to commemorate his friends and important Liverpool institutions.
9. At 36 Falkner Square, John and Cynthia honeymooned at Brian Epstein's rented flat. . Evidently they stayed for two weeks – and here John wrote "Do you want to know a secret". Brian evidently kicked them out- since he used the flat for his gay encounters.
10. We stopped at Admiral Grove to see Ringo's house when he was a toddler. His first solo album featured the pub at the corner, The Empress, where his mother worked as a barmaid.
Note- The Liverpudlians are called "Scousers". If you live in the outskirts of Liverpool, you're called a "Plassy Scouser" (a plastic scouser).
6. We stopped by the Liverpool Institute and School of Art where Paul and George attended college. Paul was so affected by his studies there that he has funded the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPER), putting in $1M of his own money. Every year he attends the graduation.
Note- Stuart Sutcliffe is also shown in photos facing to the wall. Evidently, he couldn't play the bass very well, so he turned to the side so that no one in the audience could see his lack of talent. Paul would often pull the plug on his bass.
7. We made a stop at Gambia Terrace, across from the Cathedral of Liverpool. John would meet with Cynthia illicitly here before they were married. He moved in and left a bag of his text books and other stuff. Years later, one of his text books was sold for an exorbitant sum.
8. The suitcase monument was commissioned by Paul to commemorate his friends and important Liverpool institutions.
9. At 36 Falkner Square, John and Cynthia honeymooned at Brian Epstein's rented flat. . Evidently they stayed for two weeks – and here John wrote "Do you want to know a secret". Brian evidently kicked them out- since he used the flat for his gay encounters.
10. We stopped at Admiral Grove to see Ringo's house when he was a toddler. His first solo album featured the pub at the corner, The Empress, where his mother worked as a barmaid.
We walked to his house and the woman who owns it, a charming old British woman kindly invited us into the house to show off her photos of Ringo and friends.
The entire block where the home where Ringo was born, #9 Madryn Street, is located is being demolished. Ringo has tried to buy the house and have it moved to Los Angeles –to no avail. The current rumor is that it's being dismantled brick by brick and will be put in a Liverpool museum.
11. We stopped by Sefton Park and the Palm House, a Victorian greenhouse-conservatory that has been completely renovated thanks to George Harrison's intervention.
12. On the way to John and Paul's house, we stopped by Penny Lane and saw the street signs- which have been stolen so often that the city now paints the signage on the stone walls.
13. "On the corner in the middle of the roundabout"….there's a restaurant called Sergeant Prestons which was closed down. Evidently the locals wouldn’t frequent a restaurant in the old bomb shelter- because it originally housed the public toilets.
14. On #9 New Castle Road, John lived in a modest house until he was 5 years old with his mother, Julia.
15. We passed #15 Woolton Road where Brian Epstein lived.
16. Finally we got a chance to see Paul's house at #20 Forthlin. The family had to move after the Beatles became famous because people would camp outside the house waiting to see Paul. Today, the house is part of the National Trust (as is the house of John's Aunt Mimi – thanks to Yoko Ono)
17. Aunt Mimi's house- where John grew up (1946-1963) after his mother was killed (by an off duty policeman just outside Aunt Mimi's house). The story is that his Aunt Mimi gave him his first guitar, but would not allow him to play in the house. He was forced to play in the porch. She was quoted as saying, “The guitar is all very well, John, but you’ll never make a living out of it.”
18. At Woolton village, on Church Road, we saw the building where the fete was held where Paul and John first met on July 6, 1957. A week later, Paul had joined the band – and the rest was history. Across the street in the cemetery of the Parish of Saint Peter are the graves of Eleanor Rigby and John's uncle George.
11. We stopped by Sefton Park and the Palm House, a Victorian greenhouse-conservatory that has been completely renovated thanks to George Harrison's intervention.
12. On the way to John and Paul's house, we stopped by Penny Lane and saw the street signs- which have been stolen so often that the city now paints the signage on the stone walls.
13. "On the corner in the middle of the roundabout"….there's a restaurant called Sergeant Prestons which was closed down. Evidently the locals wouldn’t frequent a restaurant in the old bomb shelter- because it originally housed the public toilets.
14. On #9 New Castle Road, John lived in a modest house until he was 5 years old with his mother, Julia.
15. We passed #15 Woolton Road where Brian Epstein lived.
16. Finally we got a chance to see Paul's house at #20 Forthlin. The family had to move after the Beatles became famous because people would camp outside the house waiting to see Paul. Today, the house is part of the National Trust (as is the house of John's Aunt Mimi – thanks to Yoko Ono)
17. Aunt Mimi's house- where John grew up (1946-1963) after his mother was killed (by an off duty policeman just outside Aunt Mimi's house). The story is that his Aunt Mimi gave him his first guitar, but would not allow him to play in the house. He was forced to play in the porch. She was quoted as saying, “The guitar is all very well, John, but you’ll never make a living out of it.”
18. At Woolton village, on Church Road, we saw the building where the fete was held where Paul and John first met on July 6, 1957. A week later, Paul had joined the band – and the rest was history. Across the street in the cemetery of the Parish of Saint Peter are the graves of Eleanor Rigby and John's uncle George.
1
9. We stopped briefly by the gates of Strawberry Fields- originally the gates to an orphanage – and chalked our names on the wall. John identified with the orphans, having lost his mother at a young age, and would spend time with the kids there.
20. And finally, we stopped by George's house at #12 Arnold Grove. When George would come to Liverpool after he became famous, he would use the alias, "Arnold Grove" to check into hotels.
It was quite a tour and we got dropped off at the Pier to take the "Ferry cross the Mersey". It was packed with tourists- mostly English – with hundreds of running, screaming children. The ferry started off with the obligatory song, "Ferry cross the Mersey" by Gerry and the Pacemakers – and an almost unintelligible audio track. It was, however, an interesting perspective to see the port of Liverpool from the water- as so many emigrants did.
Shattered and knackered- we walked to Marks and Spencers, picked up some wine and snacks and stopped for a drink at "The Vines", a pub visited by Bill Bryson. It was a gorgeous, ornate old Irish styled pub. A few pints and some wine and a taxi home….
20. And finally, we stopped by George's house at #12 Arnold Grove. When George would come to Liverpool after he became famous, he would use the alias, "Arnold Grove" to check into hotels.
It was quite a tour and we got dropped off at the Pier to take the "Ferry cross the Mersey". It was packed with tourists- mostly English – with hundreds of running, screaming children. The ferry started off with the obligatory song, "Ferry cross the Mersey" by Gerry and the Pacemakers – and an almost unintelligible audio track. It was, however, an interesting perspective to see the port of Liverpool from the water- as so many emigrants did.
Shattered and knackered- we walked to Marks and Spencers, picked up some wine and snacks and stopped for a drink at "The Vines", a pub visited by Bill Bryson. It was a gorgeous, ornate old Irish styled pub. A few pints and some wine and a taxi home….
No comments:
Post a Comment