We booked online on the National Trust tour of the Beatles houses. These are timed tours and a minibus picks you up from South Parkway railway station. We were given 2 guidebooks: “John Lennon at Mendips” and “The McCartneys at 20 Forthlin Road”.
The driver was very knowledgable throughout the short journey. With typical “Scouse” humour he pointed out the various places of interest on the way such as Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields. Quarry Bank High School (now called Calderstones School) was where John Lennon attended from 1952. It was here that he, and a few friends, formed a group calling themselves The Quarrymen.
St Peter’s Church, Woolton village held special memories for me. I remember standing by the church door on a chilly Sunday morning in November 1960. I was dressed in my nurses’ uniform with red lined cloak selling poppies from a tray. (Yes, that was me!) At that time, I was working as a Cadet Nurse in the nearby Royal Liverpool Babies Hospital in Acrefield Road, Woolton.
The tour of Mendips, the childhood home of John Lennon was very interesting. The guide had a detailed knowledge of John’s early life which he entertainingly retold. The house was where John started writing songs which are still popular today. When Yoko Ono heard that the house was up for sale she bought it and donated it to the National Trust. It is now beautifully restored and recreated for all to enjoy. We were allowed to tour around the rooms but not to touch or take photos.
The tour bus then took us to 20 Forthlin Road, which was the McCartney’s home. This is where Paul and John wrote “Love Me Do” and “I Saw Her Standing There”. The custodian guided us around the house and talked about the family. Throughout the house there were evocative photos taken by Mike McCartney and some Beatles memorabilia. When the Trust acquired the house, they removed the newer double glazing and the house to its original appearance
Back in 1964 Paul’s widowed dad Jim McCartney and his brother Mike were still living at Forthlin Road, when crowds gathered outside on a daily basis to get a glimpse of Paul. So, he bought a house for them in Heswall, which had a view of the Dee estuary, so they would get more privacy. My late husband, who was an electrician at that time, actually rewired Jim’s house.
The whole experience of visiting the Beatles houses, seeing the 1950s interiors and hearing their stories, brought a wave of nostalgia for me. My friends and I were regular visitors to the Cavern Club in Liverpool in the early sixties. It was a great time to be a teenager! I would recommend a visit to these homes if you are in Liverpool. The National Trust does it better than any Magical Mystery Tour.
There are places I’ll remember….
