In My Life

Categories: uncategorized

Tags: Liverpool, Beatles, Cavern

Date: 30 June 2012 18:41:01

The next day we made our way over to the Jury's Inn hotel for a tour round Paul and John's houses which is run by the National Trust. Outside the hotel is the Peace and Harmony Lennon memorial.

20120630-185806.jpg This was a smaller group than the previous day, a dozen or so of us in a minibus. To John's childhood home in Menlove Avenue first where Colin the guide welcomed us on Yoko's behalf. She bought the house and donated it to the National Trust, knowing how much the house meant to John.

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20120630-190134.jpg Aunt Mimi wouldn't have let me in at the front, everyone used the back door! The tour was amazing. Even John's bike was in the back garden. The house has been recreated faithfully, using lodgers as consultants . Colin told us about the family's life there, including the tragic death of John's mother Julia just down the road and of his uncle George. We could wander around the house - it is a very nice one, in a good area. Apparently it wasn't used in the film Nowhere Boy as the road is too busy. I sang a snatch of Fixing a Hole in the porch as I left to test the acoustics where John and Paul would try out new harmonies. Then on to the terraced house in Forthlin Road where the McCartney family moved just a year before Paul's mother Mary died.

20120630-190951.jpg Here Sylvia told us about the family's life. There was a taped welcome from Paul. The ground floor layout is just like ours, enabling you to walk from room to room in a circle. There were framed family photos on the walls taken by Paul's brother Mike. The rosemary bush by the back door had been planted by his father Jim. The house was simply furnished, but so full of music. Once again it was so good to hear anecdotes about Paul's life here. Apparently he is making arrangements to show the house to Nancy. In the afternoon we went to the Slavery museum which pulled no punches. Then I had a ride on the Liverpool Eye. Couldn't get Alan to go with me!

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20120630-193658.jpg We didn't get to either of the cathedrals, that'll be for next time! We ate at Yee Rah in Liverpool One, a lovely fresh meal. Then back to the Cavern, where, oh joy, Jimmy Coburn was being John Lennon. Had a fab evening singing and dancing!

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