Over the gate...

Designed in 1913 by Victorian/Edwardian/other architect Theophilus A Allen; John Lennon's house between 1964 and 1968; sunroom, attic and prisco stripe hibernice; Mellotron and caravan; Babidji and Mimi; mortar and pestle; Wubbleyoo Dubbleyoo; curios and curiosity; remnants and residue; testimonials and traces; (Cavendish Avenue, Sunny Heights and Kinfauns); Montagu Square; mock Tudor: Brown House: *KENWOOD*.

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Showing posts with label two virgins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label two virgins. Show all posts

Friday, 24 February 2012

34 Montagu Square: by day.


Readahs will no doubt remember the mystery of the "John's office mystery"; there are many great photos of John, Yoko and Robert Fraser hanging out in this heavily wood-panelled room, but no trace of such a place exists now at number 34.
Subsequent to my last visit, I managed to track down a plan of the flat from 1954 (which, for various reasons partly connected to sheer laziness on my part, cannot be reproduced here), and armed with same, I headed back the other day to see if this locale could at last be pinned down... of which more in a minute.
First, though, and at the risk of repeating myself, I couldn't resist getting a definitive "then & now" of our old pal(s) the Two Virgins shot(s). Done in daylight, the location is obvious, were it ever in any doubt. (Incidentally (if, sadly, not interestingly), the structure visible through the window was once the kitchen of the whole house, before it was split into flats.)
And another:


So to the old plan, which shows a partition wall in the downstairs kitchen which does seem to correspond to the wall in the office shots (see previous post). This whole area underwent massive renovation in the mid-90s, with a new shower built here (the walls of which can be seen in the "now" pic below).
Thus the best guess is that this was indeed the location of John's office (and note the apparently corresponding position of that door):


Though some doubt remains, that's probably it. Try not to worry too much in case it isn't.
Big thanks again to Peter for all his help.

Wednesday, 10 June 2009

Kenwood: summer 1968.





Three Smile/Two Virgins related shots from right beside the swimming pool.

Friday, 20 March 2009

One Virgin: Montagu Square, 1968 & 1984.







It seems every other post I do mentions the wanton destruction of Beatles-related "heritage" in this country. And why not? I don't necessarily reckon that all such destruction is a bad thing. That is the way of it - as some Wacker or other once said, all things must pass. And John would probably have been first on the wrecking ball at Kenwood. He hated the place.
34 Montagu Square, however, looks the same from the outside; I once was shown round by the old gent who took on the lease post-Ringo, though being a species of idiot I neglected to take photos.
The final scan is a bit of the front step, which I noticed had fallen off, and thus, for want of a better expression, got nicked. Also here, as you may have noticed, one of the original prints for the Two Virgins sleeve, taken in Montagu Square in the bedroom. It is a bit full-on. But that was them. Let's not make a big thing of it. Etc.