Tittenhurst: then & now.

In brief, Ringo sold it to Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan in 1988, who proceeded to spend a, frankly, atrocious amount of wherewithal on gutting the interior, adding a whole new wing, constructing a bomb-proof swimming pool (I shit ye not), and generally doing all the things that one is not really supposed to do to a Grade II listed building. (The High Court had to step in to stop him going further, apparently.)
Anyway, above - the house in 1969, a few months before John bought it, and the same view now: the area under the terrace has been turned into a room. Speaking of which, here's how the Imagine errr..."turf" (as featured in the video) looks these days:


...and how it looked in the titular film:


The balcony, where the final pictures of the four of them together were taken, is long gone; that portion of the house has been turned into a new wing, because 50 rooms (or whatever it was) isn't really enough, is it? Clearly not:


An internal (fairly obviously, though nothing would surprise me) staircase (the camel photo possibly not there in the Lennon/Starr era)(nor anything else):


Finally, that bomb-proof swimming pool, together with the one that used to be there. An outdoor pool is generally regarded as a sign of wealth in the UK, but the old one looks positively spartan compared to the cash-fest that's there now. One reaches it, naturally, via an underground tunnel:


The Sheik died a few years back, and Tittenhurst now stands empty for much of the year, though there is a small army guarding the perimeter to ensure scum like me don't get a shufti.
Many thanks to JammyEye for the pics.

Kenwood: more 1965 action.

A new shot (new to me at any rate) of John on the steps at Kenwood in 1965. Well done that man Joe Baiardi for tracking this un down.

Virtual Kenwood: more Virtual Sunroom.

Regular "readahs" may have been wondering what happened to the weird and wonderous virtual Kenwood "pwoject". The answer is that it seems to have run into technical difficulties, related to the fact that in order to produce this stuff, you really need something with the computing power of HAL 9000 ("I'm sorry Dave. I'm afraid I really can't allow you to produce any more renders of John Lennon's virtual bidet".)
However - good news, for once. Chris, the highly talented artist behind it all, assures me that the "pwoject" is close to being back on track, and that the attic studio is almost done, together with the 360 degree QuickTime sunroom. This will allow anyone who so desires to experience exactly what it would have been like to be a member of the genus Musca Domestica in Kenwood, back in the days when flies were flies, not like these modern flies which are rubbish.
Anyway, here's another view of the sunroom, showing an imagining of the murky unfashionable end:


Thanks to Chris at thebeatlesin3D (link under Friends & Neighbours).

50 Pubs Associated With The Beatles: ...

No.50: The Blue Posts. Actually, they never drank here, but they did walk past it a few times. Places The Beatles Walked Past A Few Times would be a stultifyingly dull blog (and one that I would no doubt follow avidly, and, indeed, author). However, the noteworthy (or not) thing is that they were captured walking past it by Dezo Hoffmann on July 2, 1963; in the famous shots taken in Rupert Court, the sign outside the Blue Posts can be seen hanging in the background:


Thrilling stuff, no doubt. The pub is, quite clearly, still there. Another then and now of the Court o' Rupert:


Anyway, onwards to:


No.49: The Golden Lion. They never drank here either. They possibly walked past it a few times. Places The Beatles Possibly Walked Past A Few Times would be an even more ludicrous excursion into the far reaches of tedium than the aforementioned Places The Beatles Walked Past A Few Times (or the potentially very large indeed Places The Beatles Never Walked Past). However, there is another connection; the story goes that back in the shikshtiesh, this pub was a place where, if one were a lithe young man with an interest in meeting other lithe young men, lithe young men might be met... and a certain Brian Epstein was a regular. But the Beatles themselves never came here.
No. 48: Actually, this pub thing is a ridiculous topic, and I am abandoning it. (Coming soon! "50 Places Where John Lennon Punched Someone Out." You think I'm joking? Dear God, how I wish I were.)

Kenwood: dining room, 1965.

Joe Baiardi has uncovered another shot of the dining room from 1965, which gives a little wider perspective. This corner, of course, provided the location for one of the most famous photos taken at Kenwood:


The house was re-vamped yet again shortly after this, in order to get rid of most of Ken Partridge's initial interior design; how that affected the dining room I dunno - the wall cupboard was moved to the main sitting room, as seen in Cathy Kelleher Sarver's photo from 1968, but no photos of this room (in the Lennon-era) post-1965 have surfaced as yet.
As has been previously noted at nauseating length, the long table from the dining room (an acquisition of Partridge's of which John actually approved) played a further part in Beatles history, after it was taken to Tittenhurst; in August, 1969, it was shown being huddled around by the Fabs, for what may well have been their final meeting (certainly their final photo session):


Anyway, the dining room at Kenwood didn't look that different in 2005; how it looks now is anyone's guess:


Thanks, as ever, to Joe.

Kenwood: latest views, part 3.

Another very familiar little bit of the grounds: the steps by the big old tree near the bottom of the garden, still looking much the same in Joe's recent pic above. Here's a side view:


Again, this same spot features in a few photos from 1965, including the famous one of John attempting to fly away (and let's not read too much into these things, for once):


However, looking at it from the other side, what's this? A new covered swimming pool has been built:


John was also captured on an old garden seat in this locale in 1967, appearing to stare right up it, disapprovingly:


Or something. Many thanks again go to Joe, and more to come anon.

Kenwood: latest views, part 2.

Moving around the house, and some more of the original place has been allowed to go - this time the windows on the first floor, which originally formed part of the master bedroom suite. These have been lengthened, and balconies added. It all now looks a bit out of proportion to me, and it certainly alters the look of this side of the house - one part previously to have survived more or less unchanged since the place was built around a hundred years ago. Compare, again, with Cathy Kelleher Sarver's snap from 1968. Ho, and indeed, hum.
Many thanks to Joe.

Kenwood: latest views, part 1.

Joe Baiardi has sent in some more shots of the house, taken during his recent trip to England-land, and these are quite revealing as to the latest state of play. First up, the front door; no major changes to the house itself - or, at least, no further changes beyond the major ones undertaken in the mid-1990s. The comparison shots are from 1968, above and below - what is vaguely interesting (or not, as always) is the re-appearance of statues around the entrance:


The tree, evident in many fan photos, where-in a generally dishevelled John is prodded out to converse/strike a pose with ver fanz in the vicinity of his entrance (missis), is now gone, having been replaced with a younger version:


I'm pretty sure the old one was still there recently; to be fair, it may well have had to be removed. Old trees in close proximity to houses are generally a bad idea. As Sepultura might have advised. Yet, it's another bit of the auld place now gone.
So much of this blog catalogues the gradual chipping away of Kenwood over the years, that it's "nice" to be able to report a bit that appears to have survived. I hadn't noticed before, but a portion of the (dare one say it) vaguely iconic pillars from the Lennon-era remains, embedded in the extended entrance that was put in during the 90s:


More to follow, on similar themes, inevitably. Many thanks to Joe for having the chutzpah to go and take the photos, and the generousity to let the rest of us see them.

Kenwood: pool, ca '66/ '67.

Julian hingin' aboot the pool at Kenwood, as above. Gratings o' the season to all, if one must... and thanks to Joe Baiardi for sending this in.

Royal Albert Hall: box number 12.

The Beatles, being big fans of Bob Dylan, attended his concerts at the Ralbert in 1965 and 1966. The latter was marred (or enhanced) by a general fracas involving outraged members of the audience attempting to upstage El Zim, due to his adoption of this newfangled "electricity". The Beatles joined in too, apparently; on the side of Bob, obviously.
In particularly idle moments, I've infrequently wondered where they were sitting on this and other RAH evenings. I have no idea - but the Beatles' London mentions another occasion in 1965 when they watched proceedings at a Daily Mirror Golden Ball event from a private box, number 12. Being at the Albert for a Bootlegs show the other night, I couldn't resist getting a couple of photos, as seen above and below:


Might it be that this was their regular seat, and that the following photo of Zimmy on stage at the Ralb at one of the 1966 shows also captures the shadowy forms of the Fabs?


Almost certainly not. But many thanks to Andre of the Bootleg Beatles for a splendid time, and I'd recommend going along next time they are in your neck of the bottle.

Kenwood: expenses, May 1968.

The imminent Bonhams auction of entertainment memorabilia has a few Kenwood related goodies. It's possible that the vendor is none other than our old friend Pete Shotton, as the items include the scribbled lyric for I'm Only Sleeping as featured in his book, together with a table that, it is claimed, sat in Kenwood, and around which John and Yoko muttered at each other on the Two Virgins night (the only other person there being Mr Shotton), plus, most interestingly, the above; a detailed breakdown of John's household expenses for the month of May, 1968. At that time, John's live in "P.A." was none other than...you know who. Whatever, whether or not these items do come from Pete, the sheet provides another (in this case literally) valuable insight into life at Kenwood.
Given that you can multiply these figures by around 13 to gain a rough modern equivalent, it's clear that John ran a fairly profligate household - in modern terms, the expenses come to around 31,600 pounds! The garden alone was costing just over 1,000 a month (assuming this was a typical month), presumably most of which went on the gardener's wages: so he was probably on around 250 per week. The combined upkeep of Mimi, Cynthia's mother and the ignoble Alf was costing John around 4,600 per month. (Lil got a third of what Mimi and Alf got - with Alf getting most of all. One assumes this fact was not conveyed to Mimi.) John himself made do with around 3,250 in cash for "expenses" (and Lord only knows what they were).
(Also note around 1,600 for Cyn and her mother to go to Rimini on the Adriatic. Again, this may prove useful in attempting to pin down the Two Virgins chronology, something which thus far hasn't been done to anyone's satisfaction.)

Kenwood: 1967 & 2010.

So much time is spent (or wasted) here cataloguing those things that haven't survived the ravages of wealth-related caprice/ blinkered philistinism etc, that it is good to see something which has endured; and good, too, to see a bespoke version of this shot - John's favoured perch still very much there, and, with the obvious exception of the sunroom, so is more or less everything else...apparently. Thanks to Joe Baiardi (for it is he), and more to come on this theme, if theme it be.

Kenwood: and its "environs", 2010.

Mr Brilig, an occasional leaver of amusing comments round these parts, recently found himself on business in the environs of St George's Hill, and couldn't resist a quick visit to the threshold of the titular pile (well, who can, whenever the opportunity arises?). He also couldn't resist firing up the auld "video" recorder, and... well, recording his progress through the lanes around Kenwood:



This may be of little consequence to anyone, but it's worth bearing in mind that these roads have changed little in the intervening period since John lived there (unlike the house itself); Mr Lennon would sometimes use them to go for a stroll after being up all night smoking "reefer" and playing "the bongos" (or whatever people did back then for amusement). In the context of all this, I find the Brilig film to be interesting: it's another little layer of insight in the.. errr.. gateaux that is... errrr...
Brilig has also begun a Beatle related blog, which can be found HERE. Thanks to him for letting me use the film.

Kinfauns, part 4: then and now.

A long, narrow path led to the gate at Kinfauns, and it's still there, as can be seen above right. The house itself is long gone, although, funnily enough, part of it lives on: the plans for the building that currently occupies the site show that several external and internal walls from Kinfauns were retained in its construction, together with a portion of the floor. Also, according the Beatles' London, the "two 'porthole' lounge windows" have been retained, "now installed in a new orangery". These, of course, were the very windows that led John to believe he was "driving" a submarine at the tail end of the dental experience. Blimey. So there we go:


Many thanks to Joe Baiardi for the contemporary pics.

Sunny Heights: then & now - part 5.

I've wittered on about this at ridiculous length before, so I'll try to keep this brief: the plans showing the extent of Ringo's extension (Missus). The former site of his cinema (or projector room), much mentioned in the pages of the Beatles Book monthly, marked by the arrow:


The original house, whilst by no means a modest dwelling, was nevertheless considerably more so than by the time Messrs Bricky and Builders had finished with it...and it's even bigger today, having undergone subsequent expansion since. Here's the bit of the '65 plan showing the garage, and its outcome:


Riveting stuff.

Kinfauns, part 3: a garage, 1966.

Admittedly, this is quite dull. Nevertheless, here it is - the plan for George's garage at Kinfauns in 1966. Like John at Kenwood and Ringo at Sunny Heights, George did do reconstruction at Kinfauns, plus a lot of de-rigeur psychedelic paintwork. He did also do in 1966 a garage, in one corner of the grounds, to house his mini etc. And there it is:


There is still a garage in that corner, but probably not this one.

Kinfauns, part 2: 1960, 1965 & 1967.

And so to 1960. 5 years (or "something") before George got his hands on it, the owner decided to extend, and thus Kinfauns assumed the zig-zag shape familiar from its Beatle Belt incarnation. The thing I especially like about the 1960 plan is that the architect decided to embellish it with the name of the house, in what can only be described as proto-psychedelic lettering. Given the future history of the place, this seems like yet another "nice" co-incidence. Could it have been that the architect's cultural antennae were twitching? And that he somehow tuned into the zeitgeist, foresaw the influence this humble bungalow would have on popular culture, and let his pen do the talking? Could it really have been that?
No, of course not. Don't be so stupid. But, still, I like these things. Very much.
The house looked pretty much identical when George moved in:


After a couple of years of acid/topiary etc...not so much:


Finally, and with a finality that suggests finalitude, back to the 1960 extension plan, and the reason for the zag in George's zig: more bedrooms, apparently. I suspect this was children related in the case of the original owner. Not so in the case of George:


Part 3 to follow.

Tittenhurst: various views from sometime or other.

I have no idea when these photos are from, though it's possible they pre-date any Beatle connection; apparently, the grounds to Tittenhurst were open to the public before John and Yoko moved in, and there are no tell-tale signs evident of the usual accoutrements (Kenwood statues/caravan/donkeys/massive (and outrageous) "beard-age" etc):


The Victorian assembly hall behind the main house. Again, note the absence of statues (and Beatles), but the identical nature of everything else:


The rarely seen swimming pool, demolished after Ringo sold the property, sat adjacent to the main house:


Finally, the "front" door (actually round the side), familiar from the Imagine video. The whole place looks a bit uninhabited (assuming it's even possible for a place to be "a bit uninhabited", which I doubt) in these pics:


Innaresting. Thanks to Guus Limberger for sending them, and, as ever, to the Beatles' London guide for...guidance.
UPDATE: Guus informs me they are from 1969, but a few months before John and Yoko moved in.

Kenwood: sunroom - August, 1967.

Sarah over at Meet The Beatles has uncovered a couple more of these shots of the Quiet/Noisy ones, visiting John at Kenwood in the summer of 1967. Again, clearly the sunroom, and, again, no John, which suggests he was either the photographer, or else didn't want his photo taken that day.
Interesting to get a glimpse of one of the fans responsible for these pics; I wonder if Lizzie recognises her. There are a fair few such images in circulation now, and I'll bet around 15 pence that there are more somewhere.