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.)
'The Small World of Sammy Lee' is a great little film with marvellous footage of Soho in 1963, including Rupert Court.
ReplyDeleteAs well as the opportunities it provides for playing spot the Fab photo location, the film features several actors familiar from A Hard Day's Night. And Roy Kinnear from all of the others.
The premature demise of this excellent theme is a very disappointing. I could see 50 excuses lined up before me. Please reconsider.
ReplyDeleteI concur with "Brilig". Great idea. Maybe choose a lower number, say 20 instead of 50? You've got the Liverpool pubs, The Grapes, Ye Cracke... ? In London, Bag o' Nails, umm... Go for it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your thoughtful blog!
Cheers.
Brady
Anthony Newley legging it past the Blue Posts at 7.37 into the following clip from 'Sammy Lee' (episode 7 on You Tube),
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/user/RetrospectaVideo#p/c/70C712685CE5D75B/6/-jOulIxGty0
The "Heroes of Alma" pub (alas no longer there) in St John's Wood was where the Beatles and George Martin used to go for a pint during recording breaks.
ReplyDeleteSee http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/3349848/The-inns-and-outs-of-buying-a-hostelry.html
This blog is fab - I've just received cert. that my Great Grandfather was born 6 Rupert Court! Son of a Tailor journeyman.
ReplyDeleteGreat pix.
P.S. Thomas Clark born 1893! bit before the 1963 working-class heros
ReplyDelete