William Leslie Anthony (Les Anthony): 30 April 1933 - 21 May 2020.

Les Anthony, John's driver from 1965-1971, has died. The story goes that John was having problems finding a suitable chauffeur, and so Brian Epstein, upon visiting Kenwood one day and noticing Les cleaning a Roller in the drive of an adjacent property, made him an offer he couldn't refuse.

No doubt witness to all  manner of rum goings on, Anthony (as John would call him) admirably kept schtum, and John wrote him a warm letter from New York upon their eventual parting of the ways. Les went on to drive for the Tory MP and peer Geoffrey Rippon, which saw him through the following 19 years up to his retirement. (Hint: Rippon is not the one in the cloth cap.)

"You've been a good lad over the years and faithful - for which I thank you," quoth John in his valedictory letter. "See you some day."
Les Anthony, 30th April 1933 - 21st May 2020.

Kenwood: bush - then unt now.

Did I mention that I have been to etc.?
One of the 3 areas I was most interested in seeing was bush related - specifically an attempt to clear up the "silly bother" about where the Rubber Soul cover photo was taken.
There are 2 possibles, one being the top of the drive at Kenwood. So, here's a screencap from my phone of the very spot.
It is clearly here. If you spend several hours comparing, you start to see that Paul is in fact undead.
Seriously, though - this is it. I was there in late winter. The Rubber Soul photo would have been taken in late autumn. Or fall.
Eternal thanks to Peter Rubin. And hello Lumby.

Rishikesh: then unt now.

Hello everybody. Firstly, thank you to all who have written/commented over the last 3 years, and apologies for the lack of response. I remain extant. The blog was blown off course by what might be deemed "life shit" (or "shite"), and so it remains.
What have I been up to? I suppose the big news is that, ironically, one dreich morning during this hiatus, I finally got to visit Kenwood. By which I mean, I had an hour to wander through the house and round the grounds. More, and there could hardly be less, to follow. (Possibly.)
In the meantime, what better way to etc. than with our auld mate the "then unt now"?
Mark Lewisohn was in India recently, and took a number of photos at what's left of the Maharishi's Etc., including the one on the right above, the very spot where they initially White Albumed, at least partly.
Thanks to him, and to you.