Kenwood: Nursery/Playroom?

Again, at least a couple of slight variations. This is definitely Kenwood, and I'd say it's the same room in both sets of photos - those panels are quite distinctive. They seem to be part of a sliding door arrangement - open in the spinning top photos to give a glimpse of the room beyond. I have seen the colour one blown up to quite a large size (in some kind of book, not some kind of vision, I hasten to add) - and the reflection in the panels looks like those same curtains. Is this the nursery/playroom? The presence of toys in all these pics suggests it as a possibility. Might the room beyond be Julian's room? Or should that be "Julian's" room? This is beginning to get slightly "ridiculous". Or should that be etc etc. UPDATE - it's the master bedroom. See later guff for the skinny.

2 Scraps Of Paper: Benjamin, Fowler, Guivel?

These scraps of paper, which feature John's scribbled notes for Lucy and Fool On The Hill, also contain one or two other intriguing bits and pieces. An interest in the occult was fashionable at that time, part of a general counter-culture trend to seek alternate ways of apprehending the world. Famously, the Great Beast himself, Aleister Crowley, peers out from the cover of Sgt Pepper. Elbert Benjamin was an occultist who started the Church Of Light, and was concerned with matters astrological, extra-sensory-perceptual and Aquarian - all very much in keeping with the spirit of 1967. Lorenzo Niles Fowler was the famous phrenologist, who promoted theories of psychological analysis via skull shape, and produced, amongst many other things, the famous phrenological head seen above. (I wonder if John had one of these - it would have fitted in perfectly in the sunroom). The second piece of paper has rather more obscure scribblings on it - hard to decipher, partly because of John's handwriting. I think there is a town called Aleberg in Sweden, but the rest is unclear - unless anyone knows different.

Julian's Room: June, 1967.

4 variations on a theme...the "cuddly" toys aren't, particularly. The first floor during John's time comprised the master bedroom with en-suite bathroom and walk in clothes room, a study, Julian's room (plus, probably, a playroom/nursery) and at least one guest bedroom - known as the "blue room", for obvious reasons. This was the room occupied by Pete Shotton during his lengthy stays at Kenwood. Pete house-sat whilst John and Cynthia were in India in 1968. The bit of Kenwood overlooking the swimming pool remains a mystery...UPDATE - it's the garage. See later drivel for explicatory pap.

Drawing Room: December, 1968.

A couple of years back, the BBC arts programme Arena screened a documentary about John relating to the song Imagine. I didn't see it, but I believe that some of the Austrian TV footage from the drawing room was included - mis-labelled as being from Tittenhurst, but in perfect quality. If anyone happens to have recorded it and could provide an MP4 (or something)...Anyway, as part of the promotion they released this image of John and Yoko with the white chess set, in the drawing room at Kenwood.

Kenwood: Drive, 1967.

I got this from Sara's great blog - further proof that there are more John at Kenwood pics out there. Sometime in 1967, obviously post-tache, he's wearing that pendant which he alternated with the talisman throughout the year, occasionally sporting both together. On AYNIL (an unfortunate acronym), of course, he's got the talisman on his head. I think the pendant is yet to turn up at auction, so maybe he didn't give it away. (Also here a re-post of another pic taken at the same time. These are obviously by fans...and maybe there are more).

EMI House: Manchester Square, London.

There was a time, believe it or not, when you could go and view (from the rear) the location of the photo on the Beatles' first album cover. You can still go and view the location of the photo on the Beatles' last album (recorded) cover, and even do what you will upon it. Anyway, the whole first Beatles' album cover block has been demolished - but, EMI, as far as I know, took the "stairwell" to Hammersmith and installed it in their new HQ. Insane, but good if true, though it may well be bullshit. Anyway again, the first pic here is my holiday snap from 1986 - the lower balcony the one that the Fabs found themselves upon (Carumba I can't stand alliteration). More interesting - they took a change of clothes for the 1969 shot. Why?

Small Room: 4.

The 2006 pic I have actually shows a bit more of the left hand side of the room, so I've re-scanned it. Does this help? Or add to the confusion? The colour pic couch would be where the left-hand lamp table is in this pic. Or not. Again.

Kenwood: landing - yet more horse.

More horse variants - a slightly wider perspective, and the same image comped for the same reason.

Small Room: Three.

Are these photos from the same room? Joe reckons not the colour one. He could be right - it does look a bit odd, but I still tend to think it is this room, for several reasons. The decor in all the pics is the same - the curtains in particular. Second, looking at the floor plans, I can't see any other room which fits with the wall/window arrangement in the colour one. (Of course, one has to bear in mind that the plans are from 2006, and there has been a lot of renovation in the meantime). Third, the camera often gives a distorted picture, which might explain the off perspective in the colour shot. (And how much of the wall behind are we actually seeing in the second dog picture? It's very hard to tell. It should curve round to the right, but maybe the angle cuts off before that...or maybe it is curving. Or maybe it's not the same room!) Another example would be the large living room footage - I must have seen that a hundred times and not realised it was that room until I went back and found small details - it looks strange in the film, but I'm convinced it is the same room. I'm not 100% convinced all these pics are the same room, however, but it remains my best guess. I'd love to be proved wrong - previously unseen pics would do it! Feel free to comment away. Or not.

Kenwood: small room too?

Following on from the last post, and just to labour the point beyond human endurance, was the book wall in this room, or elsewhere? The other candidate, I think, might be the hitherto indeterminate space overlooking the swimming pool.

Kenwood: den, 1966, 1967 & 2006.

One of the most interesting and ambiguous rooms in Kenwood (in an E.L. Wisty voice). This room is, possibly, what has been variously called the small room (by the Beatles Book during their June '67 visit - details HERE), the "rumpus" room (by Ken Partridge - details HERE), the study (by Pauline Lennon in her book), the library (by Cynthia) and the sitting room (by post-Lennon owners of Kenwood). Remember - confusion is nothing new. The two pics above, I think, were almost certainly taken there, as well as the familiar pics by Ringo from January '68 showing John, Cyn, Julian and Bernard the dog on a couch. Once again - look at the curtains in all these photos. Stare at them. GO ON.
UPDATE - this room was actually what the Lennons would have referred to as the "den", thus rendering most of the above redundant.

Kenwood: June 1967.

I've never seen a complete version of the first pic here - it's usually cropped. I'm also unclear as to which room this is. I would guess somewhere on the first floor - it might be part of Julian's room, given the toys, or I believe he also had a nursery or playroom up there, so maybe this is it.
UPDATE - it's the den, on the ground floor. See later shizzle for the poop.

Kenwood: drive, December 1968.

Another goodly December '68 shot. Following the traumatic events of the preceding couple of months, it's tempting to read a sense of relief into these, what with being back at Kenwood...utter pish in all probability.

Life With The Lions 3: Marylebone Magistrate's Court footage.

As a footnote, 40 seconds of footage...

Life With The Lions 2: Queen Charlotte's Maternity Hospital, London, November 1968.

From November 4 until November 25, John and Yoko occupied Room Number 1, Second West Ward. When John's bed was needed, he moved to an inflatable mattress on the floor. Going through a miscarriage, vilified by large sections of the press and public, there is a real sense of isolation in these photographs. Note the pictures on the wall, including the other Beatles' White Album portraits, and John's Christmas card painting. No longer welcome at Montagu Square, within a week they'd be back at Kenwood for the last time.

Life With The Lions 1: Marylebone Magistrate's Court, London, October 19, 1968.

The cover of Unfinished Music No. 2: Life With The Lions was clearly intended to draw a straight line, with good reason, between the events of October 18/19 1968, when John and Yoko were arrested at Montagu Square before being taken to court, and the subsequent miscarriage of their child. There's little doubt that the police were heavy handed. The then home secretary, James Callaghan, privately admonished Sgt Pilchard over his handling of the affair. When asked why it had needed seven police to arrest John and Yoko, Pilchard apparently replied, "it is not unusual when executing search warrants for premises occupied by members of the entertainment world to find that there are large numbers of people present taking part in unusual parties. In this case it was found that only two persons were present, and both were in a state of undress." Wot, no Mars Bars? Their appearance at court the day after the bust led to a brief but comprehensive frenzy - John and Yoko herded out in front of an unholy mob comprising antagonistic pant-hooters, rubbernecking dimwits and Fleet Street smudgers. Footage reveals the ordeal to have been mercifully brief (though its consequences were far reaching). Yet this is one instance where photography speaks louder than film.(Incidentally, the building was demolished February, 2009).