50 Pubs Associated With The Beatles:...

No. 41: The Merrie Harriers, Cowbeech, East Sussex.
The above pic of Brian and Nat Weiss, taken shortly before the former's demise, is generally thought to have been captured outside the pub in the mews behind his house in Chapel Street. This despite the fact that the exterior of that pub (The Horse and Groom) looks nothing like the one featured in the photo. I had thought the explanation must lie with our old friend renovation...but once again, I was mistaken.
Mark Lewisohn has tracked down the actual pub, namely the Merrie Harriers in Sussex, not far from Brian's country retreat Kingsley Hill:


These are Mark's pics of the pub, which he has kindly shared, and you lucky people can take them as a small taster of a forthcoming "pwoject" which will see his extensive Eppy archives shunted onto the web. Watch this space for details (and many thanks to Sir Thomas Titte).

Kenwood: sunroom, August 1967.

More (above) of these (below) have just come to light, via Tracks:


Pity about the watermarks, and the piano end remains fuzzy (though elucidation of a sort coming soon)...but these are fantastic. Shurely no more?

Abbey Road: or is it?

Above: Abbey Road, this morning, 13th August 2011.
Below: Abbey Road, errr...at some point, 30th October 1971.


Is it Abbey Road, though? On the one hand, a stupid question: of course it is. But on the other...still a fairly stupid question. However, infallible rumour would have it that the crossing, subject as it has been to numerous repaintings over the years, now sits a few feet away from its original position. Thus, if so, the unhinged hordes who descend upon it each and every day, causing fury among the local transport 'n' truckage, are actually walking over the wrong bit of tar.
Richard Oliff recently, and kindly, sent some of his snaps from autumn 1971, when there could have been no doubt as to the crossing's bona fides: this was the very same upon which they traipsed. It struck me that it might be amusing to go and take an exact "now" shot, and see how far, and if at all, the thing has shifted.
Here's the result:


I'd say it's in pretty much exactly the same position. The lamp-post has been replaced, and is now a bit to the right, and the road has clearly been resurfaced a few times, but the crossing itself hasn't moved. Unhinged hordes, go about thy business.
Next, the entrance to the studio. The bell, the railings, and probably the wooden surround survive intact. The steps may have been replaced, or just repaired. Various fripperies have been added:


So there we have it. The river, as Robert Robinson might have put it, does not, and indeed, cannot remain the same, though ever onwards it do flow, and errr...etc.
But hold yourselves a second, what's this? There's something a little odd about today's shot:


Errr...:


Many thanks to Richard Oliff for sharing his pics.

Weybridge: Ellesmere Court.

Alf Bicknell (driver of Beatles), so 'tis written, lived for a while in the attic at Kenwood. Not so, according to the whip-hand himself; he did help John paint one of the small attic rooms over a few lagers in the spring of 1965, but never actually moved in.
More interesting, however, is his actual abode - a flat in Ellesmere Court, Weybridge, either owned or rented (I'd guess the latter) by John. It was initially acquired for Cynthia's mother, presumably whilst the Lennons were living in the attic flat at Kenwood during renovations. When Lil moved out to a bungalow somewhere or other, the flat remained, and Alf moved in. How long the place was in John's name (or whether he ever actually put in an appearance) is unknown, at least by me.
But there it remains: his other Weybridge abode.

Sunny Heights: another blue window.

Ringo in the custom built Leisure Wing at Sunny Heights, mid-Summer o' Etc. The above pic one of Tammy's latest batch, but there, I think, the wrong way round. This was the extension to the extension, an odd little add-on behind the projector room, the point of which is unknown; but notice - it's a blue window.
John, o' course, had a blue window installed in the attic at Kenwood around this time (later, as we have seen, to be removed and then lost):


So what was it with the blue windows? Why blue? And why windows? Why, I ask ye? I, once again, dunno. (It may well have been nothing more than one of them doing it, and the other copying.)
From straight on, it seems there wouldn't be room for windows either side of the round one:


Yet from side on, there clearly is:


Odder.
Palpable nonsense.

Kenwood: return of the Eye.

Ever wondered what became of the Eye? Last seen in Liverpool circa 1985, on display at the Festival Garden site, it subsequently seems to have been found face down in a field (or something), before disappearing altogether.
But now up it has popped, the original owners having tracked it down and regained legal possession; the good news is that the Eye is currently being restored to its former glory, and will then go on display. One of said owners, Bernie Cochrane, has very kindly been in touch with some fascinating photos, and here they are.
Back in 1985, the decision was taken to remove the Eye due to its rapidly deteriorating condition; apparently if they had left it in the pool, within 10 years the thing would have been wrecked beyond the point of redemption. So, out it came; the following pic shows it in the grounds at Kenwood, freshly removed:


Regular "readahs" will spot the blue attic window, also removed at this time, current whereabouts unknown:


Here, the moment when the Eye finally left Kenwood:


Being hoisted into place in Liverpool:


And in situ (Bernie on the left):


Lastly, here's Bernie reunited with it in a solicitor's office, recently:


Groovy. Bernie is currently trying to track down John's original sketch for the Eye, which apparently once resided in the collection of British DJ Mike Read, but is now also in the "Where Doth It Be?" file. Any readahs with information, please do get in touch.
More Eye to follow, at some point.
Thanks Bernie.

Hotel President: Russell Square, London.

Oft overlooked (by me at any rate), but increasingly of interest (to me etc) is the President on (just about) Russell Square. Here they lived in the spring and summer of 1963, and, though they almost certainly moved about a bit, for at least a while ver lads can be pinned down to rooms circa 115/116, right at the end of a corridor on the first floor. There has been refurbishment in the interim, inevitably, but the rooms are still there in the same position, and available to be slept in by anyone with 100 pounds or so.
The reception area has changed a bit - new lifts, and the old desk completely removed to provide space for seating:


But it's still recognisably the same place, and wandering around the corridors, there remains a palpable air of "60s" something or other or something (or other). It's also the place where the following rather wonderful pis (that's a typo, clearly, but left in for reasons of childishness) was taken:


Lots of photos from the President period exist, but not too many "nows" from inside the rooms; any "readahs" who can help, at any point, do get in touch.
Cheers Piet.

Kinfauns: August, 1969.

It's fair to say that all of the Beatles were more accommodating toward the "fannage" than was strictly necessary; indeed, ludicrously so by modern standards, which dictate that every Z-lister (and what a disgusting thing it is to live in an age where such an expression even exists) must, needs must, be accompanied by assorted goons to keep the fevered (and no doubt pished) masses at arm's length. Living The Dream, friends, living the dream.
John, possibly more than the others, was acutely aware of that old Faustian pact vis-a-vis fame/fannage/fetc. On the one hand he resented the daily invasions of his privacy that went along with being "Fab". But on the other, particularly post-"pot"/acid, he had mellowed to the extent of actively inviting "fannage" into his house from time to time, not snarling at them when they were there, and smiling benignly all the while. See the numerous examples on these pages. However, there were times when all of "Beatles" simply couldn't be arsed with it, and understandably so.
In August 1969, John and Yoko were living at Sunny Heights, having finally moved out of Kenwood sometime in the new year. They'd bought Tittenhurst, but were waiting to move in. Still the fannage came; in this case, one Barb Fenick, who joined the throng outside Sunny Heights in early August 1969 hoping for a meeting with the Lennon.
To this end she knocked on the door a couple of times. Cutty long story shorty, John's bearded visage appeared from an upstairs window, and told her to (and I both quote and split the infinitive) "Piss Off".
Undeterred, she headed for Kinfauns. No sooner had she gone for a stroll round the garden than George (looking remarkably, not to mention presciently, like Lemmy) appeared, and told her to, and I fetc., "Piss Off". The above pic captures that very special moment.
It's a simple anecdote, admittedly, but a superlative one; twice in a single day (though I'll bet there are many who managed four in a one-er).

Kenwood: in Wonderland.

Jonathan Miller's Alice in Wonderland was broadcast by the BBC on December 28th, 1966. It's a safe bet that John was watching, given his love of the source material, and a cast filled with people he knew, such as Peter Cook, Leo McKern and Wilfred Brambell (not to mention the score by Ravi Shankar).
His opinion of it, however, I know not.


The film emphasises the absurd, chimerical qualities of Lewis Carroll's narrative, and presents a disturbed child's eye view of bewildering "adult" mores.


Alice wanders around in a literal dream, questioning both her own identity, and the house of cards qualities evident in the society she encounters. John, as ye must know, was at the height of his acid gobbling phase around this period, and the enervated, dark, funny if disturbing imagery must have struck a note in him.


It's perhaps of interest that Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds was written soon after. Also possibly noteworthy that John spent a great deal of money in 1964 and early '65 paying for Ken Partridge's interior design at Kenwood, only to rip most of it out at some later point, for some later reason.


Not that I'm suggesting anything, like.

Mendips: back garden, 1979 & now.

You can, of course, now visit Mendips, and note for yourself the notably mock-Tudor view from John's old bedroom. One bit that remains off-limits (at least as far as an unaccompanied "shufti" goes), however, is the back garden. Above, a photo from circa 1979, showing the big tree there, upon which John once did squat, apparently.
From a slightly different angle, the same location these days:


The garden doesn't look much like it did back in the Mimi-era apparently (again), though there are currently attempts to put that right. I hope that a proper stroll round it is incorporated into the tour once that has been completed. Incidentally, a trip to the auld hoose is highly recommended, if you haven't already done so (and even if you have).
The tour, though a little on the short side, is excellent, and, best of all, you are given a few minutes at the end to wander round the house at will; John would, apparently (yet again), be very careful when going up the stairs at night, generally having come in a bit the worse for wear, not to wake Mimi by treading on those floorboards of a squeaky disposition: noting which these are, or humming a few bars of Slayer in the front porch provide considerable amusement.

Penny Lane: then unt now.

I've long had it in mind to do an "appreciation" of the Penny Lane promo film, but the more I went into it, the longer it became, and the longer it became, the less sense it made, even to me. Thusly and thankfully, instead here are a few sundry bits and pieces on a theme of drivel about Penny Lane.
The film opens with a shot of John walking on the King's Road in Chelsea, at Markham Square; here's the same spot now:


He walks up and down what is a short length of pavement, probably in an attempt to convey John "on the street" (or in this case "Lane" though in fact it's a "Road" next to a "Square")(see what I "mean"?) observing the various "items" detailed in the lyric. Why John and not Paul? I don't know. Why this particular short stretch of the King's Road? Again I don't know, but Mary Quant's shop Bazaar was on the corner, as was the restaurant Alexander's, both frequented by the Beatles, so maybe it had something to do with that; somewhere John could hide between takes, possibly.
Here he is walking in the other direction, and again, ein now:


There's some messing about with horses etc, which has been covered on this blog at revolting length elsewhere, but here's something I've never seen explained: The naughtiest line in the song is, of course, the one about fish and finger pie. (I recently saw a Liverpool guide to Beatles sites attempting to pass this off as a reference to the local chip shop. Which in a sense it probably was. And in another sense, most definitely wasn't, as some of you may even have experienced.)
Ver thing is, at ver equivalent point in ver film, there are close ups of ver lads, three of whom are clearly saying something into ver camera, and judging by ver expressions on ver faces of ver lads, it may well be something related. I can say no more that that. Except, to say more than that, cutting film in the pre-digital age was a painstaking process; that bit of film is there at that point for a reason.
Right, Johnny?:


Riiight. A "potential" alternative to the above, given that related shots of various locales around Penny Lane itself feature prominently in the film, might have been the terraced house at 73 Lidderdale Road, in the Penny Lane area:


Any of you who have read Pete Shotton's amusing and informative tome will recall the scenes of youthful sexual misadventure involving John, Pete and their then girlfriends, which occurred in the then front room at this very address, the then home of Shotton's then girlfriend (then later wife) Beth. There may well have been fish (and then chips).
Moving on, the shelter in the middle of a roundabout was a common hangout for John and cronies during his yoot. It was later turned into a "bistro" (whatever that is - something to do with the 1970's, I gather):


Here's how it looks now (ie derelict):


There is movement, however; the day I was there the inside was being cleared:


The Barber showing etc etc etc, still there too, though no longer Bioletti:


Finally, finally, something of more interest: The Old Dutch Cafe; Pete Shotton worked (or possibly "worked" but let's give him the benefit of any doubt) here, and it was a regular stopping off point for the Beatles on their way home from gigs at the Cavern and elsewhere, mainly because it stayed open late and Pete would, I daresay, have given them stuff for free. The cafe was within grogging (later "grooving", then back to grogging, followed by mugging and now stabbing) distance of central Penny Lane, and, although long gone, somewhat remarkably, the sign remains:


Nice!
Now go about yer business.

Kenwood: more drive, 1967.

More "fannage", in the drive at Kenwood, summer, 1967. "Fannage", I tell you. "Fannage".

Kenwood: sunroom, June 29, 1967.

Yet another June 29 French seamstress pic, in the sunroom, of course. That makes five, so far, and surely not many more...

Southport Road, Scarisbrick: Water Werks.

One thing not usually included in John's list of achievements is "labourer", and yet a labourer he was, for a whole month in 1959, at the none-more-prosaic Scarisbrick Water Works. Reason for leaving, amusingly, given simply as "Unsuitable":


Indeed so, I would have thought.

Kenwood: more front door.

Another "interesting" shot emerges - John answering the door to a fan sometime in 1968. This must be Two Virgins era, possibly from the period just before Yoko and he moved to Montagu Square.
The above shamelessly filched from Miss Tammy, the below shamelessly filched from Meet The Beatles For Real:

Kenwood: more sunroom.

A charming snap of Julian, on the fabled couch in the sunroom at Kenwood, probably circa late '66/early '67. This pic may well have been taken around the same time as the header image above. Or not. Note the rug. Or don't. (See labels below. Or etc.).
Thanks to the fabled Eric Nernie for submitting this.