John Lennon's early years

John was born on October 9th 1940 in Liverpool and given the middle name Winston, after the Prime Minister (he would later change his middle name to Ono). John's father was a merchant seaman and so he did not see a lot of him when he was small.

When he was five, his parents separated and he ended up living with his Aunt Mimi and her husband George. His childhood years were spent at their semi-detached suburban house in South Liverpool at “Mendips”, 251 Menlove Avenue that was to be John's home with Aunt Mimi from 1945 to 1963.

It was here that John was discouraged from playing the guitar, with Aunt Mimi recorded as saying:

When John became famous, he had the words framed and gave them to his Aunt.

In 1957 he formed his own amateur skiffle group, the Quarry Men, which played at many local venues and produced cover versions of popular radio songs. On 6 July 1957 the group was performing at St Peter's church fete in Woolton, when he first met the fifteen-year-old Paul McCartney. John was not easily impressed, but here was someone who could really tune and play a guitar, and knew all the chords to his favourite Little Richard and Gene Vincent songs. John asked him to join the group, and the partnership at the heart of the Beatles was forged.

John attended Quarry Bank Grammar School (now Calderstones School). He didn't fare well too well at school and spent most of his time challenging authority. He loved drawing and writing, however, and John’s talent for art and a recommendation from his headmaster were enough to get him a place at Liverpool College of Art, where he started in the autumn of 1957. Although already ambitious, John showed more interest in music and girls than in his studies. Mimi despaired, but John's mother Julia was supportive.

When John started at Liverpool College of Art in 1957 Paul and George were still at the neighbouring Liverpool Institute. The Art College is in Hope Street and backs onto the Liverpool Institute making for easy meetings and impromptu rehearsals after school.

After the death of his Uncle George, John became closer to his mother Julia, who was living at Blomfield Road in nearby Allerton. On 15 July 1958, Julia had come for tea and a chat with her sister at Mendips. As she was crossing the road outside the house to catch a bus home, she was knocked down and killed by a car. She was only 44. Though he did not show it at first, the tragedy affected John deeply, making him increasingly bitter at the world. His feelings only emerged years later, when he wrote 'Julia' and other songs in her memory. It also strengthened the bond with Paul, whose mother had died young the previous year.

The Beatles started off with gigs at the Cavern, where Brian Epstein, who later became their manager, saw them. Their first UK single, "Love Me Do" was released in 1962. John Lennon had risen from teenage Liverpool rebel to one of the most famous people on the planet in just ten years.