The bricks that built the Beatles
Mendips
Paul McCartney remembers Mendips as ‘one of the almost posh houses’ in the Woolton area of Liverpool. In 1946, following his parents separation, John Lennon came to live at Mendips with his Aunt Mimi and her husband, George Smith, who had no children of their own.
Together, no-nonsense Aunt Mimi and the softer-hearted Uncle George provided the loving and stable home that John badly needed. Aunt Mimi kept Mendips immaculately tidy, and John remembered his childhood here as a generally happy time.
However, it was also marked by tragedy. On 15 July 1958, John's mother Julia, a frequent visitor to Mendips, was coming for tea with her sister. As she crossed the road to catch a bus home, she was hit by a car and killed. Though he did not show it at first, her death affected John deeply. It also strengthened John's bond with Paul, who had lost his own mother in October 1956.
Image © Mike Cadwallader
20 Forthlin Road
Mendips was under a mile from 20 Forthlin Road, but the two houses sat in different social worlds. Mendips had a grand name whereas Forthlin Road was simple but well-made social housing.
Paul’s mother Mary was houseproud, right down to the Sanderson designer wallpaper which she hung in the parlour, carefully pieced together from inexpensive roll ends.
However, family life at 20 Forthlin Road was also marked by loss. Mary died from breast cancer on 31 October 1956. Paul was 14 years old and his younger brother, Mike, only 12.
With their father Jim now trying to work full-time and raise two sons, the family started to struggle. Aunts and uncles stepped in to support and helped the family with meals and chores during their weekly visits.
Image © Michael McCartney
Mendips
Although he was away a lot with the band, Mendips remained home for John. It was here Aunt Mimi kept his OBE, though, ever the rebel, John returned the medal in 1969.
Despite John’s stardom, Aunt Mimi never let his fame change her. She was proud of her nephew’s achievements, but to her, John would always be the wayward but essentially soft-hearted teenager in need of firm guidance. Often taking pity on the fans who had travelled hundreds of miles for a sight of John’s childhood home, Aunt Mimi would invite them in for tea and sandwiches. But she found that she had to start locking the kitchen door to stop them pinching crockery as souvenirs.
In 1965, Aunt Mimi left Mendips to retire to Poole in Dorset, and although John would have liked to have kept the house, it was sold. However, he never forgot his years at Mendips. In 2002, Yoko Ono Lennon heard the house was up for sale. She decided to buy it and donate it to the National Trust, so it would be well looked after as a place for people to visit and see for themselves where it all began.
Image © Mike Cadwallader
20 Forthlin Road
20 Forthlin Road remained the McCartneys' home for several years. At the height of the Beatles' fame, Paul had moved to London and Mike was still living with his father at Forthlin Road, where Beatles fans gathered on the pavement outside. In July 1964, Paul bought his father a house in Heswall overlooking the Dee estuary. They moved out of 20 Forthlin Road at midnight, to avoid unwanted attention from Beatles fans.
The Jones family moved into 20 Forthlin Road, and eventually bought the house from the council. Despite the change in ownership, fans continued to visit Forthlin Road. Like Aunt Mimi at Mendips, Mrs Jones would often invite them in for a cup of tea. However, after 30 years, she’d had enough. Mrs Jones gave the McCartney family the chance to buy back 20 Forthlin Road in 1995. However, they declined and Mrs Jones offered it to the National Trust instead.
Image © Michael McCartney