CYNTHIA (Room 115)
John met Cynthia Powell while at art college in 1958. She was from Hoylake on the Wirral, the ‘posh’ side of the River Mersey, and appeared somewhat strait-laced for a rebellious rock ’n’ roller like John. By August 1962, Cynthia had informed an unenthusiastic Lennon that she was pregnant. So much was happening in John’s life—the Beatles had a proper manager, they had been voted Liverpool’s top band, had a fan club, a record out in Germany, and were about to sign a recording contract with EMI—that he was worried about the effect the news would have on his popularity.
The news was kept from the fans, but John decided to do the proper thing and married Cynthia on 23 August at Mount Pleasant Register Office. Paul was best man, and George and Brian Epstein attended the civil ceremony. John’s aunt Mimi refused to go to the wedding. The ceremony was almost inaudible due to the sound of a pneumatic drill outside. This was possibly a pointer for the future, as Cynthia’s life was about to erupt into chaos.
Baby Julian was born on 8 April 1963, by which time the Beatles had released two singles, ‘Love Me Do’ and ‘Please Please Me,’ and had also recorded and released their first album. The Beatles were becoming household names, and John was working extremely hard. It seemed as if he was constantly on tour, which gave him precious little time for his son, something he utterly regretted in his later years.
Artwork © Shannon
CYNTHIA (Room 115)
John met Cynthia Powell while at art college in 1958. She was from Hoylake on the Wirral, the ‘posh’ side of the River Mersey, and appeared somewhat strait-laced for a rebellious rock ’n’ roller like John. By August 1962, Cynthia had informed an unenthusiastic Lennon that she was pregnant. So much was happening in John’s life—the Beatles had a proper manager, they had been voted Liverpool’s top band, had a fan club, a record out in Germany, and were about to sign a recording contract with EMI—that he was worried about the effect the news would have on his popularity.
The news was kept from the fans, but John decided to do the proper thing and married Cynthia on 23 August at Mount Pleasant Register Office. Paul was best man, and George and Brian Epstein attended the civil ceremony. John’s aunt Mimi refused to go to the wedding. The ceremony was almost inaudible due to the sound of a pneumatic drill outside. This was possibly a pointer for the future, as Cynthia’s life was about to erupt into chaos.
Baby Julian was born on 8 April 1963, by which time the Beatles had released two singles, ‘Love Me Do’ and ‘Please Please Me,’ and had also recorded and released their first album. The Beatles were becoming household names, and John was working extremely hard. It seemed as if he was constantly on tour, which gave him precious little time for his son, something he utterly regretted in his later years.
Artwork © Shannon
