Bigger Than Jesus

Cynthia hasn't really talked about the comment made by John about the Beatles being more popular than Jesus Christ. She did acknowledged it in her books, but barely in interviews- which is surprising because it was very controversial in those days. You'd think a journalist would want to pick her brain about that but instead she got frequently asked about meeting and divorcing John.

Here's what happened: early 1966, Maureen Cleave went to Kenwood to interview John for Evening Standard March 4th publication and for America's Datebook in July 29th. He gave Maureen a tour of his home (with Julian following while holding a cat), sharing his indulgence of books, and being uncomfortable in his fame and mansion [more about that later]. He also talked, quite comfortably and open… Now, John was not anti-religion, anti-Christ, anti-church. Okay, sure, he didn't go to church often, very, very rare. Probably because he wasn't interested or he was extremely busy or it just didn't occur to him to go. But it must have bothered John to know that his teenage fans were at the point worshipping The Beatles.

When the article went to print in England, no one picked up on it or made it into a big deal. It went through one ear and out the other, skimmed over, and the newspaper was either thrown in the bin or was cut out and paste into a scrapbook. Then came America's turn to read how John lives at home. The controversy started with a disc jockey in Alabama who came across the article to discuss on his radio show as he did every day with articles to talk and, I guess, he got offended. He lived in one of the States that were heavily into the Bible and launched a Ban the Beatles campaign. He refused to play the music and several radio stations in the States soon followed. There were gatherings to burn everything relating to The Beatles- records, books, magazines, knick knacks, tickets, you name it… I often wonder if anybody regrets it now? Those things could've been worth a fortune! But I guess in those days you don't think about saving something that could be worth a lot of money. Even the Ku Klux Klan (the most racist group ever!) got involved, protesting for The Beatles not to perform nor be welcomed. I don't think that worked as I don't recall any concerts getting cancelled. Brian Epstein traveled first to the States before the tour started to do damage control. It's amazing how much damage could happen over a misunderstanding of a quote. John did not say The Beatles were better than Jesus Christ. He said they were more popular! Popular and Better are completely different meanings. John saw the weak state the churches were in and simply made an observation. Brian did remind the promoters they can cancel their city dates but none did!

"Everything was going well until in an interview John likened the Beatles to Jesus Christ. His truly honest assessment of their popularity offended the God-fearing, clean living Americans who lived in the Bible belt of America. His views were totally misconstrued. John was very bewildered and frightened by the reaction that his words created in the States. Beatle albums were burnt in a mass orgy of self-righteous indignation. Letters arrived at the house full of threats, hate, and venom. John would come downstairs in the morning and look intently over my shoulder as I opened the mail and asked worriedly, 'How's it going, Cyn? How many for and how many against?' To add to the misery of the impending tour a prominent American and highly successful clairvoyant predicted that the plane carrying the Beatles to America would crash with no survivors. This unwelcome piece of information really gave us all the heebie-jeebies. Our farewells before John embarked on that journey were long and lingering. We were convinced that we wouldn't see each other again.  John was sure that if the plane didn't crash, some incensed religious fanatic would pull a gun on him and kill him. It was a very worrying time for all concerned."

Cynthia, from her 1978 book A Twist of Lennon

The Beatles first went to Chicago for the tour and a press conference was held. John felt he was not only misunderstood, he didn't feel anything to be sorry for. However, John had to apologize: his band's lives, including his own, were in danger. He did. Some forgave him immediately, some took their time, some still hold a grudge to this very day, especially one in particular who later succeeded in ending John's life 14 years later. Still, the tour was very tense. Every time a shot-sounding sound rang through the stadium, the Beatles would look at one another, especially John, to see if they got a bullet. Physic readings came through… one shook John to its core about him getting shot while in the States before the tour started. Enough to scare Cynthia, who kept tabs on him more often than usual by phone, letters, and Brian's office to be sure her husband was still alive. Needless to say, John didn't want to ever tour again. Touring didn't cross John's mind until 1980 just before his life ended that he was thinking of going back on the road with Yoko in support of their album Double Fantasy now that Sean was five years old… [more about that later].

"He was terrified. What he'd said had affected the whole group. Their popularity was under the microscope but he was the one who had opened his mouth and put his foot in it. I didn't go on tour with him but I know he was very frightened."

Cynthia, 2005

Can I Have My Film Back?

I wonder if a copy of this film was made and everyone was happy?

The Household Help

There were quite a few on the Lennon household staff after John, Cynthia, and Julian moved to Kenwood in 1964. Most notably are Dorothy Jarlett (housekeeper), Les Anthony (chauffeur), and an unnamed grumpy gardener.

"John was away touring a lot of the time. I stayed behind with Julian and was happy to be with him. But it wasn't my sort of life. It brought me responsibilities that were more trouble than they were worth. I'd been happier with a small place that I could have looked after myself. If you could have seen the problems and the arguments and the petty jealousies that went on between the staff -- largely, I think, because I never felt confident in my handling of them. You have to be born to servants to be able to cope with them properly, and I certainly wasn't. I'd never make a good mistress of a large establishment. I've always made friends with anyone who's come to clean for me. I like to know all about them, and invariably it ends up with more gossip than work. I'm not good at giving orders. Instead of saying; 'You've to do such-and-such,' I'd said: 'Do you mind if' and water it all down so it didn't sound as if there was too much to do. Of course they knew I wasn't sure of myself and it was fatal. Now I refuse to have anyone come to do my cleaning. I prefer to do my own."

Cynthia, 1976

“I had to be a homemaker. I wasn’t used to servants. I used to clear up before the maid came in. I still do. It’s a mentality you can’t lose, that’s the way you’ve been brought up. But John didn’t care. His imagination had been allowed to run riot, it had to run riot to keep him sane. If he’d really thought about what had happened to him, he would have gone mad. I was happy just to keep it all together. I was never a great dreamer about being successful or famous or wealthy.”

Cynthia, 2005

-Bill Corbett was a chauffeur working for John when he, Cynthia, and Julian first moved to London in 1963 until 1964 before moving to Weybridge.

-Alf Bicknell was a chauffeur, mainly worked for The Beatles from 1964 until 1966, he was also part of their touring entourage. Her chauffeured John and Cynthia after it was announced that John was awarded for Members of the British Empire (MBE) for a news conference in 1965. Alf died in 2004.

-Jock was a chauffeur working for John when he, Cynthia, and Julian moved to Weybridge. John would let Jock have the car during off-hours until they realized that Jock was using the car as his home and to drink booze.

Dorothy Jarlett and her husband Bernard

-Dorothy Jarlett basically came with the house, worked for the previous tenant in Kenwood. Dot was married to Bernard and had two children, Barry and Anne. In August of 1964, Dot returned to Kenwood to be interviewed by Cynthia Lennon.

"They sent a car for me and I went up for an interview. Julian, just over a year old, was pottering around and a few days later they agreed to employ me. The previous owner of the mansion, an American lady with six children, recommended me for the job of housekeeper. When I got home I told my son, Barry, that I had an interview of a job with the new owners of Kenwood, a musician and his wife. He asked who it was, and I told him it was John and Cynthia Lennon. He said, 'Go! Mum, he's one of the Beatles!' Before they bought Kenwood, I was working for an American family there, helping with their children. Mrs. Lennon wanted somebody to take care of Julian and I was recommended as being good with children and the housekeeping. Kenwood was having a lot of work done to it and there were a lot of workmen about. Julian was toddling around in what they used to call Poddy Pants (nappies), not really dressed. After the interview, within 2 or 3 days, I received a card to say I had got the job. On my first morning I started at 9 AM and drove up there to Kenwood. At the time, the Lennons were living in the staff rooms, formerly the servants' quarters, and it was like a small apartment flat. My first morning when I got there, Mrs. Powell, Cynthia's mother, Cynthia and her brother Charles were well-dressed and prepared to go out in a chauffeur-driven car. I was surprised that they would leave me, a stranger, to take care of Julian and the house, but I guess the American lady must have given me a good report that I was good with children. And so I had Julian for the rest of the day. Julian's little sleeping cot was damp and there were no bed sheets, just woolen hand-knitted squares sewn together. I thought maybe it was a blanket the fans had sent them. Julian was still running around with a baby bottle. I found him some clothes, gave him a bath in the sink and then dressed him. He was a very good little boy and accepted me quickly. Mrs. Lennon, her mother, and her brother did not arrive back that first day until about 5:30 PM. The first time I met John was after his return from America. I was told that he didn't like people hanging around, and I would have to cope with him, but I found no problem with him being around the house. When I got to work at Kenwood, he was on the settee, looking very tired. He introduced himself to me, and I found him very nice. I always got along very well with John. He liked me looking after Julian, and I used to take his son down to my house to play with my daughter Anne and sometimes little Julian would spend the night with our family. John also visited our home and was always very considerate to me and my family. As the days went on, I found I was having other things to do besides looking after Julian, but he was almost always with me. I got to taking him out in my car for shopping, and took him home to my house to visit my family. I had a folding pram which I took around with me and everything seemed to work out very nicely, but it seemed at times to be a very long day. I was left to cope with just about everything at Kenwood. After the renovations and changes, the family moved out of the upstairs flat and occupied the rest of the house."

Dorothy Jarlett

"The housekeeper, Dot, was regarded as virtually a member of the family. A very pleasant, helpful, and easygoing woman of about forty, Dot was devoted to Julian, kept the house immaculate and the cupboards well-stocked with cat food and John's favorite breakfast cereals, helped Cyn with the cooking, and even took many of her meals with her boss, who insisted she called him by his Christian name."

Pete Shotton, 1983

Dot and her family became very close to the Lennon family; they even attended Cynthia's brother's wedding. The Jarletts were one of Julian's main baby-sitters; John even checked out their home and bought a slide for Julian whenever he stayed there. Barry and Anne also helped around the house, going through fanmail and other little odd jobs while Bernard painted and fixed up some rooms. Julian named the second family dog after Bernard. In 1968, things started to go downhill.

"Yet another casualty of Kenwood's new regime was the Lennons' devoted housekeeper, Dot Jarlett. A few days before Cyn's arrival home from her previous trip to Greece, Dot had informed Mrs. Powell of Yoko's overnight visits. When John learned of Dot's indescretion, he flew into one of his worst rages in years. 'What goes on in my house,' he shouted at her, 'is my business! You are here as my housekeeper, and you have no right to tell tales behind my back about anything that goes on here!' Cringing under this onslaught, Dot desperately tried to make amends. 'I'm sorry, John, I am sorry. I only wanted to do the right thing for you and Cyn.' 'Well, I don't like spies in my house. You don't work for Cyn, you work for me. I employ you, I pay your wages- and I don't any more. You're sacked!'"

Pete Shotton, 1983

"I was with the Lennons for about four years and experienced a lot of happenings, which included my family, and John looked on us for a lot of help at times. But he was often in London with the other Beatles. I used to have a lot of dealings with Peter Brown, their manager, and others in the London offices. Cynthia was on holiday with her mother and Julian when Yoko arrived at the house. I was there for only a short while after John left with Yoko. Contrary to remarks once make in a book, I was not given the sack by John. There were domestic issues and a pending divorce that made my life and loyalties very difficult and I made the sad decision to leave myself. My family and I have very fond memories of my years spent with the Lennons."

Dorothy Jarlett

In her second book, Cynthia wrote that she and Dot would keep in touch. I honestly don't know if they did but in the 1980s, Bernard sent Cynthia a note asking for a film reel. She responded back and gave back the film reel. Dot died in 2014.

-Unknown married couple of a chauffeur and a housekeeper/cook. Cynthia at first the idea was cozy when she hired them. It turned out to be a mistake: the woman and Dot did not get along, the man flirted with every woman he met, and their daughter left her husband and moved in with her parents. Accusations of dishonesty, violent threats, and sneaky revenge were too much for Cynthia to bare. Not only that, but when John was home, the woman would serve the kind of meals fit for the King (after all, it was John who signed their paychecks) while he was away, Cynthia and Julian were fed frozen chips, hamburgers, and peas. It wasn't long until the husband and wife duo, plus the daughter, were dismissed.

Les Anthony with John's newly psychedelic painted Rolls Royce outside of Kenwood, 1967

-Les Anthony was from Wales, worked as a Guardsman until becoming a chauffeur on call for 24 hours. He was married, but his duties with John ultimately ended his marriage.

"This is how Les Anthony got his job: One morning Les stopped me and asked if John needed a chauffeur. I said I thought so, as John had mentioned it to me. John was pleased when he met Les and he got the job, and he used to tell me about the long hours he sat waiting for John when the Beatles were recording. John used to leave me notes with little funny drawings, notes to arrange things when he was going into London for recording and meetings at the office. I used to deal a lot with the office and make his driving arrangements with Les, what time to pick him up or when to come to the house. Les Anthony was an imposing chap who was over six foot and an ex-guardsman."

Dorothy Jarlett

Les continued working for John until 1971 when John and Yoko moved to New York City. Once it was clear that John and Cynthia's marriage was over, Les solely worked for John with the exception of taking Cynthia to divorce court (John and Yoko were at the hospital during the miscarriage of their baby). Les did chauffeur Julian back and forth between John and Cynthia during his visits as well. Les died in 2020.

-Gardener was an elderly man who didn't get close to the family, he rather ignored them, and was particularly grumpy. However, he took extremely good care of the grounds of Kenwood.

-John Francis was a chauffeur used by Cynthia whenever Les was being used by John.

Pauline and Alfred

-Pauline Jones was a new girlfriend of Alfred Lennon, a teenager although legally an adult. Her mother disapproved of the relationship. After spending the night in Kenwood, she sat down with John and about her future with Alfred in 1967.

"I enjoyed a delicious sleep in one of the sumptuously furnished guest rooms, the best I had for months, and the next morning John and Cynthia sat down with me to discuss the problem of my mother's opposition to my relationship with Freddie. John was thoroughly indignant at the idea of any parent laying down the law to a girl of nineteen. 'Your mother must be out of her mind,' he remarked in disgusted tones. 'You can count on us to do anything we can to help.' 'Yes, and I think maybe we really can help,' added Cynthia, suddenly hitting on a brilliant idea. 'I've been thinking for some time of finding a mother's help. How would you like to come and live here and help me look after Julian- baby-sitting and that sort of thing? I'd pay you a small wage, you'd have your board and keep, and you'd be able to see Freddie whenever you wished.' To me the suggestion appeared as absolutely god-sent, but it was clear from the cutting look that passed from John to Cynthia that he was not so enamoured with the idea, although it was not until later that I discovered exactly why not. Cyn had an active social life of her own and had been trying to persuade John for some time to engage a nanny for Julian, which would give her much more freedom. But as John was understandable against the idea of a substitute mother for his son, having himself been parted from Julia at the age of six, they had reached a state of deadlock. Nothing more was said on the matter until later in the day, when it appeared that something of a compromise had been thrashed out. John was badly in need of secretarial help in handling the large amount of correspondence- mainly from fans- that arrived at Kenwood each morning. So I was to work for him as sort of correspondence clerk and I would provide Cynthia with baby-sitting services, not nannying as such but looking after Julian whenever she was out. That way both of them seemed happy."

Pauline Lennon Stone

Not even a year, by Christmas of 1967, Pauline resign and moved out to move in with Alfred and become John's stepmother.

"But despite the good times with Julian, there was very little for me to do at Weybridge. The fact that I couldn't type meant that I was really unsuitable to bethe secretary John really needed. I could have continued to help Dot with the housework, but my career ambitions caused me to feel dissatisfied with a post as an au pair. It was decided by mutual agreement that I would bid John and Cyn farewell after the festive season, and having spent Christmas as home I returned to Kenwood only once more, in order to collect my belongings."

Pauline Lennon Stone

Alfie

 Jane Asher and Eleanor Bron with Michael Caine in the movie, Alfie

On March 24, 1966, The Beatles with Cynthia Lennon, Maureen Starkey, and Pattie Harrison, went to the film premiere of Alfie, starring Michael Caine. The film also starred Paul McCartney's girlfriend, Jane Asher, and their Help! co-star Eleanor Bron. It was held at Plaza Haymarket Theatre in London.

Unfortunately, this is the only photograph of John and Cynthia attending the premiere, following Maureen. I don't know why; there's plenty of photos of Ringo and Maureen, George and Pattie, Paul and his star of the evening Jane. Only one of Cynthia and John. Well, as of this writing in 2019, I am going to put a label [look there ➡] for Alfie JUST IN CASE if any pop out… hopefully in my lifetime and this blog's existence.

Wife vs. World

"It's not very easy for a woman to be associated with The Beatles. I think all the wives did suffer...quietly suffered...but endured."

Cynthia, 2009

A fan photo of Cynthia outside of Kenwood, 1967

Being a Beatles' wife is not an easy position. It may sound easy, but nope. Pretty much all the wives have had criticism; some were hated- especially Yoko Ono, Linda McCartney, and Heather Mills. Both Yoko and Linda were blamed for breaking up The Beatles. Still do! I say that Heather has gotten the worst of it. Comparing then to today, there's the internet and more 'sources' to spread all kinds of rubbish gossip. She has been accused as a gold digger, a prostitute, a liar, a fantasy dreamer (what's wrong with that?), attention seeker, publicity stunter, just about everything you can think of. Unfortunately, Heather has also been made fun of her handicap with only having one leg and use a prosthetic limb after losing her leg from an accident. Honestly, I think that is taken too far to be making fun of the handicap. Other things stacked up against Heather was the relationship with her former step children; she was accused of wedging Paul away from them… nevermind that Heather, Mary, Stella, and James were grown adults living their own lives and creating successful careers of their own. Majority of fans have decided to pretend that Heather doesn't exist, that the marriage was nothing other than suffering, that Paul is only married two times (Linda and Nancy are valid wives), and Beatrice was magically created in the Cabbage Patch garden. I don't hate Heather; I actually don't mind her! She doesn't bother me or anything. Paul is a big boy and all he gotta do is smile for the camera and ding! ding! ding! cha-ching! A million bucks in his account! That divorce dip is basically nothing… easily recovered by album sales, touring, etc. Not to mention by remarrying a wealthy woman in her own right. If Paul had ended up in a shack by the poor side of town, then the perspective of this post would be much different. It's obvious that Heather did no damage to Paul: he still has his career, he still fell in love, he still has a strong relationship with his children, especially their child Beatrice, and he doesn't look at all traumatized by the experience. My take on Paul and Heather is that I do genuinely believe that they did fall in love, they did want to have a successful marriage and partnership, except after almost 10 years it just didn't work out. They are much better to co-exist as parents and friendly acquaintance. The ghost of Linda and the nayslayers were hard to ignore. Then there was the divorce circus. Of course, Heather was made out to be the bad guy while Paul was made out to be the one who could do no wrong. In 1968, lawyers tried to convince Cynthia to take more money from John, but she didn't want to. In 2006-2008, lawyers did the same with Heather… yes, Heather not only took the bait but she also had a merry-go-round of lawyers before ultimately representating herself in court. It was a mess. I feel without the press or fans and 'commentators', the divorce could have been done easier and less drama as it originally was set out, and quicker too rather than being dragged around for two years. At least Heather could never be accused of breaking up a marriage or a band… I do respect Heather highly as a mother. From day one of Beatrice's existence, Paul and Heather have been on the same wavelength on how to raise their child, especially celebrity status. They give their daughter the privacy she deserves to just being a child, teenager, without having a mob of photographers shouting in the face. With the divorce, it was immediately settled that they would share 50/50 custody. Heather not Paul ever denied visitation requests nor kidnapping fights, nor proving the one parent sucks. Not one custody fight. They do put their child's well-being first and foremost.

Linda wasn't really the catalyst of the breakup between Paul and Jane Asher- that prize goes to Francie Schwartz. Linda never met Jane… although Linda wasn't a fan of Jane's either. Why? That's for Linda to answer. Although I suspect it's because Linda got sick of being constant compare to Jane by press and fans, it certainly didn't help much. However, Linda was accused of breaking up The Beatles, which is absurd. Linda was actually a fan of The Beatles. While in the studio, Linda let them be and did her job: photography. After the breakup, Paul formed his own band, Wings, and Linda was a member playing keyboards and backup vocals. You bet that Linda got criticism for that! She became the butt of jokes, got flack for her singing, her playing the piano… Linda did confess that she wasn't a musician, that she wasn't the greatest keyboard player, yet she was on the stage for one reason and one reason only: Linda loved Paul. After her death in 1998, most realized what kind of person Linda was: a dedicated wife and mother, an outspoken supporter for animal rights, and a trailblazer for vegetarism. But don't get me wrong: there are still plenty of fans (especially women) who still hate Linda with a passion, that Jane (or themselves) is still the one for Paul, that still believe that Linda was the weakest link of Paul's music career. Certain fans can sure hold a grudge after 50 years!

Aside from Heather, Yoko also gets the worst treatment as she's been dealing with for over 50 years now. From her race, singing, art, her treatment towards Julian and Cynthia (that will have it's own post), her treatment towards The Beatles, her role in the studio, the list goes on. However, there are fans that accept and love Yoko, saying that since John loved her, takes care of his legacy, and appreciates her. When I was in my teens and early 20s, I was completely anti-Yoko, 100%. Now, these days and nearing 40? Well, I am still not a fan. I can forgive John leaving Cynthia for Yoko as it happens to most but I find it hard to forgive Yoko's treatment towards Julian… I am sure now it's a lot better as Yoko included Julian in the Imagine box set, and I'm glad about that, but it's hard to forget the past. But I did cool down on my rants about her. Ever since I witnessed Sean defending his mother on Twitter, I couldn't help feel sorry for him to deal with that. I can't even imagine on Beatrice reading the internet and social media about her mother. I also have interacted with Sean and Kyoko through social media and found that they are polite and intelligent… so, Yoko must have done something right?

I don't think neither Olivia Harrison, Barbara Bach, nor Nancy Shevell had much problems. Nancy is treated like some savior who saved Paul from his disastrous worth-nothing marriage. Don't get me wrong on this either: Nancy, Olivia, and Barbara do have their fair share of criticism but it's not as exploited as Yoko, Linda, and Heather. I do know that Olivia gets racial slurs, Barbara has gotten 'she's not as nice as you think' illusions, and Nancy gets criticism for her body weight on being too skinny. Nobody is safe from criticism. Not even Cynthia Lennon, Maureen Starkey, and Pattie Boyd (and Jane Asher).

Cynthia, Maureen, and Pattie have gotten their fair share. Both Cynthia and Maureen have had jealous confrontations since The Beatles' early days in the Cavern. They were called names, spat on, hair pulled, taunted… the taunting even went as far to their work place. Both tried to put their heads down, try to blend in with the crowd but that doesn't always work. The only safe time was when their boyfriends were performing and the audience were captivating.

"I might have been killed otherwise. The other girls were not friendly at all. They wanted to stab me in the back. They [The Beatles] were playing at the Locamo once. Just before they finished, Ritchie told me to go outside and sit in the car and wait for him, so no one would see me. I was sitting in the car when this girl came up… she said, 'Are you going out with Ringo?' I said, 'No, oh no, not me. He's just a friend of my brother's.' 'Liar', she said, 'I just saw you talking to him.' I'd forgotten to wind the window up. Before I could do anything, she had her hand through the window and scratched me down my face. She started screaming and shouting some very select language at me. I thought this is it, I'm going to get stabbed. But I just got the window up in time. If I hadn't, she would have opened the door and killed me."

Maureen Starkey, 1967

That's scary stuff. That was on February 14, 1963.

Eventually, Cynthia and Maureen were accepted by fans. When John left Cynthia for Yoko in 1968, the fans took Cynthia's side; when they were busted, a fan shouted out that Cynthia was better than Yoko. Name calling and gifting flowers with thornes. Yoko and John would fall for their fake act.

Pattie had her own fair share of fan disapproval. Mick Fleetwood once wrote that Pattie would get kicked and punched while dating George. Pattie mentioned in her book that she got hate mail on a regular basis. Maureen and Pattie certainly have angry fans for hurting Ringo and George while Maureen had an affair with George and Pattie was seduced by Eric Clapton… nevermind the idea that perhaps Ringo and George broke their wives' hearts.

Even after death, Cynthia had her own criticism after her divorce from John despite support. She's been criticised for living off John's name and fame by keeping her last name Lennon that she decided to keep after deed poll. She had given interviews, wrote books, putting her personal items on auction. It's like no matter what a wife does, she won't ever win someone over.

The Beatles loved their fans, especially John, who credited them for their success. There's been a debate on who was more kind to their fans: John or Paul? Both generous on giving out autographs- John even gave his autograph to his murderer!

"When he came back we moved to London, and that was when I got my first inkling. We had a students' hostel just across the road from our flat, and there always seemed to be girls on the balcony looking at us. And there were always queues of girls and odd bods at our door."

Cynthia, 1976

"Oh, frequently. They would wait outside for them. They had a lot of scuffles. and I had problems as well. I'm being ganged up on by the girls who fancied the guys. So, it was quite rough. But it was a lot of fun. It was strangely dangerous, but very exciting. I learned very quickly [to take care of herself].  I would never do it, but in Liverpool if you give a 'Liverpool Kiss' it's called a head butt. But that didn't happen with me, thank God. I had a very good way of talking my way out of things. Yes [mistaken identity], or I'd get in and out very quickly and smile. Kill with kindness, not with violence."

Cynthia

"The support I had was fantastic. Once the fans knew about me, they decided they would love me, and they still do; they're still pro-me and anti-Yoko. But that doesn't really work for you on a day-to day level. Good vibes don't pay bills."

Cynthia, 1999

"I think I’ve always had a good relationship.  I’ve had plenty of mail – fan mail. I don’t like to say fan mail. But I have lots of contacts and things from the old days. And it’s never really stopped."

Cynthia, 1982

"It's not so bad these days, but it happens. Cyn was attacked not long ago in the street. Some girl kicked her on the legs and said she had to leave John alone, or else. Isn't it amazing, after all the years that John and Cyn have been married?"

Pattie Boyd Harrison, 1968

"It's not so much myself that I mind about, it's Cynthia. She can't even take the boy for a stroll in the carriage- much less shop for the day's groceries. The house is besieged with Beatle fans. And despite the high iron fence, … a couple of them face-to-face with Cynthia when she comes into the kitchen to make tea. They shriek upon seeing her and the boy almost as wildly as they do when they see us on stage or some place, I say, it's not only made Cynthia a bundle of nerves, it's telling on my son, too. He's as jumpy as a cat. I realize we owe our fans everything, but must we give up our peace of mind, too?"

John, 1964

"I don't think his marriage will affect The Beatles' popularity really, but there might be some shuffling of fans from one of the Beatles to another, at least that's what happened when news that I was married was revealed."

John, 1965

"I don't think the two of us being married has had any bad effects on our popularity. Remember, when it got out that both Ringo and I were married, there hadn't been anybody in such a position as we were in, who had got married. It was Silver Disc as opposed to Gold Disc people who'd got married before us! People who relied on wiggling, we still don't, and we won't. We were never dependent on fans being in love with us so much as others are. Not [Mick] Jagger. Now he can't afford to get married. The Stones would be all over."

John, 1965

"I was married from before The Beatles left Liverpool, that never made any difference. Cyn didn't have a career like Yoko does, but Pattie had a career- that never upset it. Maureen is a fantastic artist in her own right as well, apart from bringing up that tribe of Ringo's, she also is an artist, and it is nothing to do with the wives."

John, 1971

Do you think this is just a cover for the admiration, to get close, it's just an excuse, or do you think a lot of people really feel this way? (Interview, 1964)

"I think that with my wife- I hate saying that word, it sounds sort of formal- with Cyn, it starts off sort of 'well, he's hooked, we'll sort of like them both, we'll like his wife', but a lot of them are very genuine, yeah, you can see through letters. You know, the letters you get where they're addressed to Cyn that say, 'I like you,' you know, this and that, or, I don't know, they say all sorts of things, are genuine. A lot of them are genuine. Some of them are fake. You can read through them a mile, or sort of, 'hello Mrs. Lennon, may I call you Cyn? Could you get me 95 autographed photographs of the boys?' then you know they're just, you know, just in it." John

How about the French girls compared to the British girls? (Press Conference, 1964)

"Yeah, well, I'm married so I didn't notice them." John

Mr. Lennon, what do you think Mrs. Lennon thinks of The Beatles? (Press Conference, 1964)

"She rather likes them." John

(Inaudible question about whether Cynthia was jealous of the female fans)

"No, because I don't have a go at them." John

John, how does your wife like all these girls making all this fuss over you? (Press Conference, 1964)

"She loves it." John

Because John is married, does he find that fans react a different way? (Press Conference, 1964)

"I don't. No. I might have less because I'm married but the ones I have got react the same." John

John, how does your wife feel about girls screaming and running after you? (Press Conference, 1964)

"She knows they never catch me." John

List of Vacations

1959- Edinburgh, Scotland

1961- Hamburg, Germany

1963- Paris, France

1964- Ireland

1964- Tahiti

1965- St. Moritz, Switzerland

1965- Bournemouth, England

1966- Trinidad and Tobago

1966- Bournemouth, England

1966- Pesaro, Italy

1967- Liverpool, England

1967- Greece

1967/1968- Morocco

1968- Greece and Rome, Italy

1968- Pesaro, Italy

This is the list of the vacation trips John and Cynthia had together that I know of. A few I found out fairly recently (for example: Liverpool in 1967… took me until, like, 2017 to hear about it!). Just when I feel like I know it all, a little treasure chest surfaces! I actually love it! It tells me that there's so much more to the story than meets the eye and shows John and Cynthia as a couple than a husband always away a lot while wife isolated at home.

Anyway, in this particular post, I want to touch base on the trips that don't really have photos or quotes or anything other than a sentence or two. I already posted about Hamburg, Paris, and somewhat Greece and Italy 1968. The rest are coming as the blog chugs along…

Already posted:

Hamburg, 1961

Paris, 1963

Ireland, 1964

Greece and Italy, 1968

Edinburgh, Scotland, 1959 or 1960

On a whim of the moment on a day off from college, John decided to take his new girlfriend Cynthia to meet his Aunt Mater in Scotland. They hitchhiked up from Liverpool and tried to keep a tired truck driver awake. When they got to Mater's house, it was pouring rain and she wasn't home. John and Cynthia waited in a doorway of a church across the street for some hours until John's cousin/Mater's son Stanley arrived. Mater was away that day herself and was due back the following day. They stayed that night (I wonder what excuse Cynthia told her mother about being gone for two days?) and the next day, Cynthia met Mater and they yakked into the night. I'm guessing John and Cynthia left the following morning.

John the Naughty Husband

"Do you mean to say I might be missing something? I hope I grow out of being so sex mad. Sex is the only physical exercise I bother with."

John, 1966

Here we go again, another cringe-worthy post about John's infidelity. I am also going to include some rumored girls because it is part of the story as many believe it happened. To be fair and reasonable here, John wasn't the only Beatle who cheated. Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr each have a long list of conquests in their own rights. However, I am only singling out John because this is, after all, a blog about John and Cynthia. I don't like the fact that they all cheated, but if I swore and cut off The Beatles out of my life because of their infidelities… Do you know how many musicians, actors, sport figures have cheated? I wouldn't have anything to like! Paul claimed to have an open relationship with Jane but I have wondered if she knew that? As she broke up with Paul the very moment she caught him in bed with Francie Schwartz. Some women retaliated, like both Maureen Starkey and Pattie Harrison. I do think that Maureen turned to George as she unspokenly knew Ringo was cheating on her, plus his drinking was getting heavily. While Pattie grew worn down by George's infidelities (Maureen wasn't the only one), she has turn to both Ronnie Wood and Eric Clapton, who successfully wooed her away from George. See? Everyone screwed up. The wives and girlfriends knew something was up- they weren't stupid or idiotic, although one would think that. But without evidence to back it up (as long as no one gets pregnant), they turn a blind eye and comfort themselves that it is they who their significant other return to until enough is enough. Weirdly enough, John saw himself "faithful" to his wife, Cynthia.

"Seriously, is there more homosexuality in England than elsewhere?" (Interview, February 1965. Note: this interview have been edited down to get to John's marriage reference)

"Right. Take Profumo, for example. He's just an ordinary..." Paul McCartney

"...sex maniac." Ringo Starr

"...just an ordinary fellow who sleeps with women. Yet it's adultery in the eyes of the law, and it's an international incident. But in actual fact, if you check up on the statistics, you find that there are hardly any married men who've been completely faithful to their wives." Paul McCartney

"I have! Listen, Beatle people..." John

"Alright, we all know John's spotless. But when a thing like that gets into the newspapers, everybody goes very, very Puritan, and they pretend that they don't know what sex is about." Paul McCartney

"Still, there was no question that John Lennon had edge written all over him, and it often grated others. As we walked down the steps of the Beatles’ plane at the airport in Minneapolis on August 21, 1965, a print reporter came up to John to ask him a question, her face only inches away from his. I didn’t hear her remark, but I will never forget the response. John slapped her in the face and moved quickly toward the car. Approaching the limo, I asked him, 'What was that all about?' Before I could blink, he answered, 'None of your fucking business.' Technically, he was right, but I’ve always had solidarity with my fellow reporters and was especially curious. Slapping a reporter because you don’t like their attitude is not something I would advise or endorse. Later on in the hallway at the Leamington Motor Court in downtown Minneapolis, I chided him again about the slapping episode. He said, 'The slut asked me if I was faithful to my wife.' I replied jokingly, "Instead of slapping her, why didn’t you say ‘no’ and have a laugh over it?' He didn’t answer, but a bit of a smile curled on the edges of his lips, a silent message that he knew he had screwed up. Still, being the year 1965, that particular reporter was light years ahead of her peers in her extremely audacious line of questioning. Lennon’s extreme reaction to her (while unfortunately physical) simply proved that he was willing to dish out more than he would take. And it never mattered who was doing the dishing."

Larry Kane

Apparently John got offended by that question! I wonder if the female journalist in question saw John doing something he shouldn't? Or knew one of his groupies? Where's the female journalist now? But if John had said no, it would be a lie and John knew exactly that.

Patricia Inder

Patricia Inder

Patricia Inder 1943

Born in Liverpool, she was a regular at the Cavern and saw The Beatles at other gigs. I have written about Patricia in greater detail in another post called John the Cheating Boyfriend, including a bit of a conclusion. However since then, I found another book/website that Patricia did go to Hamburg in late 1962 during their final residency. She is like the gift that keeps on giving… she claimed they made out but didn't go any further than that until they were back in Liverpool. They carried on until Patricia could no longer carry on and John got busier. They didn't see each other again until 1965 when the Beatles performed in London. Patricia came backstage while John combed his hair. When he saw her, John called her the love of his life, swinging her in his arms while kissing her. That was the last time she saw him. Patricia later worked as a Nanny and is now a singer for The Blues Kitchen. Patricia was briefly involved with Lemmy Kilmister and had a son, Paul. Lives in London.

Ida Holly

Ida Holly

Ida Holly August 5, 1946 - June 20, 2013

Ida, or Stevie for nickname, was a disc jockey from Liverpool at the Majestic Ballroom before moving to London in 1965 as a freelance assistant and publicist. She encountered The Beatles often and started to date John in February of 1963 for several months. Many close friends thought John and Cynthia broke up while Ida wasn't aware that John was married as it was kept secret. Ida has insisted that she and John did not sleep together. When her father found out about the marriage, John claimed it was just a piece of paper. Ida broke up with John immediately after. Ida moved to London, becoming a muse for Lionel Bart and had a relationship with a woman named Janet. Ida lived in Marbella, Spain until her death in 2013.

I give Ida credit: once she discovered John was married, Ida dumped his ass. I respect her for that.

"We presumed he'd broken up with Cynthia and had got a new girlfriend."

Bill Harry

The Beatles with the Vernons Girls: Jean Owen (on Paul), Maureen Kennedy (on George), and Frances Lea (on John), 1963

Maureen Kennedy

Ann Maureen Kennedy July 3, 1940 - 1970

Maureen was in a singing group the Vernons Girls. She toured with The Beatles from November 1 until December 23, 1963.

Maureen married Michael Hope in 1965 until her death in a car crash in 1970. They had two children.

Sonnie Freeman, 1964

Photographed by Robert Freeman

Sonnie Freeman

Sonnhild Spielhagen Freeman Drane March 13, 1939 - May 21, 2013

Sonnie was born on to Wolfgang and Eva Spielhagen in Berlin, Germany. She was a model and married to Robert Freeman, a photographer who worked with The Beatles with their album covers from 1963 until 1965, their promotional photo sessions- including the cover of John's two books, In His Own Write and A Spaniard in the Works. When John revealed plans to move his family to London from Liverpool, Bob told John about a vacant apartment above his. The Lennons soon moved in and became friends with Sonnie. It didn't take long for John and Sonnie to begin their affair, both of them sneaking away from their spouses at any chance they got. In the Summer of 1964, John, Cynthia, and Julian moved to Weybridge- Bob and Sonnie were frequent visitors along with their children Janine and Dean, who were around the same age as Julian. In Spring of 1965, Bob and Sonnie accompanied The Beatles, Cynthia, Maureen Starkey, and Pattie Boyd to Austria for the filming of Help! It's well believed that John's song Norwegian Wood was written for Sonnie and their affair while making the lyrics illusioned so that Cynthia wouldn't suspect anything going on. However, that same year, Bob and Sonnie came to Weybridge to talk to John, alone; Bob was angry and Sonnie was crying. They soon left while John went to his home recording studio, only shrugging his shoulders when Cynthia asked what was going on. Cynthia soon discovered that Bob and Sonnie were divorcing and had that gut feeling that John was involved… but she had no proof. After their divorce, Sonnie remarried to John Drane and was a mother of Janine, Dean, Leah, Lucian, and Suki. Sonnie died in London.

The Beatles with Maureen Cleave in 1963

Maureen Cleave

Maureen Cleave October 20, 1935

Maureen was born in Mussoorie, India before moving to Ireland and then England. She was a journalist for The Evening Standard since 1959; she met The Beatles in 1963. Maureen was at the airport when The Beatles and Cynthia departed to America in 1964.  In 1966, she conducted an interview with John in his Weybridge home when he stated that The Beatles were more popular than Jesus, which created a controversial uproar in America. Some of John's friends suspected that he had an affair with Maureen; however, she always denied it, saying her encounters with John were always professional and he never made a pass at her. Maureen last saw John during his infamous interview. That same year, Maureen got engaged and eventually married.

John and Alma Cogan, 1964 

Alma Cogan

Alma Angela Cogan May 19, 1932 - October 26, 1966

Alma was born on to Mark and Fay Cogan in London. Alma was a very popular singer of the 1950s but was deemed too old-fashioned and out of date while John was in college, making fun of her. When John eventually met Alma, he was smitten and soon they were anonymously checking in hotels for their affair, not only from Cynthia but from her strict mother. Alma would host ravishing grand parties in her apartment, which Cynthia attended. While Cynthia had no proof of an affair between John and Alma other than a gut feeling, she did take notice of their encounters and chemistry. The affair ended around 1965; Alma became engaged to Brian Morris in 1966 before her death.

Jenny Kee sitting next to John in the press room in Sydney on July 1, 1964

Jenny Kee

Jennifer Margaret Kee January 24, 1947

Jenny was born in Australia. When The Beatles toured Sydney, Australia in 1964, Jenny and her friends snuck into their hotel to meet the band and joined in on their party. She ended up in bed with him. She also slept with Keith Richards and Eric Clapton. In 1965, Jenny moved to London to become a fashion designer and married Michael Ramsden until their divorce in 1986; they had a daughter, Grace. She only saw John once in London while he was out with Cynthia at the Speakeasy club where he recognized her. Jenny moved back to Australia and dated Danton Hughes from 1990 until he committed suicide in 2002. Jenny currently lives in Sydney, Australia.

"He'd never been with an Asian girl before, so what can I say? He chose me. He said: 'I've never been with an Asian girl before'. Sleeping with John Lennon was a fantastic thing."

Jenny Kee, 2006

"Looking back on that really cool, sexy young guy, John Lennon--I just feel so privileged that I could spend that one night with him because the rapport was genuine.  That is what will live with me forever because I think he was one of the greatest men in the world. Lennon was a total inspiration, I was a very naive young girl. He set me on a path that opened my eyes to what my creativity could really be, because it certainly wasn't happening where I was going to design school in Sydney. It was so dead and dull … The fact I got to have a night with him was a bonus.''

Jenny Kee, 2012

Ronnie Spector

Ronnie Spector

Veronica Yvette Bennett August 10, 1943

Ronnie was born to Louis and Beatrice Bennett in Spanish Harlem, New York City, New York. With sister Estelle and cousin Nedra Talley, they formed a singing group The Ronettes, moving to California. Ronnie started to date their producer, Phil Spector. Ronnie met The Beatles in England in January of 1964 and again in New York City later that year during their second American tour; there was a moment where John and Ronnie were alone and started to be intimate but stopped before anything happened- they didn't sleep together. However, Ronnie was excluded from touring with The Ronettes, opening for The Beatles in 1966 with another cousin, Elaine Mayes, replacing her. Ronnie was married to Phil from 1968 until divorcing in 1974 after suffering from physical and mental domestic abuse and isolation; they had adopted three boys: Donte, Gary, and Louis. Ronnie remarried to Jonathan Greenfield in 1982 and had two boys, Austin and Jason. After her divorce from Phil, Ronnie resurrected her singing career and currently lives in Connecticut.

"I was 18, and I didn’t know John was married. John and George came and picked us up at the Strand Palace Hotel in London. They said to my mom, 'Mrs. Bennett, would you like to go out with us to dinner?' I thought she would say, 'Oh, you kids go out and have fun.' But she said, 'Let me get my purse!' George and John almost passed out. After dinner, my mom took the hint and got in a cab. The rest of us went to the Crazy Elephant club and John said, 'Ronnie, sing a bit of ‘Be My Baby’ in my ear.'"

Ronnie Spector, 2016

“John took me into a room to show me the beautiful lights over London. I said, ‘Wow, it’s so beautiful.’ And he said, ‘Yeah, you are.’ I was young then, and I was seeing Phil. I didn’t want to kiss other guys and stuff, I just dug my feet into the carpet: ‘We gotta go downstairs, John!’”

Ronnie Spector, 2018

"He was so nice and polite. He’d take me to clubs, and he took me to Carnaby Street to get all the t-shirts. We didn’t know what was in London, so John was all, ‘Don’t worry, Ronnie: I will take you.’ And then at night they’d take us to clubs. I remember one night I was with John and he said, ‘Ronnie, sing a little bit of “Be My Baby” in my ear.’ So I went, ‘Be my little baby!’ And he almost passed out. I can’t sing low, I had to go all out. It blew his mind.”

Ronnie Spector, 2018

Jayne Mansfield and John at The Whiskey A Go-Go in Los Angeles, California in 1964

Jayne Mansfield

Vera Jayne Palmer April 19, 1933 - June 29, 1967

Jayne was born to Herbert and Vera Palmer in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. After her father's death, Vera and Jayne moved to Texas where Vera remarried. After getting married with a child, Jayne eventually moved to California to be an actress as she wanted to be since childhood. After her divorce from Paul Mansfield, Jayne remarried to Mickey Hargitay and enjoyed her success. However, by 1964 until 1967, Jayne's career was on a downslide, working on plays, low budget movies, and performing at seedy clubs. The Beatles were in Los Angeles and wanted to meet her; she came to their housing and the next day, they went to The Whiskey A Go-Go with photographers present. On the ride there, John and Jayne were kissing; when leaving the nightclub, they held hands. After her divorce from Mickey, Jayne remarried and divorced to Matt Cimber and was a mother of five children: Jayne Marie, Mickey Jr., Zoltan, Mariska, and Tony before her death in a car accident in 1967. Like Julian, Mariska had a brief appearance in the movie Leaving Las Vegas, and is casual friends with Stella McCartney.

"They were making out like kids"

John Wade

"We went to Los Angeles, where we stayed in a big old shady house in Bel Air. Somebody conned us into going to the Whisky A Go Go. It seemed to take us 20 minutes to get from the door to the table and instantly the whole of Hollywood paparazzi descended. It was a total set up by Jayne Mansfield to have pictures taken with us. John and I were sitting either side of her and she had her hands on our legs, by our groins- at least she did on mine."

George Harrison

"John is very ingenious and funny...George is really great. So relaxed and polite. Ringo is adorable, very reserved. He doesn't say a word at all, unless it's something important. Paul and I couldn't meet each other, he lost all the joy..."

Jayne Mansfield

Eleanor Bron and John while filming Help! on location at Ailsa Avenue in Tickenham, London in Spring of 1965

Eleanor Bron

Eleanor Bron March 14, 1938

Eleanor was born in Stanmore, Middlesex, England to Sidney and Mrs. Bron. In 1959, she started acting while in college. During filming of Help! in 1965, John and Eleanor became good friends, often discussing politics and philosophy. Later, John once claimed that he had an affair with Eleanor- which she vehemently denied, stating that he was married and she had a boyfriend at the time. In 1966, Eleanor appeared in Alfie which also starred Jane Asher (they didn't share any scenes together). Eleanor was with Cedric Price for many years until his death in 2003. Eleanor continues to act in movies, television, and stage as well as being an author.

Jackie DeShannon

Jackie DeShannon

Sharon Lee Myers August 21, 1941

Jackie was born in Hazel, Kentucky to James and Sandra Myers. She started singing as a little girl and became a songwriter before branching out as a musician on her own in 1960, changing her name to Jackie DeShannon. She met and opened for The Beatles during the American tour in 1964. She got married to Irving Dain in 1966 but their marriage was annulled the following year; Jackie remarried to Randy Edelman in 1976 and they had a son, Noah. Jackie lives in Beverly Hills, California.

Honestly, there's no confirmation nor denial if John and Jackie had an affair other than suspicion.

William Coleman, Joan Baez, John, and Ira Sandperl in Hollywood Hills, California, August of 1965

Joan Baez

Joan Chandos Baez January 9, 1941

Joan was born to Albert and Joan Baez in Staten Island, New York. Joan is a musician, activist, and author. She had an on and off relationship with Bob Dylan before marrying David Harris in 1968 until their divorce in 1973. She met The Beatles in 1965, even joining them on tour during the last four dates. Joan lives in Woodside, California.

"I traveled with the Beatles for four days on one tour and ended up with John at one point, but we certainly did not have anything…I mean, it was wild times. This was their first or second trip to the States–the second, I think. I was performing in Red Rocks, above Denver, and they were on the next night, so I stayed over. Here I was in this room full of hundreds of people, all scrambling around trying to figure out how they could get to their dressing room, and somebody came up and said, 'The Beatles would like to meet you.' And I just instantly went to jelly. I got to their door trying to think of something clever to say and finally just put out my hand–and one by one they introduced themselves. Now, they had been on the cover of every single newspaper for a month, and they’re going, 'Hullo, I’m George,' and 'Muh name’s Ringo.' I said, 'Yes, yes, I know.' They were terribly funny and terribly sweet, and they invited me to stay on the road for their last three or four concerts. My tour was over, so I went with them––as I think anybody would have. You know, packed everything and whoopty-do, off I went. I saw all the inner workings: how you climb into Volkswagen buses and then send the limousine out to be beaten to death by loving fans. All those things. I was fascinated. Then we ended up in this great big mansion in Los Angeles that somebody had given them. But big as it was, there weren’t really enough master bedrooms for everybody. And poor John was the one who had invited this little Mexican waif along–I don’t know what the hell they thought of me; they thought I was Florence Nightingale because I used to tend to the wounded at their concerts. Anyway, so here we are in the mansion in Los Angeles, and we’ve run out of bedrooms, and they’ve sent their people out to bring in groupies so they can pick who they’re gonna, you know, hang out with. And these poor girls, just sitting downstairs waiting to see whether they’re gonna be picked by somebody––they don’t talk, they don’t even knit. They just sit there in these little outfits that they’ve worked on for months waiting for this thing to happen. And eventually a Beatle will come by and pick one of them and, you know, drag her off to his lair. There was also a hotshot local–somebody there – I didn’t figure out exactly what she was, but she looked like a professional prostitute. Anyhow, John was stuck, having invited me and then not having anywhere to put me. So he offered me his room; it had a bed in it the size of a small swimming pool. I said, 'Well, John, don’t worry, I’m not fussy about these things, you just come in and use the other side of the bed when you’re tired.' I didn’t want him to feel pressured, ’cause I figured they must feel pressured to perform all the time. So I went to sleep, and he came in, in the middle of the night. And I think he felt compelled–, 'Well, I’ve asked her and she is a star and oh, dear,' –and he started coming on to me, very unenthusiastically. I said, 'John, you know, I’m probably as tired as you are, and I don’t want you to feel you have to perform on my behalf.' And he says, 'Oh, luvly! I mean, what a relief! Because you see, well, you might say I’ve already been fooked downstairs.' So we had a good laugh and went to sleep."

Joan Baez, 1983

"It wasn't really a love affair"

Joan Baez, 2018

Nat Weiss's Housekeeper

Unknown

According to Danny Fields (Linda McCartney's good friend), while Paul McCartney and John stayed at Nat Weiss's apartment in New York City for five days in May of 1968, John slept with the housekeeper.

Various Unknown Women

"During the early years when The Beatles were making it big, I led a real bachelor's life, even after Cynthia and I were married. I mean, I knew I had a wife and small child at home, but I didn't want the responsibility. It's like Julian is a semi-orphan and I was, too."

John, 1979

"He was seeing a girl I knew and I was dying to tell her that he was married, but I couldn't because I'd promised not to. I felt torn, it was awful."

Freda Kelly

"From things he said to me over the years and from speaking to girls he'd been with when we were on the road, I would say that nothing excited John as much as the company of females who had plenty of fighting spirit about them and were in control, strong, and dominant. This was very different from the image of himself that John projected when I first met him. In those early days he was asking us to believe that his favourite fantasy was to make love to a fluffy French cinema sex kitten Brigitte Bardot. He even encouraged Cyn to alter her hair and makeup and what she wore in order to appear a bit more like Bardot. John was openly unfaithful and admitted his adultery but Cyn was not stupid and had seen for herself the closeness of John's new relationship with Yoko Ono. She didn't need to have a sordid details spelt out for her. The fantasy may have been Bardot but the reality was Yoko Ono."

Tony Barrow

“Their roadie Mal Evans was a good friend. I met him in LA and asked him then. He would say ‘I’m not going to give any details, but it happened all the time, all pop stars did it’. They’d need women – he’d go out, find the good-looking ones, and bring them up. That was the way it happened.”

Cynthia, 2005

"There wasn’t a lot I could do about it. I’m not a battler or a fighter. I’m a fighter for justice. But, when it comes to emotions, I’m just trying so hard to make things work. I didn’t think John was being unfaithful to the extent that he would leave me . . . I was hanging on to my hollyhocks, I didn’t want to rock the boat at that point. I’m an old fashioned girl with old fashioned ideals and dreams.”

Cynthia, 2005

While in Spain in April of 1963, Brian Epstein and John got together for lunch with a husband and wife pair. Let's just say that John and this wife went to the bathroom (for a shag) before returning to the unsuspecting husband and an amazed yet astonished Brian.

"Brian seemed amazed that John had taken the opportunity for casual, dangerous sex

when he had the lovely Cynthia at home."

Alistair Taylor

"It was never an easy marriage. John slept with hundreds of different women before, during, and after his time with Cynthia. He had not wanted to get married in the first place but had gone along with it when Cynthia announced she was pregnant."

Alistair Taylor

I won't lie: it is bizarrely comforting to know that John also cheated on Yoko…

"But I had blind faith. I couldn't imagine John being involved with another woman. And even if he had, I would have ignored it because he always came back. Whatever John did outside our marriage, he didn't flaunt anything. So when I learned later about the temptations he had succumbed to, I had the satisfaction of knowing he had protected me at the time, just like he had since we first met."

Cynthia, 1985

John eventually confessed to Cynthia about his infidelity, not once but twice. The first time was in 1967 while Cynthia was washing dishes when John came behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist and simply told her there were hundreds of other women.

"Strangely, it was a very loving moment. I was in tears, not of anger or shock, but tears of happiness that he could tell me, that we'd once again got close enough for him to get rid of it, talk it through and put it on a different level. Perhaps it would have been better if I'd been able to be a bit more aggressive. But I was so happy that at last he felt he could open his heart and tell me what was on his mind… When John told me he'd had all these affairs, I felt as though we were being brought together again. He'd been leading his life as a musician and pop star and I'd led mine as a wife and mother. Conversation had become very thin on the ground. He was doing so many things I wasn't involved in."

Cynthia, 1985

“No, he didn’t say that he’d slept with hundreds, he said he’d had affairs and that he’d slept with women, not hundreds. I wasn’t that stupid, not to know that when the boys were on the road anything could happen.”

Cynthia, 2005

The second infidelity confession came in 1968 on an airplane from India to England after meditation with the Maharishi and John practically ignored Cynthia during that trip. I don't know what brought John to suddenly pour his cheating heart to Cynthia other than alcohol but she certainly got an earful.

"On the flight back from India, he had gotten very drunk and, for some reason, decided to confess all his affairs to Cynthia. Brutally, he ticked off a very long list, which including groupies, models, prostitutes, the wives and girlfriends of his and Cynthia's friends and, possibly the cruelest of all, Cynthia's own girlfriends. Cynthia felt totally betrayed."

Tony Bramwell

"Well, I'm glad I was naive. I really am. Naivety can be a bonus sometimes. If I'd known what was going on, life would have been much harder for me. I wasn't that naive but I was naive enough, and it saved me a lot of heartache."

Cynthia, 1995

Pattie Boyd, Sonnie Freeman, and Cynthia in Austria while The Beatles filmed Help!

Honestly, out of all those women, the one that really upsets me the most is Sonnie Freeman. She sends chills up and down my spine… I believe it is because out of all these women, they didn't have a close relationship with Cynthia. Sonnie is the only one there that was a neighbor, a travel companion, a home visitor… a fucking friend [pardon my swore but it is my blog…]. The one who got really close. Cynthia did cross paths with Patricia Inder as a club goer; Maureen Cleave, Eleanor Bron, and Alma Cogan were acquaintances (although both Maureen and Eleanor denied having an affair with John, as I previously mentioned). But none of them got as close. I don't know how Sonnie could sit there on the couch with Cynthia day after day knowing full well that she's boinking John on the side, behind her own husband's back? I know it does happen everywhere and anybody, but damn! John really played fire with that one, he risked his marriage that at any time Cynthia could have walked in on him and Sonnie.