Life With a Beatle

"Well, John's married to a non-celebrity, so there you go."

Paul McCartney, 1964

"You can't just erase so many years of living together or the memories."

Cynthia, 1990

John, Julian, and Cynthia at home on the dining room’s floor in Kenwood, Spring of 1965.

Photographed by Henry Grossman

When Cynthia became John's wife, she must have known right from the start that John wouldn't be home often. John started to "tour" outside of Liverpool since around 1959, 1960 - still early on in his relationship with Cynthia. Understandably, Cynthia got it, but it wasn't an easy thing. She wasn't alone: Julian, her mother, housekeeper Dot, Maureen, Pattie, family members, friends, the lot. But they weren't John. But, like their parents before, both fathers Alfred and Charles were part of the merchant sea men, they were gone a lot... (it destroyed Alfred's marriage to Julia yet for Charles he returned home to Lillian and became a commercial salesman... Cynthia had her dad, John did not) and I suppose that's what it felt like for Cynthia: if her mother could live through that than so can Cynthia! In this blog entry, we're going to take a look into life with a Beatle during the touring years of 1964-1966, as well as 1967, on what their relationship was like. 

According to The Beatles press officer Tony Barrow, when he and John drank Scotch at the Speakeasy Club, John mellowed away his Beatle persona and revealed the husband/father side of himself: discussing his deep love for Cynthia, needing her support, and his shame for missing out the majority of Julian's childhood. This showed Tony how normal John's instincts over his family were, how caring he was, and he did care what Cynthia thought or said. Yet despite this, Tony still believed that John and Cynthia were never made to last... Well, he was right as they didn't last. 

"Well, she's beautiful, you know, and what people don't know is how smart she is. No matter what's happening, you know, she's always there for me."

John, 1964

"In two years I went from a bedsit in Liverpool to a mansion in Surrey with gardeners and chauffeurs and a housekeeping allowance of £50 a week. It was enough to blow anybody's mind."

Cynthia, 2000

Overall, their relationship was a good relationship, John and Cynthia were happy at this point. Everything was new and exciting, meeting celebrities, getting to go to exclusive parties, eating luxurious food, riding in a Rolls Royce, and living in a mansion. For John, he definitely saw himself as the breadwinner, going on tours, and risking his life by getting pulled in all sorts of directions - physically and mentally. 

"He'd go from one thing to another, from his notepad to the piano, and then he'd listen to music, gawp at television, and read newspapers. He was basically dropping out from what was happening, thinking about things, and resting. Everything he was doing outside the home was pretty high-powered."

Cynthia, 1987

John, Julian, and Cynthia at home on the dining room’s floor in Kenwood, Spring of 1965.

Photographed by Henry Grossman

By 1966, The Beatles were tired of it. Screaming fans wore off the excitement, the press questions were ridiculous and repetitive, there were also serious talks with the Vietnam war and segregated protests. The sound system to perform sucked, technology isn't is then as it is today with special effects and tape loops to help along the live music... The Beatles couldn't perform anything from Revolver then as they could now. The fun wore out. They wanted to be home and in the studio. 

I am getting a little ahead of myself here. By now, after A Hard Day's Night, John's marriage was now well known, Julian now publicly existed, they settled into Kenwood, and can be an abnormal yet happy family. There were problems - mostly John being out of date on the things going on, particularly Julian. John would leave a baby who couldn't roll over and then arrive home to a toddler that can run around independently. I'm sure that was a bit troubling and had to adjust quickly. I'm sure John felt pangs of sadness that he wasn't able to see Julian's milestones himself (like first steps, first day of school). 

"It was hard for him to come to terms with what was going on at home."

Cynthia, 1999

"As John said, 'Life what happens to you when you're busy making other plans'. The years that followed were so intense that whatever was around the Beatles had to be just totally supportive of them. It didn't bother me, I was very happy to be in the background. I was never one for the limelight, although life changed that for me. John wasn't difficult to live with through it all. We got on like a house on fire. There were inevitable stresses because he was so tired and pressured by all the work that was being done."

Cynthia, 1995

"We had no problems at home. We were two people living in the best way we could under the circumstances. We really didn't have a cross word."

Cynthia

"As far as our marriage was concerned, we got on great. It wasn't the greatest whizzo-active relationship, and once he became a Beatle we didn't go out much and see the sights as husband and wife. But we had holidays with other Beatles and we were strong as a unit in that home."

Cynthia

"I suppose I could have but even when I was living in the mansion in Weybridge, I never blew my money. Sheets and shoes were my only luxury. John and I both came from comfortable homes but he never knew the love and support that there was in my family. So when the whole Beatles thing happened I kept my feet on the ground while he went off on some kind of lunar trajectory."

Cynthia, 2000

"During my first travels with the Beatles in 1964, John was eager to talk about his familyof three. When the subject turned to Cynthia, his eyes, always mysterious and rarely revealing of his mood, would sparkle and dance."

Larry Kane, Journalist 

"It was never an easy marriage... During their time together, I often visited them at Kenwood, John's luxurious house in Weybridge, and it was a much more equal relationship than it is portrayed in any numerous biographies. Certainly, Cynthia liked her sleep and used to go to bed early, which left John to go off into London and behaved like any self-respecting rock star would. But Cynthia was nothing like the clinging wifey that people who have never met the couple seem to imagine. And John was nothing like the rakish, thoughtless, faithless husband."

Alistair Taylor

Q: Do you trust anybody implicitly? (Interview, September 1966)

"Only the other three, and my wife." John 

"As far as I can tell you, we were all friends, we were a group, we were friends and they were playing music together, and happily as far as I know. As with any other sort of relationship, they had their ups and downs. They were only kids. They were just close friends. I can’t say brothers, no. I wouldn’t say that, but very good friends with the same thing in common: music."

Cynthia, 1982

John, Julian, and Cynthia at home on the dining room’s floor in Kenwood, Spring of 1965.

Photographed by Henry Grossman

 By 1966, things were drastically changing. John was getting deeper into drugs, mostly LSD and marijuana. Cynthia didn't do drugs and their relationship started to drift. After The Beatles stopped touring, instead of getting closer, they actually drifted apart. In 1967, Hunter Davies spent some time with them while writing his authorized biography on The Beatles (published in 1968, after John and Cynthia got divorced): on one particular evening, two salesmen came to the door and had an exchange with John while Cynthia made dinner (a slice of melon, cold meat, mash potatoes, and cauliflower). Dinner was served at 6:30. John decided to be a vegetarian and didn't eat the meat. They drank milk (to which Cynthia confirmed that was their dinner beverage). John was having a problem with his tooth, a filling was coming out. When John decided to get a helping of milk from the refrigerator, he drank from the bottle to which Cynthia thought it wouldn't be good for his tooth... I'm wondering if that's the same tooth John pulled out and gave it to their housekeeper, Dot? The tooth went up for auction after her death in 2014, and a dentist bought it. While eating, they watched television with John or Cynthia getting up to change the channel (before the remote control) as they never seem to agree on any programs for more than 10 minutes. After dinner, John continued to stare abstracted while Cynthia read the Daily Mirror and Julian started to draw. Julian would chatter away and narrated whatever he was drawing while John and Cynthia smiled at him. Then Cynthia cleared up dinner, John and Julian went outside for some fresh air. John sat on a step by the pool while Julian threw some oars in and took them out of the pool before going back in the house. Terry Doran arrived, Julian sat on his knee. It was his bedtime, so Cynthia jokingly asked if Julian wanted either Terry or John to put him to bed. Julian picked Terry but Cynthia ended up putting him to bed. Meanwhile, John and Terry shared a joint. Cynthia returned and they watched television until midnight when Cynthia made hot cocoa. Terry left, John and Cynthia went up to bed; John wanted to read this book someone gave them that Cynthia wanted to read first. That was the average evening route of the Lennon family. Cynthia did noticed a change in John: more nicer, quieter, more tolerant, but still doesn't communicate much. Because he wasn't touring anymore in 1967, John tried to get up more earlier than 2 or 3 in the afternoon. Out of the Beatles, I think John was the most laziest and being a homebody - to which I can relate... maybe it's a Libra thing? Sure, we can go to work, travel, etc. but overall staying at home, puttering around, and not being too social the day away is the typical way to live. 

"Perhaps I'm being selfish. It's just easier for me if he tells me things."

Cynthia, 1968

"I don't have to go anywhere now, perhaps a club now and again. Cyn cons me into it. We went to some opening night, some old friend. David Jacobs was everywhere. I went with George. He realized what was going to be like the minute we got to the door but I didn't. I looked round and he'd gone. He never even went inside. But I was in and was stuck. It was horrible."

John, 1968

It was hard to go out now that John was famous and can get recognized. The place, like a movie theater or a shopping department store, would have to be notified in advance so they could empty out or after hours of closing time to let The Beatles shop in peace. 

"But we can't do a simple thing together as a family, like going for a walk. It's terrible. Sometimes I wish it had never all happened."

Cynthia, 1968

Another thing that's been going on was John's habit of zoning out, especially when he watched television. Cynthia would talk to him, but he wouldn't respond. Some commentators would say that he was ignoring her, yet Cynthia didn't mind. George also had the same habit: Pattie would talk to him while George's mind would be zoning elsewhere. Both women chalked it up to song creativity.

"Sometimes I would start to talk and he'd [George] be so deep in thought about the lyrics or the melody he was writing that he was writing that he wouldn't answer. We'd be in the same room but he wasn't really with me: he was in his head. Most of the time I didn't mind. I'd think, Oh, good, he's writing a new song - he was always happiest when he was being creative."

Pattie Boyd, from her book Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me, 2007

"When John wasn't working he lay on the sofa, apparently watching the TV - which he liked to keep permanently switched on - but often a million miles away, lost in a daydream. I'd talk to him and he wouldn't hear me. This was nothing new: he had always been able to 'tune out' his surroundings and the busier his life became the more often he was 'present but absent'. I didn't mind: it was his way of coping with the stresses of his life, and these 'absent' moments were a vital part of the creative process. After an hour or two he'd often get up, go to the piano and start writing a song."

Cynthia, from her book John, 2005

"If I am on my own for three days, doing nothing, I almost leave myself completely. I'm just not here. Cynthia doesn't realize it. I'm up there watching myself, or I'm at the back of my head. I can see my hands and realize they're moving, but it's a robot who's doing it."

John, 1968

Here's a conversation John had with Tony Barrow, year unknown:

"Should we have waited, do you reckon? If Cyn hadn't been pregnant, would I have married her? If the Beatles get really big, maybe I could have a Hollywood film star for a wife!" John

Q: I think one famous person in the family was enough

"We can always have a film star or two as well, can't we? I'd hate to come home to an empty place. I couldn't live on my own" John

Q: You know, you love your own company. Even Cyn says you can go for days without speaking to her. She feels a million miles away from you.

"Ah, but she's not, is she? She's in the kitchen putting the kettle on." John

Cynthia and John at the the launch of The Beatles' Apple Boutique at Baker Street in London, England on December 5, 1967

"She was a really nice girl. I lived just down the road from John and Cynthia in Weybridge. We’d take the kids out — their son Julian, and Zak my eldest. Everyone thinks we were in this cage, but we would live semi-normal lives. If the locals know you, it’s okay. We’d have bonfire night. John would have Julian on his lap and I’d have Zak. Cynthia was a caretaker in many ways. If you were crazy she’d say, ‘Come and sit over here,’ and she’d talk you down.”

Ringo Starr, 2015

"He was definitely on a different planet during the making of Sgt. Pepper. Although for a time the drugs were part of it... I think the drugs destroyed a lot of his creativity."

Cynthia

"Creatively, it’s very difficult to say. I think drugs were an escape at the time. And that’s my view, and they were still – no matter what they did, as far as drugs were concerned, I think they were creative in themselves. So the creativity would still be there. It might be heightened or lessened – but they were still very creative."

Cynthia, 1982

*That’s true. That’s true, because they evolved together from such an early age and they went through so much together, that I think it would be impossible. It was impossible, really."

Cynthia, 1982

"I think those years were our growing years, growing into individuals. And John's path was a different path to mine."

Cynthia, 1995

"Of course there were terrible moments but my life has been fascinating. I lived through a crazy, chaotic and unique part of history and I have a beautiful son because of my marriage to John Lennon."

Cynthia, 1980

"Cynthia was also out a good deal, especially in the evenings, and I soon noticed with surprise how very little time she and John spent in each other's company. In fact such was the irregularity of their respective comings and goings that they had agreed that whoever came home last would sleep in the guest room so as not to disturb the other. The master bedroom, which they normally shared, was actually a vast room on the first floor housing a massive eight-foot double bed and a sunken bath at the far end, and it was here that John loved to lie in till late in the morning. I observed very few dialogues between John and Cynthia, and the only conversation which struck me as significant took place in the study when they were sharing a drink with Freddie and myself from the 'globe' cocktail cabinet. John, spawled out unceremoniously across one of the plush velvet armchairs, was clearly in one of his uncompromising moods. And when the discussion turned to diet, he announced bluntly to Cynthia 'You're getting pretty fat, aren't you?' The tone of the comment was far from jocular, and the recriminating glance which Cynthia threw back at him confirmed to Freddie and myself that things were far from good between them. But in spite of the isolation Cynthia seemed contented and her daily routine was well organized. She was still meditating- a legacy from the Maharishi- and claimed that it was only by meditation that she was able to withstand the pressures she inevitably faced as the wife of a superstar. It certainly must have worked for her as she was always a very calm and serene woman."

Pauline Lennon Stone, Alfred's widow

"Yoko had 10 years and I had 10 years and I would rather have had the 10 years I had than the ones she did. I had the raw talent and the raw human being, before the sycophants arrived."

Cynthia, 2000

“I knew the man up until our divorce – after that I didn’t know the man, but it didn’t stop me caring about him and worrying because of the complete change that I saw in him. He’d lost his sense of humour and he got aggressive; he wasn’t for the world any more, he was just for Yoko. Before that he opened his arms and embraced the world with his wit and humour – afterwards he was a completely different kind of person.”

Cynthia, 2005

Fantasy Island

July 22 - July 31, 1967

John and Cynthia sightseeing in Athens 

One day, John decided he wanted to buy an island for privacy. I'm not sure what brought the idea, but it was something that was on John's mind. I'm sure it started on drugs, and fans coming to his Weybridge home. But once he shared this idea to Cynthia, she was sold! 

The idea of paradise where Julian could run around, John and Cynthia could be alone, with no strangers coming to the door... it does sound fantastic! I also find the idea a lovely gesture of John wanting to be with Cynthia, alone and away from the craziness. Eventually, the idea of the Lennons having their private island extended to the other three: Paul, George, and Ringo. 

"Mind you, when it came to odd requests, John gave me the biggest shock. We were at Abbey Road after a recording session and John laid down his guitar, turned to me and said, 'Alistair, I want you to buy me an island.' I thought this was just another example of the customary Lennon banter and responded: 'Fine, John. What'll it be? The Isle of Wright? The Isle of Man? A Caribbean island?' He said, 'No, man. I'm absolutely serious. I need to have a place entirely of my own. I want an island with a fresh water supply and green grass'. And he handed me a piece of paper with an island, fresh water, and grass written on it. This was clearly a plan he had devoted several seconds to preparing. 'I want to build a house on it to get some peace and privacy. Somewhere Cyn and I can go to get away.  Oh, and it mustn't be more than two hours from London,' said John...My instant reaction was that this was yet another Lennon wind-up. The sequence of events was a little too coincidental so I rang Cynthia to see if this was an elaborate John joke. She swore John was not messing around this time. He really did want an island and she liked the sound of their own little Emerald Isle... The Beatles wanted to take a look for themselves and have a holiday into the bargain and I sprang into action to organise it. Alex (Madras) went off to Greece to prepare his father's house in Athens for us and to hire a large enough yacht to accommodate Paul and Jane, John, Cynthia and Julian, George and Pattie, Ringo and Maureen*, Big Mal Evans and his wife, Neil Aspinall, and me."

Alistair Taylor

*Maureen didn't go - she was heavily pregnant with Jason.

"The most magical moment came at dawn. As the sky turned pink and sunlight flooded in, Pink Floyd took to the stage, for the first time wearing velvet flares and tight satin shirts. John was so overwhelmed that in a stoned way he had a vision of his future idyllic life. He came over and said, 'I'm taking Cyn away. We're going to live in Paradise.' He was referring to the island he had bought by auction in remote Clew Bay the previous month, but hadn't yet seen.The next day, John, Dunbar, and Magic Alex flew to Dublin and got into a large black limousine that was waiting for them at the airport, and drove to the lonely West Coast. A local boatman took them from the mainland to John's island. He strode out a few hundred yards of damp heather and spiky sea grass he owned, before huddling out of the wind in the lee of a rock, to make a handful of nonsensical sketches of his future home, with an eye that saw only fantastic pyschedelic visions. He wanted a place where he, Cynthia and Julian would find themselves, be happy and where there would be no deeply intense woman like Yoko to possess his mind. A place from which he would emerge occasionally to make a record or attend other psychedelic happenings. It was a dream that the exposed outlook and the cold winds from the sea blew away. The three intrepid adventurers returned to the madness of London and the island went back to sleep."

Tony Bramwell 

John, Cynthia, Julian, Paul McCartney, Jane Asher, and Alistair Taylor departing London to Athens on July 22, 1967

I don't know the process of buying an Island but I can safely guess that it isn't cheap... but John, and The Beatles, could afford it. Plus, they would have to pay for other amenities, like buildings, renovations, furniture, and care for the island (lawn maintenance, electricity, fresh water supply, food). 

Well, anyway, John and Cynthia decided make a trip to check out potential spots with Paul, George, Ringo Jane, Pattie, and Julian. Plus, Alistair Taylor, Mal Evans, probably his wife Lil, Neil Aspinall, Paula Boyd, and Magic Alex Madras, who was from Greece. I can really picture Alex working his 'magic' on John here - convincing him that Greece is the way to go. I believe this was really the first time John and Julian had a vacation together, and going out of the country. I honestly can't think of any other time John and Julian traveled together beforehand. On July 22, 1967, they set off to Greece and stayed with Alex's family. The following day, the 23rd, there was a storm so their boat trip was delayed. Instead, they went sightseeing and participated in a traditional Greek folk dance in Araxos. They also enjoyed the beach, swimming in the sea. I don't know exactly where they were mainly based- probably Athens, where they were also spotted sightseeing. I bet Alex was their tour guide. They were supposed to see a play Agamemnon hosted by Oxford University Dramatic Society; except Alex alerted news media that The Beatles were in town... why would he do that? Alex should've known that The Beatles didn't want attention while in town. They weren't there to be famous. Sure enough, The Beatles were greeted by the press and weren't able to see the play. This should've been a red flag on trusting Alex. July 24th, the weather was still delaying the boat trip, so, sightseeing they go. The next day, their yacht arrived but the ride was planned to set sail on the 26th; Paul and George decided to stay at "home" while John and Ringo went out to check out musical instruments. I don't know what the others did. On the day of (the 26th), Ringo left before getting on the boat to be with his heavily pregnant wife Maureen with Neil Aspinall accompanying him.  

John, Cynthia, Julian, Pattie Boyd, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, Jane Asher, and their entourage party enjoying food and tradition Greek dance in Araxos on July 23, 1967

Now, I heard two different versions on how The Beatles got on a yacht to island-shop: 

1) they rented a boat

2) the boat belonged to Alex's family

What is definitely true is that the yacht was named MV Arvi. The boat had 24 berths and a crew of eight, including the captain, a chef and two stewards. On July 26th, everyone got on board and set sail. The island of interest was Agia Triada. During the boat ride, John, Paul, and George took acid (I don't know about Ringo, he could've and he also left early to go home to his very pregnant wife).

"We rented a boat and sailed it up and down the coast from Athens, looking at islands. Somebody had said we should invest some money, so we thought: ‘Well, let’s buy an island. We’ll just go there and drop out.’ It was a great trip. John and I were on acid all the time, sitting on the front of the ship playing ukuleles. Greece was on the left; a big island on the right. The sun was shining and we sang ‘Hare Krishna’ for hours and hours. Eventually we landed on a little beach with a village, but as soon as we stepped off the boat it started pouring with rain. There were storms and lightning, and the only building on the island was a little fisherman’s cottage – so we all piled in: ”Scuse us, squire. You don’t mind if we come and shelter in your cottage, do you?’ The island was covered in big pebbles, but Alex said, ‘It doesn’t matter. We’ll have the military come and lift them all off and carry them away.’ But we got back on the boat and sailed away, and never thought about the island again." 

George Harrison

"We went on the boat and sat around and took acid. It was good fun being with everyone, with nippier moments. For me the pace was a bit wearing. I probably could have done with some straight windows occasionally, I’d have enjoyed it a bit more. But nothing came of that, because we went out there and thought, We’ve done it now. That was it for a couple of weeks. Great, wasn’t it? Now we don’t need it. Having been out there, I don’t think we needed to go back. Probably the best way to not buy a Greek island is to go out there for a bit. It’s a good job we didn’t do it, because anyone who tried those ideas realised eventually there would always be arguments, there would always be who has to do the washing-up and whose turn it is to clean out the latrines. I don’t think any of us were thinking of that."

Paul McCartney

Paul and Julian in Araxos, Greece on July 23, 1967

Julian and Paul building sand castle while in Greece 

One thing really noticeable during the trip to Greece: Paul and Julian. With John standing there, watching his band mate, co-songwriter, and best friend Paul McCartney playing with his son. Paul played with Julian, always took the time to fool around, giggling, shrieking, swimming, running around, playing Cowboys & Indians, and building sand castles. John definitely took notice, he often did acknowledged the tight bond between 'Uncle' Paul and Julian. I think it's a mix of complimentary and jealousy from John. 

"Paul had a much more tender way with people, and therefore had a greater understanding of handling children. That's how his association with me was tightened. When I was a kid, Dad wasn't necessarily the playing-around type, whereas Paul was, so there was cowboys and Indians and all that kind of stuff."

Julian, 1998

“Paul was definitely the more gentle sort of playing cowboys and indians all the time while Dad was off doing something else. So, he tended to be around a bit more.”

Julian 

“We were once on a Greek island on holiday, and we were on a boat. It was George and Pattie, John and Cynthia, me and Jane Asher, I think. And Julian was along. I played with Julian most of the trip. We’d run around the deck playing cowboys and Indians— ‘bang, bang, you’re dead’, or whatever— and Julian loved it. And I remember John coming up to me… In fact, it was one of the most poignant moments of our relationship. He took me aside and said, ‘How do you do that?’ And I couldn’t tell him. You either know how to do that stuff or you don’t.”

Paul McCartney, 1995

“We’d gone on this Greek holiday once to buy an island and Julian and I spent a lot time playing around on the boat. I used to play cowboys and Indians with him, and he’d love it: a grown-up who would go, ‘Now you chase me, and I’ll chase you, but after you’ve caught me, not before, okay?’ And you were totally in this mad magic game. I remember John coming up to me once and he took me aside and said, ‘How do you do it?’ I said, ‘What do you mean?' He said, ‘With Julian. How do you play with kids like that?’ I remember feeling a wave of sorrow coming over me, like uhh, I’d love to be able to tell you. Then I tried to give like the potted version, you know, ‘Play, pretend you’re a kid. Play with him.’ But John never got it. Never got the hang of it. John was always a man.”

Paul McCartney, 1999

There's footage from The Beatles Anthology of Paul hanging out with Julian and Jane in the sea, Julian sliding on a railing of the yacht with Jane watching over him, and with John smiling at Julian having their own moment. 

I don't know the deep details of the trip for John and Cynthia. In my mind, John and Cynthia were working on their marriage despite the problems... for major example: John was taking acid during the vacation and island-shopping. That must have pissed off Cynthia. She must have dreaded the idea of an Island getaway and John taking acid, like she would never escape from. Other than that, I never heard of any bad tension between them. Cynthia didn't write about the Greece trip in her books or HELLO! magazine installments or spoke about it in interviews, that I'm aware of. 

 

John, Cynthia, Julian, Paul McCartney, Jane Asher, Paula Boyd, and Alex Madras arriving at Heathrow Airport from Athens on July 31, 1967

On July 29th, George, Pattie, and Mal Evans left as George and Pattie were due to travel to Los Angeles on August 1st. On July 31st, the remaining Beatles party departed from Athens to London. The idea of buying an island was pretty much forgotten. Although, I think the idea of having a commune stuck around as Cynthia (and maybe Maureen, Pattie, and Jane) saw Tittenhurst Park while commune house shopping. Unfortunately, as we now know, the commune living never happened. There is something weird that I recently noticed: John and Cynthia were both wearing the same clothes when they left London and when they left Athens. 

Magical Mystery Tour

The Beatles going down the staircase during the Your Mother Should Know segment of Magical Mystery Tour.

Artwork by Cynthia Lennon, year unknown

In 1981, Cynthia donated a print to Scottish Rite Children's Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia and, before she died, Cynthia donated another print of her painting that she signed and framed for auction on behalf of St. Thomas Lupus Foundation for 2016.

Pattie Harrison, Cynthia, Julian, Maureen Starkey, and Jenny Boyd sitting and watching The Beatles rehearse and filming of Magical Mystery Tour on September 24, 1967 in an aircraft hangar in West Malling Airfield, Kent, England.

After Brian Epstein's death and a lecture seminar of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's meditation, The Beatles decided to put their India trip on hold to focus on a television film and album: Magical Mystery Tour. It was a full hands on deck project for them, from writing, casting, locations, permissions, producing, directing… Paul McCartney was more of a leader on the project, overseeing everything. Filming began on September 11 until the 24th in 1967. At some point during the second week of filming, Cynthia and Julian visited. Julian remembers being on the bus and was actually filmed. If you look closely, you can spot Julian in the film on the bus- careful not to blink and miss!

Julian and John in between rehearsals for Magical Mystery Tour on September 24, 1967 in an aircraft hangar in West Malling Airfield, Kent, England.

"You can see me on the coach in the actual film" 

Julian

Honestly… I keep blinking and missing him. I just can't find Julian! Could you? I must have gone through all the bus scenes, slow pacing, pausing, observing each person one by one, and yet! No such luck. If you got lucky spotting Julian in the film, please let me know!

Anyway, Julian made another cameo appearance with Cynthia in with the crowd. 

"If you look very carefully you can see me, Cynthia, little Julian, Big Mal, Neil, and a few others desperately trying to make ourselves look like a crowd." 

Alistair Taylor (Brian Epstein's assistant)

I can't deny that Cynthia and Julian did an excellent job of blending in with the crowd, because I can't find them! The only one that really stood out was Mal Evans. Cynthia barely mentions Magical Mystery Tour filming experiences in anything she'd written other than the dress up party (coming up in a second!). I do believe it was during the marathon scene, where they were all running around the field and were present when The Beatles filmed I Am the Walrus, which was filmed on September 23, 1967.

Paul McCartney and Julian playing in between filming Magical Mystery Tour on September 24, 1967 outside of an aircraft hangar in West Malling Airfield, Kent, England with Paul wearing his Wizard costume.

Photographed by Terry Doran 

On September 24, 1967 was the last day of filming, The Beatles rehearsed and filmed Your Mother Should Know segment of Magical Mystery Tour in an aircraft hangar in West Malling Airfield, Kent, England with Cynthia, Julian, Maureen, Pattie, and her sister Jenny Boyd to watch. 

John at the Magical Mystery Tour fancy dress party at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London, December 21, 1967 with Maureen, Ringo, Paul, and Jane Asher. Unfortunately, no photos of Cynthia were published (as same with George and Pattie Harrison who arrived late to the party).

On December 21, 1967, The Beatles held a celebration launch dress party for the Magical Mystery Tour at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London. 

Ringo… Circus Ringmaster

Maureen… Indian

Paul… Pearly King

Jane… Pearly Queen

John… Teddy Boy 

Cynthia… Quality Street Victorian Lady

George… Errol Flynn

Pattie… Belly Dancer

The party did not go well for John and Cynthia. For starters, John got drunk and spent most of the night ignoring Cynthia. There are stories that John eyed and danced with Pattie, sparking rumors that they had an affair- to which Pattie has vehemently denied (I do believe her, by the way). 

“No way! Cynthia was a very sweet girl. I think when they moved from Liverpool she felt out of her depth. I tried to encourage her to come to London from their home in Surrey but she never really wanted to."

Pattie Boyd, 2018

But Pattie wasn't the only woman John flirted with- there were many others, much to Cynthia's embarrassment and jealousy. She was the only woman that John didn't dance with. Anyway, John's father Alfred was also there, dressed as a garbage man, and they created some noise. Lulu, dressed as Shirley Temple, was appalled by John's behavior and called him out on the way he was treating his wife. Meanwhile, Cynthia danced with other men, especially Billy J. Kramer, dressed as a soldier from Quality Street, similar to Cynthia's Victorian outfit, Cynthia was dressed in crinoline, bonnets, and bows… Cynthia later wrote in A Twist of Lennon book that she and Billy made a lovely couple, dancing away while full of food, wine, high spirits, and probably an attempt to make John jealous. Instead, while attempting to do a jive rather than waltzing in a material that's not suited for energizing movement, her dress and bonnet pretty much collapsed and ballooned out, leaving Cynthia making a fool of herself in the middle of the dance floor and John being embarrassed.