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

Behind Bedroom Doors

Passion. Affection. Kissing, hugging, making love… here we go! The subject was bound to be brought up, right? Yes, it is in the Too Much Information category, but I honestly don't care because 1) it proves they had a sex life as the same with John and Yoko who chose to publicized it. If you don't wanna know, feel free to go on the next post. Their sex life started the same day their relationship began at Stuart Sutcliffe's apartment after a college party that had an after-party at Ye Cracke. After that, John and Cynthia would have sex at every chance they had when opportunity presented itself. According to Cynthia, their first time lasted an hour. In order to be together, Stuart would have to leave- he usually went to his mother's house. I don't know how he could stand sleeping in the same bed afterwards… I just hope he thought of washing his sheets but I have a funny feeling he didn't. One day while Stuart was out, John and Cynthia gleefully took the opportunity to make love but Cynthia crumbled in pain- they quickly got dressed and John literally carried her to the train station to go home and then to the hospital: she had appendix removed. John would sometimes try to convince Cynthia to have quickies in alleyways but instead she stuck to kissing (although I wouldn't be shocked if a quickie or two happened), however they did had sex at the sand dunes with sand going into their clothes. 

"Stuart, when there were too many sleeping in his room, would sometimes come home, which was three miles away. He would also stay with us when John and Cynthia wanted some privacy. He wouldn't call it that obviously, he wouldn't say, 'I'm coming home, Mother, because I'm letting Cynthia and John have my bed.' My mother couldn't have cared less what the reason was, for she was always elated to have Stuart home."

Pauline Sutcliffe, Stuart's sister

In August of 1960 before John went to Hamburg, he was home in Mendips while Mimi went to visit her sister Nanny. He borrowed a camera and invited Cynthia over to take pictures to take with him to Hamburg. Cynthia modeled for him in sexy Brigitte Bardot-like poses. Where are those pictures now? I'm guessing either Julian or Yoko has them. After the photo session, John and Cynthia made love before putting on a fire and raided the refrigerator. Just before Cynthia was about to leave, Mimi called to say she'll be coming in the next day due to fog. John and Cynthia couldn't believe their luck! Cynthia quickly set up her alibi of lying to her mother that she's at Phyllis's house and then they went upstairs to John's single bed to squeeze together until early morning when she left before Mimi's arrival. 

After when Cynthia returned home from Hamburg visiting John in 1961, her mother moved to Canada and so Cynthia moved in with Mimi as a lounger paying rent. Whenever John returned, they couldn't do anything with Mimi around. Despite Cynthia's denials, does anyone besides me think otherwise? I suspect some sneaky lovemaking happened on a rare free opportunity! Mimi got difficult to live with and after living with a relative, Cynthia eventually found her own apartment. A perfect love nest where they could go on uninterrupted or worry about being caught: John and Cynthia finally had a place to be together. He did visit often and the only thing he didn't want was to have next door neighbor Dot Rhone to be walking in on them. 

"I don't like the idea of Dot moving in permanently with you 'cause we could never be alone really- I mean when I come home- can't she have another room or find another flat- imagine having her there all the time when we were in bed- and imagine Paul coming all the time … God I'm knackered it's 6 o'clock in the morning and I want you … I love you Cyn Powell and I wish I was on the way to your flat with the Sunday papers and chocies and a throbber! … I'm dead beat my sweet so I hope you don't mind if I finish now and have a lovely sleep (without you but it'll still be lovely- don't be hurt- but I'm so so so tired)"

John, April of 1962 in a letter to Cynthia while he was in Hamburg

Then, in the Summer of 1962, Cynthia got pregnant. It's a miracle that she didn't get pregnant sooner! They never used protection as it never occurred to them. They got married, moved into a new apartment, and started their new married life together. I don't know if John and Cynthia had sex while she was pregnant but she did confirm that their sex life didn't end there. They had holidays (aka vacations), film locations, and the first American visit. When John was home, he would gift Cynthia 'naughty nighties' and have a private fashion show that would conclude a dance before going to bed. I will later explain the naughty nighties further in another post but let's say it's not exactly the typical lingerie. 

Eventually the sex dried up. Not sure when though- John did tour a lot, spent time in the studio, having a random affair, business meeting, photo session, and so on that it reached the level of leading separate lives under the same roof. They had irregular sleeping hours: after tours, John would sleep up to 3 days and then would stay up late until the sun comes up while Cynthia had the normal going to bed at a reasonable hour to get up early with Julian. The only times Cynthia stayed up late would be at an event, party, or keeping John company during his songwriting. My guess would be around the end of 1966 as John was heavily into LSD; that being said, according to Dot Jarlett's written testimony in the divorce, John's interest in Cynthia started to wane in the Summer of 1967. It could've been a gradual thing. 

"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."

Pauline Lennon Stone

By the time they were in India, forget it! Nothing! Within a few days of arriving, John got his own bedroom claiming not to be disturbed while meditating. Then he ignored Cynthia 95% of the time. You can see the strain in the photos. But they did managed to have sex in 1968… unfortunate timing as it was near the end of their marriage. It was after John and Yoko first had sex while Cynthia was in Greece and she came home unexpectedly to find them together in the kitchen wearing bathrobes; Cynthia left for 3 days before returning back to her husband. After a long talk, they made love. I suspect for the final time.

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

Volume I: Meet the Lennons

John's father, Alfred Lennon

Cynthia never got to meet John's mother Julia but she did eventually met his father, Alfred Lennon, in 1965. Since John was five years old, Alfred disappeared from his son's life (sound familiar?) and didn't keep in touch for almost 20 years when John was wealthy. I do wonder when Alfred found out he was technically a widower (Alfred and Julia never divorced) since 1958? John told Cynthia his vision of his father as a hero of the sea but unable to come home because life on the sea was very busy… probably something John told himself for comfort. I have heard that there was a time when Alfred was in jail at some point. Being a Seaman wasn't an unusual occupation: both Cynthia's and Maureen Starkey's fathers (Charles and Joseph) were seamen at one point in their lives. But unlike John's father, Charles and Joseph came home. There is a possibility that Julia’s family, particularly Aunt Mimi, scared Alfred away. Maybe he did kept in touch but his mail went first to Mimi who threw it in the garbage- I honestly wouldn't put it past her. Anyway, by 1964, Alfred was working as a dishwasher when he encountered a man who drove John around (chauffeur… could it be Bill Corbett? Alf Bicknell? or Les Anthony?); Alfred went to see John on the set of A Hard Day's Night, accompanied by the press hoping for a reunion exclusive. Needless to say it didn't go well. John was horrified, shocked, and pissed off that he refused to see Alfred. John didn't tell Cynthia about this until later- she didn't know why John didn't tell her but knew that Alfred was a sensitive subject. A year later, Alfred tried another approach without the press and went to John's home, Kenwood. Cynthia answered the knock on the door and was shocked to find John's long-lost father standing at her doorstep. She was struck by the resemblance and invited him in, also very curious about this man. Alfred's hair was long and unkept so Cynthia offered to cut and tidy up his hair which he happily obliged. Cynthia also introduced Alfred to his grandson Julian who soon became his only fan when his one and only record That's My Life (My Love and My Home) came out later that year; I'm afraid that's all I know of the relationship between Alfred and Julian during that time period of 1965-1968. I have absolutely no idea afterwards when John and Cynthia divorced until Alfred's death in 1976. I can't imagine John's reaction and what went through his mind when he came home to find his estranged father in his home with his wife and son. An awkward conversation followed; John had many questions for Alfred's side of the story and compared them to what Julia's family have told him while growing up that I am sure brought on confusion and anger. When Cynthia, a sucker for reuniting families, invited Alfred to stay overnight, John gave her a look of ‘Do you know what you are doing?’ but didn't argue. Alfred stayed for three days and during those days, John was either avoiding his father by going out or had tense conversations about the past.

“Freddie was met by the unsmiling servant Dot, who escorted him through a mirrored door into the living room. Here he was greeted by John's wife Cynthia, whose sweet concern, reminiscent of a typical homely Lancashire lass, at last allowed him to feel a little more comfortable. They (Freddie and John) sat over a cup of tea, trying to put themselves at ease with each other, alone in the silent house apart from Cynthia and Julian who were upstairs in bed. John had already made up his mind that he wanted his father to live as one of the family, and lost no time in suggesting he should move in to Kenwood immediately. But there was little time for the promised heart-to-heart the following day...or the next. John did not usually rise before eleven o'clock in the morning, when he would come dashing down the stairs to eat a hurried breakfast, usually a plate of mushrooms on toast, promptly set before him by Dot or Cyn. But it was not until the appearance of Cynthia's rumbustious and plain-speaking mother, Mrs. Lillian Powell, on one of her regular visits to Kenwood, that anyone recognized his restlessness. 'For heaven's sake, man, you look as frustrated as a hen in a coop,' she remarked, one morning over breakfast in response to Freddie's god-forsaken expression. 'Why don't you get them to find you a flat where you can do your own thing?' Freddie hesitantly agreed to consider the idea, his main worry being John's reaction, but before he had even had time to consider the question Lillian had already broached the matter with her son-in-law. And the speed with which she helped to implement the operation suggested to Freddie that it wasn't only the 'lodger' who was to be more comfortable after his eviction. However, this restoration of freedom was marred by John's disappointment at his leaving. Freddie had detected a look of dismay on his face as Cynthia informed him of the arrangements that have been made. But is was clear from his withdrawn attitude that he had not expected this turn of events. And Freddie learned later from John Francis, the part-time chauffeur, that John had been 'very upset indeed' about his father's departure. Nevertheless he gave orders to Dot to ensure that Freddie was given a couple of weeks' supply of food, and Cynthia went to great trouble to provide him with a carpet, a TV and some bedding for the new flat.”

Pauline Lennon Stone, John's stepmother

I guess the connecting chauffeur was John Francis… the name doesn't ring a bell but who knows? Lillian sure could get things done, huh? She instantly saw how restless Alfred was and did something about it. And really, Lillan? A flat (apartment) where can do own thing… interesting considering John bought her her own house to do whatever she wanted and yet spent majority of her time at Kenwood [read my reasons why John and Cynthia broke up a few posts back]. Anyway, it does sound like Lillian got along well with Alfred, better than her tense coexistence relationship with Mimi. I have no doubt that John saw a lot of himself in Alfred, from looks to personality, especially their sense of humor. I believe deep down John and Alfred wanted a close relationship but the damage was too great; Alfred missed a lot and John only knew life without his father around.

Pauline and Alfred, 1968

Around 1966 Alfred met and fell in love with (19) college student Pauline. However, her mother was understandably against the relationship of her young daughter with a 50-something year old man. In 1967, Alfred took Pauline to meet his son. Alfred asked John and Cynthia to give Pauline a job: as a secretary, going through fan mail, and an occasional nanny for Julian. Cynthia later revealed there wasn't much for Pauline to do around the house and spent most of her time crying.

“I had already begun to suffer severe headaches and periodic blackouts when I received John's invitation to spend the weekend at Kenwood, so I welcomed the chance of a short break. I had arranged to meet Freddie at the Southampton Hotel in Surbiton, from where we would be driven to Weybridge by John Francis, the cabbie who worked part-time for Cynthia while Anthony was busy chauffeuring John around town. We arrived about midday and were met at the front door by Cynthia, dressed in a black sweater and red velvet slacks. Her reassuring smile and quiet charm made me feel reasonably relaxed. 'John isn't up yet,' she informed us, leading us through to the cosy little living room which opened off the kitchen and was actually the only spot in the vast house which in any way resembled home. We chatted a little about my predicament, and Dot made us some tea as we sat admiring John's huge collection of zany prints and lithographs which adorned the white walls, waiting for the entrance of the 'great one’. Cynthia seemed more in awe of John's imminent arrival than I was myself as she listened intently for his step on the stair with an expression of flushed anticipation. Finally her patience was rewarded. 'I think I can hear him now,' she breathed, glancing at me to check my reaction. I was soon to discover that John enjoyed an almost regal status at Kenwood, which he was encouraged to maintain by the demeanour of the household members and by his visiting friends. 'I see you don't like wearing specs either,' smiled John. 'You know, when Cyn and I used to go to the cinema we were both too vain to wear our glasses so neither of us could see what the film was about.' 'And we couldn't hear it either,' chipped in Cynthia. 'If you're short-sighted it affects your hearing too, you know- you can't lip-read so well.' 'Well, John, what do you think of my Polly?' he finally asked, putting an arm around my shoulder. 'She reminds me a little of Julia. What do you say, John?' I felt rather embarrassed to be compared with John's mother, especially when I caught sight of the uncomfortable expression on his face. But he dodged the question neatly, remarking that I reminded him more of Cyn. It was true that Cynthia and I did resemble each other a little, having the same long blonde hair and similar facial features. But it was immediately clear to me that John's mother occupied a very special place in his heart... 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. I moved into Kenwood at the end of October 1967 and was duly issued with my own shiny red, electronic entry card which enabled me to come and go much as I pleased. It was also announced that I was to begin driving lessons immediately, which would allow me to ferry Julian to and from school in the smart black Mini with smoked glass windows which Cynthia normally used. Additionally stored in the attic regions were a vast quantity of John's discarded clothes, most of them worn only once or twice. Cynthia was most insistent that Freddie should choose whichever items he wanted to supplement his own meagre wardrobe, but unfortunately he was a size or two smaller than his son!”

Pauline Lennon Stone

It feels like Cynthia had a much social life than she let on; there was always an impression that Cynthia stayed home a lot more than Maureen Starkey, Pattie Harrison, and Jane Asher. I'm not implying like reclusive but less than how many times of outings. I do know that whenever Cynthia wanted to go out dancing, Terry Doran would normally be her escort while John, the definite homebody, stayed home because he wasn't much into dancing. I suppose it was around this time or early 1968 (before the India trip), that things got crazy, from the marriage of Alfred and Pauline and the alleged seduction Alfred pulled on Cynthia.

“However, it was the question Cynthia's evenings out with the girls which brought about a rift between John and Freddie and led John blowing his top with his father for the first but not the last time. During one of my weekend visits to Freddie in Kew we bumped into Cynthia in a nightclub one Saturday evening. Whether it was due to an excess of alcohol or simply the prompting of old-fashioned values I'm not sure, but Freddie was deeply shocked to find John's wife clubbing without a suitable escort and he treated her to a lecture on the subject of wifely duties. It was one of the few occasions when I was really mad with Freddie. I knew he had a terrible habit of saying the most outrageous things under the influence of whisky, but I was furious with him for offending Cynthia. I realized with despair that he had gone much too far, but what I did not realize was that certain members of John's entourage who were also present in the club would report his words to John in a totally contorted form. In fact several different versions of the truth reached John's ears- the most ridiculous of which being that Freddie had attempted to seduce his daughter-in-law! The accusations were nevertheless sufficient to enrage John, and without waiting to verify their validity he paid an impromptu visit to Kew the next morning, en route for London in his Rolls.”

Pauline Lennon Stone

“Eventually, however, Freddie exhausted the limits of even John's tolerance when he attempted to seduce his daughter-in-law. Cyn was so distraught that John threw his father out of the house, and refused ever to see him again.”

Pete Shotton, 1983

David, Pauline, and Alfred, 1969

Well, no matter how the misunderstanding of this alleged hit-on (Cynthia never mentioned it in any of her books or contributions to biographies), I suppose it's nice to know that John still felt jealousy and protectiveness over Cynthia.

While Alfred and Pauline settled into married life, John and Cynthia divorced and John got involved with Yoko Ono. On February 26, 1969, Alfred and Pauline welcomed David Henry; John met his little half-brother once and it wasn't a kind of meeting to remember. John was going through his Primal Scream therapy period and had a lot of anger boiling over. When Alfred brought along his family, John hit the roof! After that encounter, Alfred and John would never see each other again. On October 22, 1973, Alfred and Pauline welcomed Robin Francis, who never met John; since David was born, Alfred became a stay-at-home dad (which John would later do with Sean) while Pauline worked. At his age, there were not a lot of options for Alfred to get a job so Pauline got a job as a translator. Alfred and John did reconnect later through telephone while John was living in New York. Alfred died of stomach cancer on April 1, 1976 when David was 7 and Robin was 2½ years old; John offered to pay for the funeral but Pauline refused. I don't know if Alfred ever saw Julian again after 1968 and Sean was 5½ months old when his grandfather passed away, they never met. I don't know if Julian or Sean have any relationship with their Uncles David and Robin- my guess is no but I don't have any knowledge on that to confirm. Interestingly, Cynthia later died on the same day as Alfred, 41 years later. Pauline remarried to Robin Stone; David is in the computer business while there's nothing recent known about Robin (in 1989 he was in college and in 1997 was unemployed and living with his mother).

Julian and Charlie in Liverpool, 1989

Alfred had 4 brothers and 1 sister: George, Herbert, Sidney, Edith, and Charles. He was very close to his youngest brother Charlie despite the 6-years difference. Charlie knew John as a little boy until he was four, estimating around the time Mimi thought Julia was an unfit mother with an absentee husband, lots of boyfriends, and went to social service to have John live with her. Charlie served for the Royal Army and his relationship with sister-in-law Julia went downhill after her boyfriend John Dykins went to Charlie about the idea of Julia divorcing Alfred but Charlie turned him away. By 1958, Charlie had it with the Stanley family and left Liverpool until 1982 when he retired. I am guessing Charlie left Liverpool before Julia's death during the Summer of 1958? In 1964, after hearing John slamming the door in Alfred's face, Charlie wrote John a stern letter, explaining that there were two sides of the story. I don't know when John reconnected with his Uncle, but in November of 1967, John invited Charlie to his home in Weybridge for his birthday while he was filming Magical Mystery Tour. Charlie spent a few days there, had Julian on his knee, and got an autograph from John that he used one of Julian's crayons because he couldn't find a pen that Cynthia gave him after John left on film location. I don't know if John and Charlie saw each other again… However I do know Charlie and Julian reconnected in 1989.

In April of 1989, there was a tragedy in the Hillsborough Stadium during a soccer match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest teams with 96 deaths. In July, Julian arrived in Liverpool to appear in the benefit concert. Charlie greeted Julian when he arrived in Liverpool; Julian didn't realize that it was his grandfather's brother until someone offered to take a picture of the two of them. Julian apparently forgot about Charlie after last seeing him in 1967- that's what happens when you don't keep in touch, especially a four year old. They had a pleasant chat… again, I don't know if they kept in touch until Charlie's death in 2002. Anyway, since that reunion, Charlie had pictures/posters of John and Julian up in his home.

Alfred holding his single record, That's My Life (My Love and My Home), in 1965

Going to go back to what I previously mentioned in greater detail: Julian being Alfred's one and only music fan. Alfred always loved music, he played the banjo. He even taught Julia chords of the banjo, who later taught John. After establishing himself as John's father, he took an opportunity to release his own music, That's My Life (My Love and My Home). It at first did well, well enough for a potential tour, but it suddenly disappeared and it's very rare to find these days. It's heavily believed that John and Brian Epstein managed to get it off. I wonder if Julian still has the record?

“John's reaction to his Pop's 'pop' venture were actually rather mixed. He had been angered by Freddie's story to Tit Bits and was basically opposed to any of his relatives or friends 'blabbing to the press'. Part of the reason for this was his fear that Mimi might be upset by the revelations. But he also resented the idea of his Dad- or anyone else for that matter- muscling in on his name. Nevertheless he bought a copy of Freddie's record and it was played regularly at Kenwood, his spacious home in Weybridge. John's son Julian, who was then just three years old was especially fascinated by the record and repeatedly asked his mother, Cynthia, to 'put on Granddad's song'. It gave John a secret thrill to think that his Dad was a 'real character' with some talent in his own right, but he was still too suspicious of Freddie to trust him or openly to acknowledge his interest in him as his father… At least Freddie did have the chance to get to know young Julian, whose only previous acquaintance with his granddad had been through Freddie's record 'That's My Life.'”

Pauline Lennon Stone