Charlie and Tony with their father Charles
From Julian Lennon's Instagram
Charles Ronald F. Powell was born in/around 1928. Anthony Powell was born in/around 1931; I do think he had middle names like big brother Charlie but I don't know. I don't know Charlie's middle name F stands for… I know I rant this before about Cynthia's middle name Lillian (short recap: she doesn't have a middle name! There's NO proof!) but it wasn't unusual for a girl not to have a middle name as it was said the maiden name becomes middle after getting married. At least, that's what's been explained to me by my grandmother who didn't have a middle name and didn't give her daughters one either yet my mom gave me a middle name because she always wanted one and to differentiate me from my Aunt who I'm named after. Okay, less about me! Let's get back to the subject, Charlie was over ten years older than Cynthia while Tony was about 8 years older so by the time Cynthia was five, Charlie was out of the house at the age of 16. Despite their age difference, they did seem to be very close. Both Charlie and Tony were born in Liverpool until World War II, they were evacuated to North Wales for safety, armed with stock and soda pops to live with a family. Meanwhile, Lillian went to a bed & breakfast hotel in Hoylake, Blackpool with other pregnant mothers where she gave birth to Cynthia. The family was soon reunited and settled in Hoylake; when bombers flew overhead, Lillian would swoop the children into a cupboard under the stairs. It was Cynthia's job to clean their shoes. Charlie had a few girlfriends that he would bring to the house, including the fashion designer I referred in a previous post about Cynthia as an artist. Lillian, not exactly I would call the best housekeeper, would slick and span the house… I suppose Cynthia knew someone would be coming when her mother had a dustrag in one hand and a vacuum in the other. There was another girlfriend named Katie, who accompanied Charlie to Tony's wedding in 1960 and met Cynthia's boyfriend John Lennon. One day while both John and Charlie were at the Powell family home, Charlie noticed John didn't have any money so he gave him a pile of old sweaters. Since then, John had a soft spot for Charlie. Charlie went to work for GEC like their father Charles, selling electric appliances to shops in Birmingham and London while Charles did Liverpool. Charlie could play the piano. Eventually he moved to Libya and must have had a connection with lawyers as when Lillian contacted him when Cynthia and John decided to divorce in 1968, Charlie came to London to hook Cynthia up with a lawyer.
Wedding invitation for Charlie and Penny in February of 1967
From Dorothy Jarlett's collection
Well, a year before the drama of John and Cynthia's divorce, Charles got married to Penelope Anne Jackson on February 25, 1967 at St. Bartholomew's Church in Corsham (close to Bristol and Bath), England and the reception at The Rudloe Park Hotel. It's an almost 2 hour drive from Weybridge, Surrey. I don't know for sure if John attended but most chronology books have The Beatles doing EMI recording sessions for Sgt. Pepper's so it's very possible that John did go. After 1968, I don't know what happened to Charlie. I just know he remained married to Penny as she's mentioned in Cynthia's acknowledgements in her John book. I don't know if they had children. I don't even know if Charlie is still alive; if he is, he would be 92 at this time of writing.
Tony and Marjorie with their families for their wedding in April of 1960 with bridesmaid Cynthia and her boyfriend John Lennon behind her.
From Cynthia Lennon's collection
While Cynthia had little memories of Charlie being home while growing up, she was much closer to Tony. When he was 18, Tony was enlisted to the National Service (Army). After he returned home, Tony had a girlfriend and joined the police to please her but was unhappy with the occupation. After they broke up, Tony was more than happy to resign. I don't know what Tony settled to do but he definitely worked and lived in Liverpool. He married Marjorie Joyce in April of 1960 with Cynthia as a bridesmaid and accompanied by John, who met her brothers and the rest of her family that day. Tony and John got along well, they shared the same sense of dry humor. In April of 1961, Lillian moved to Canada to help take care of her niece's baby; the next year in August of 1962, she came back to Liverpool for a visit and stayed with Tony. By that time, Cynthia already found out she was pregnant and couldn't find the words to tell her mother until the last day of her trip on August 21, 1962. I suppose that's when Tony found out he was going to be an Uncle. The next day, the 22nd of August, Lillian returned to Canada. Cynthia, Tony, and Marjorie sent her off with Cynthia crying so bad that her brother and sister-in-law had to support her to leave. Tony and Marjorie attended Cynthia's wedding to John the following day on August 23, 1962 but had to depart right after to go to work. During her pregnancy and living in Brian Epstein's apartment, Cynthia did stay with Tony, I guess for the weekend, while John was home… which is rather surprising as she would have relished to be with him as his home days were starting to get far and few apart… but who knows? Not long after, Cynthia nearly suffered a miscarriage and was instructed to stay in bed for three days; Tony came by to check in while John was on tour. I don't know if Tony visited Cynthia at Mimi's house- he could have. And, that's all I know about Tony, not much after 1962. I don't know if Marjorie and Tony had children. I do know that Tony died and Cynthia attended his funeral- I don't know when it happened.
Marjorie and Cynthia at a party in 1956
From Cynthia Lennon's collection
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