Judy in the Middle

 

Going to India

 

Do You Swear?

"He didn't have an angry bone in his body. He only ever smacked me once in my life when I was about 12 and I swore. He must have been feeling unusually bad-tempered and fraught that particular night. He was a salesman for the electrical company GEC and he was working on those endless books that salesmen have to fill in. Anyway, I suppose I was annoyed that he wasn't taking any notice of me and I came out with the worst word I could think of. The next thing I knew there was a stinging slap on my leg. I couldn't believe it. I was speechless. The fact that Dad had actually smacked me was much worse than the fleeting pain. I never said the offending word again - not in Dad's presence anyway!"

Cynthia, 1994

"I fell in love with a bad boy, whom I knew to be a bad boy. John wasn't the best, but he wasn't the worst. But if my father had still been alive, he wouldn't have got past the front door of our house."

Cynthia

"He was sullen and moody most of the time, and his rages could get out of control.. And he would swear constantly. Really crudely and badly, the sort of words you ought not to say in front of a lady. I wasn't used to hearing language like that - !y parents certainly never cursed - and I did used to find it embarrassing, I don't mind admitting. I used to go bright red a lot in those days,bit John never seemed to care. I think he enjoyed making me feel uncomfortable. It gave him the upper hand."

Cynthia

"I swear sometimes, but I hate to hear women swear, or for man to swear in front of women. Cyn has heard me swear when I'm angry, but she wouldn't like it if anyone started trying to butter her. If they apologized afterwards, she would like them for respecting her though, but she wouldn't like the swearing."

John, 1965

Fifth Beatle Wives

Let's look into the "5th Beatle" wives. Cynthia had a friendship with all of them... except for George Martin's first wife Sheena as I think she's been out of the picture beforehand.

Suzy (with Neil) with Ringo Starr and Maureen Starkey at the premiere of Yellow Submarine at the London Pavilion on July 17, 1968

Neil Aspinall was born on December 13, 1941 in Prestatyn, North Wales; he attended Liverpool Institute with Paul and George, next door was Liverpool College of Art where John, Cynthia, and Stuart Sutcliffe attended. He lived at Mona Best’s family home where she ran the Casbah Coffee Club where the Beatles played often, Neal drove the Beatles’ around to their gigs in England becoming their road manager. In 1970, The Beatles’ broke up and Neal was the head Managing Director for Apple, the Beatles’ company, until 2007 when he was ill with lung cancer. Neil knew most of the wives (Cynthia, Maureen Starkey, Pattie Boyd, Linda McCartney, Yoko Ono, Olivia Harrison, Barbara Bach, and Heather Mills; it's unknown if Neil met Nancy Shevell since she was starting to be serious in her relationship with Paul McCartney while Neil was ill and doing treatment at the time) including Jane Asher as Neil remained close to John, Paul, George, and Ringo. Neil met Susan Mary Ornstein in 1964 while the Beatles were filming A Hard Day's Night; Suzy's father George Ornstein was the head of United Artists backing the film. However, Neil was in a relationship with Mona Best and Suzy was married at the time before divorcing John Bramley. They married on August 30, 1968 and they had two children together, including three from previous relationships: Roag (July 21, 1962), Julian (May 21, 1964), Amanda (June  21, 1965), Gayla (19??), and Dhara (August 25, 1974). His daughter, Gayla, helped produced The Beatles’ Anthology documentary in 1995. Neil died in New York City on March 23, 2008. His funeral was attended by Yoko, Olivia, Barbara, and Kathy Best. 

"I just wanted to say, that Neil was a unique man, a loyal man & a man of great strength. He will be missed. I just wanted to publicly send my condolences to His Family & all that knew him, from either working with him, or just knowing him as a friend, from myself & My Mother, Cynthia. We will of course be contacting his family directly too. R.I.P Neil, Hope you guys are having fun up there!" 

Julian, 2008 

Kathy and Pete at Neil Aspinall's funeral in 2008

Pete Best was born on November 24, 1941 in Madras, India to Mona Best. When he was a toddler, the family moved to Liverpool. He met Kathy while performing with the Beatles at Subtree when she was dancing in the audience. They started dating at the first Beatles fan club party at the Cavern in 1962. In August, after Pete was fired from the Beatles, Kathy assured him that it was him she wanted, not a Beatle. They were married a year later, in August of 1963. They had two daughters, Beba and Bonita; Pete struggled as a musician. By 1968, after depression and a suicide attempt, Pete settled in civilian life working in a bakery and quit being a musician until 1988. In December of 1980, Kathy was listening to the radio while Pete was getting ready for work when she heard the news about John Lennon's death and told Pete to listen- he was horrified. Pete and Kathy live in Liverpool, married for over 50 years and are grandparents. Pete occasionally tours with his Pete Best Band. Kathy prefers to be private. I have no idea if Cynthia and Kathy met in 1962 (my gut says yes, but I have no official source to backup my gut), however Cynthia did reconnect with Pete in the 1980s so definitely they have met. 

Yoko, Paul McCartney, John, and Mal’s wife Lil Evans at the premiere of Yellow Submarine at the London Pavilion on July 17, 1968

Malcolm Frederick Evans was born on May 27, 1935 in Liverpool, England; he met the Beatles while working as a bouncer for the Cavern as well as a telecommunications engineer. He met Lily (born on June 12, 1936) at a fun fair in New Brighton and they were married in 1961. Their son Gary was born on October 11, 1961. When the Beatles’ got busier as their popularly grew, Neil requested to Brian that he needed help so Mal was hired as road manager. Their daughter, Julie Suzanne, was born on April 17, 1966; later that year (in August), The Beatles quit touring and they started to focus more on recording in the studio while starting up their own record label and continued to have Mal work for them until 1970 when he was laid off by Allen Klein. Mal, Lil, and their children were frequent guests at Kenwood. In 1973, Mal was separated from his wife and moved to Los Angeles to work as a music producer and manager until January 4, 1976 when he was killed by the police while holding an empty gun after a fight with a girlfriend.

"I fought for reality, for common sense, in a world that was going mad. I saw such terrible things happen. There was Mal Evans, the boys' road manager. He was a marvelous man with a lovely wife and two beautiful children. Then he went on one of the American tours and it all went to his head. He met this woman and he left his wife and moved in with her The last I heard was that the police had raided them, and because Mal had a gun they pumped him full of bullets."

Cynthia, 1976

Cynthia and George Martin at her book John launch party at Fitzroy Square on September 27, 2005 in London

George Henry Martin was born on January 3, 1926 in London, England. George met Jean 'Sheena' Chisholm at Fleet Air Arm while he served in World War II and they married on January 3, 1948. They had two children: Alexis (1955) and Gregory Paul (January 21, 1957), before they divorced on February 25, 1965. George wanted to become a performer (was taught an oboe by Margaret Asher, mother of Jane) but his mentor Oscar Preuss suggested music producing instead. George met Oscar's personal assistant Judy Lockhart-Smith at Parlophone Records. After Oscar's death in 1958, George took over his job and assistant Judy - they started having an affair and Judy encouraged George to be a tough negotiator with Parlophone’s parent EMI. In 1962, George left Sheena for good and made his relationship with Judy public in April of 1962 when George took her to an EMI event in the English beach resort town of Blackpool. Since then, George's relationship with his two older children were estranged with rare tense contact. In August of 1962, George met the Beatles in to record their debut album, Please Please Me, and remained their producer until they broke up in 1970. They became friends, socializing at each other’s homes, and George and Judy went with John and Cynthia skiing in St. Moritz. George and Judy got married on June 24, 1966 and had two children, Lucy (August 9, 1967) and Giles (October 9, 1969). After the Beatles broke up in 1970, George remained in touch with John, Paul, George, and Ringo, occasionally working on their solo albums, participating in The Beatles’ Anthology in 1995 and Cirque Du Soleil’s LOVE with his son, Giles. George died on March 8, 2016; his memorial service was attended by most of the Beatles family, including Julian.

"So Sad to hear the News of George’s Passing… The Fifth Beatle, without question, and likely one of the best & most Iconic Music Producers of all time. You were always such a gentleman and have inspired Millions and will continue to do so for Millennia… It was an Honour to know You. My Heart & Prayers go out to Judy and all other Family members… x."

Julian, 2016

Natural Law Party

Dhani Harrison, Joe Walsh, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison on stage during the Natural Law Party benefit concert on April 6, 1992

George Harrison organized a benefit concert for Natural Law Party, based on the teaching of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (I guess the Transcendental Meditation technique didn't last). With Joe Walsh and Gary Moore as opening acts and Ringo Starr as a special guest, George headline the show at Royal Albert Hall in London on April 6, 1992. Ringo's son Zak drummed for Joe... how funny that Joe would later become Zak's "Uncle" as Joe is now married to Ringo's sister-in-law, Marjorie. George's son Dhani was also part of this concert, performing the encore Roll Over Beethoven. 

In the audience and took part in the gathering backstage was Olivia Harrison, Jason and Lee Starkey, Maureen Starkey Tigrett, Mary McCartney, and Julian. I am very positive that Ringo's wife Barbara Bach was there. Probably Cynthia(?) as there's a blonde woman who was talking to Maureen while George, Julian, and Ringo shared a moment. But it's unconfirmed... that blonde could be anybody.... we can't see the face so unsure.