Menlove Avenue (photos)
-
Here are some more photos taken during my stay in Liverpool last week. I visited Menlove Avenue (location of John's childhood home) twice last week. The photos below were taken last Tuesday afternoon. (The following afternoon I returned as part of the National Trust guided tour).
'Mendips' as viewed from the corner of Vale Road. You might be able to make out the 'English Heritage' blue plaque sign on the front of the house. The reason why there is a 'English Heritage' sign on a 'National Trust' property is simply because the sign was in place before Yoko bought the house and donated it to the NT. 
This is the location where John's mother Julia had her fatal accident in July 1957 when she was hit by a car. Having visited her sister Mimi at Mendips, Julia walked down the road with Nigil Whalley to the corner of Vale Road, and then crossed the first dual carriageway,heading towards the bus-stop. Julia then emerged from the central reservation where she was hit by a car in the outside lane of the second dual-carriageway. In my photo, 'Mendips' is where the National Trust mini-bus is parked behind the trees (just to the left of the bus-stop on the RHS of the photo). A car is just over-taking the parked vehicle. Vale Road is where the red car is emerging from. And the bus-stop Julia was heading for is the one nearest to camera (RHS). Back in the 1957 there was no 'opening' in the central reservation, which (at the time) had a hedge, as well as the tress, growing along the reservation. 
'Mendips' on a sunny June afternoon. 
24 hours later, 'Mendips' on not quite such a sunny day......it was raining. 
John & Paul rehearsed in this porch. 
John and Paul actually stood on these tiles !!! Gasp. !!!! . -
I would have to think that John's home was considered to be quite posh by the other Beatles, compared to the ones they lived in.
-
I went to John's house in 1985. I only took a few pictures of the outside of the house. I didn't want to disturb the people who lived in the house. That was a nice experience. I spent a whole day walking around Liverpool it was great fun.
-
dcshark:
That was a nice experience. I spent a whole day walking around Liverpool it was great fun.
I cheated this time and went by bus (and mini-bus the next day) but the last time I was in Liverpool, I walked to Penny lane from the city center, a walk that took a lot longer than I thought. I was a bit optimistic there.
But its amazing how close 'Beatles related locations' actually are to each other. From Mendips to St Peter's church took me 20 minutes, while Gambia Terrace to the Art College was a two minute stroll. No wonder John wanted to stay there rather than Mendips. Glad you enjoyed your fun day out walking round Liverpool. If you went now, after a passing of thirty years, you will find a lot of changes,especially down in the river front area. -
Why is it called Mendips?
-
HaileyMcComet:
Why is it called Mendips?
Pass.
Maybe the original owners (or builders) came from the area? Or perhaps all the houses in the road were given thematic names involving geographical features in England? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mendip_Hills . -
HaileyMcComet:
Why is it called Mendips?
That was just the name the people gave it who lived there before Mimi and she kept it. Great photos Kestrel. I was there in 2011. It was quite an experience to see the inside of John (and Paul's) old homes. We all said it felt rather eerie in John's bedroom. BTW, it's "Gambier" Terrace.
-
Thank you so much for posting the photos of John's home, and surrounding area.
-
Nancy R:
BTW, it's "Gambier" Terrace.
I know I know. I was just making sure that you were staying awake and paying attention, Nancy.
-
Kestrel:
dcshark:
That was a nice experience. I spent a whole day walking around Liverpool it was great fun.
I cheated this time and went by bus (and mini-bus the next day) but the last time I was in Liverpool, I walked to Penny lane from the city center, a walk that took a lot longer than I thought. I was a bit optimistic there.
But its amazing how close 'Beatles related locations' actually are to each other. From Mendips to St Peter's church took me 20 minutes, while Gambia Terrace to the Art College was a two minute stroll. No wonder John wanted to stay there rather than Mendips. Glad you enjoyed your fun day out walking round Liverpool. If you went now, after a passing of thirty years, you will find a lot of changes,especially down in the river front area.I wished I had more time. My brother and I took the train to Liverpool from Oxford. He was studying there and I was visiting from Toronto. We were both poor university students, but we had a great day. We went to Matthew Street and had a pint at Grapes. When my brother took my picture, some of the guys in the pub said Lennon stood over there, pointing out a spot near the window and another guy said he still owes me a couple of quid. After a few laughs and our liquid brunch I went to a Beatle souvenir shop where I bought a bunch of LPs and posters. I think is was called the Beatle Shop. We went to NEMS too. I can?t remember if it was open then or not. I distinctly remember walking through the aisles though. So maybe?. We walked to Penny Lane, Quarrybank High School, The Art School, Mendips, Strawberry Fields. Ye Cracke Pub It was a lot of walking and we had to catch our train back. I didn?t get to see everything, but it was a great experience to walk those streets. I think I was happy just to walk around Matthew Street. I?m due for a return trip.
-
dcshark:
It was a lot of walking and we had to catch our train back. I didn?t get to see everything, but it was a great experience to walk those streets. I think I was happy just to walk around Matthew Street. I?m due for a return trip.
You certainly made the most of your day. In a way, I wish I had visited Liverpool thirty years ago. When you were there,it was only roughly about 25 years after the 'Beatles era' of being in Liverpool. Now its 55 years and so much has changed in recent years, I think you experienced more of the Beatles Liverpool than ever can be experienced now.
-
Kestrel:
dcshark:
It was a lot of walking and we had to catch our train back. I didn?t get to see everything, but it was a great experience to walk those streets. I think I was happy just to walk around Matthew Street. I?m due for a return trip.
You certainly made the most of your day. In a way, I wish I had visited Liverpool thirty years ago. When you were there,it was only roughly about 25 years after the 'Beatles era' of being in Liverpool. Now its 55 years and so much has changed in recent years, I think you experienced more of the Beatles Liverpool than ever can be experienced now.
True, but there are pluses and minuses to both trips. I don't think there were organized tours when I went. Luckily I found a book on Beatle places in London and Liverpool a few days before our trip to Liverpool. until Lennon's death there was a lack of interest on Liverpool's part in attracting Beatle fans to their city. That's changed now which makes it far more touristy but easier to get to all the sites
-
dcshark:
until Lennon's death there was a lack of interest on Liverpool's part in attracting Beatle fans to their city. That's changed now which makes it far more touristy but easier to get to all the sites
Hence the cavern being demolished when it could easily have been saved. I agree with what you say but as the years pass by, I think the impact is always going to lessen. Even Ringo doesn't recognize the place?
-
The first time I was in Liverpool was 1993 and just saw Mathew (not "Matthew") Street and took a bus to Penny Lane and also saw John's old home near there at 9 Newcastle Rd. There was hardly anyone around then on Mathew St (this was in late May, early June, I believe) The next time, in 2006, I took my 19 year old twins and we did the Magical Mystery Tour bus and so saw a lot more. (no A/C on the bus though and I about had a heat stroke! That summer it was unusually hot in England. It was in the 90's!) Walked to the Albert Docks and saw The Beatles Story. (our hotel was about midway between the docks and Lime St. station)
-
Thanks for posting the photos, Kestrel. They make me
and 
I especially love the photos of the porch - just to think about what happened there! -
I found that pic of the side garden of Mendips
-
-
The Byzantine pattern tiles of the porch of Mendips!
-
Nice photos Nancy, thank you for sharing them.
A 'Magical Mystery Tour' coach pulled up outside 'Mendip's when our little party were being led down to the back door and there was a little bit of 'Boo shucks to you lot, we're going in and your not.' kind of attitude. 
I stayed at the Adelphi btw....no real Beatles connection other than Brian Epstein had met people there -
These pictures are so awesome. I went to England in 2000 and at that time we could go through Paul's house but not Johns. Thanks for sharing them
