251 Menlove Avenue

Mendips, Menlove Avenue
Mendips, Lennon's childhood home. The blue plaque was added as part of the English Heritage scheme
General information
Type semi-detached
Location Woolton, Liverpool, England, United Kingdom
Address 251 Menlove Avenue,
Liverpool,
L25 7SA
Coordinates 53°22′38″N 2°52′53″W / 53.377222°N 2.881389°W / 53.377222; -2.881389Coordinates: 53°22′38″N 2°52′53″W / 53.377222°N 2.881389°W / 53.377222; -2.881389
Owner National Trust
Website
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/beatles-childhood-homes/

251 Menlove Avenue in Liverpool, England, named Mendips (after the Mendip Hills), is the childhood home of John Lennon, singer and songwriter with The Beatles. The Grade II listed building is preserved by the National Trust.[1]

Residence of John Lennon

The 1930s semi-detached property, which belonged to Lennon's Aunt Mimi and her husband George Smith, is in Woolton, South Liverpool, England. Lennon moved there in July 1946 at the age of five from 9 Newcastle Road, in the nearby suburb of Wavertree. Lennon lived at Mendips after his mother, who was living with her boyfriend, was persuaded that it would be better for his Aunt Mimi and George to take care of him. He remained at Mendips until mid-1963 when he was 22 years old.

National Trust acquisition

Despite having purchased 20 Forthlin Road, the childhood residence of Paul McCartney, the National Trust showed no interest in acquiring the property on Menlove Avenue, claiming that, unlike McCartney's home, no Beatles' songs had been composed at Mendips. However, McCartney recalls at least one song, "I'll Get You," being written there.[2]

During the filming of the American TV film In His Life: The John Lennon Story in 2000, the then-owner of the house allowed the film crew inside, and also allowed them to knock down a downstairs wall to make room for the cameras. This resulted in 150 bricks being removed, which later were sold to Beatles' fans.[3]

On 7 December 2000, the day before the 20th anniversary of John Lennon’s death, 251 Menlove Avenue was adorned with an English Heritage blue plaque, carrying the text "JOHN LENNON 1940–1980 Musician and Songwriter lived here 1945–1963".[4]

In March 2002, the house was bought by Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, and donated to the National Trust, in order to save it from further demolition and property speculators.[5] The house was then restored to its 1950s appearance. At a joint press conference with the National Trust in March 2003, when it was announced that the restoration work was finished and the house would be opened to the public, Yoko Ono said: "When John's house came up for sale I wanted to preserve it for the people of Liverpool and John Lennon and Beatles' fans all over the world."[6]

In February 2012, both this house and Paul McCartney's childhood home at 20 Forthlin Road were Grade II listed by English Heritage.[7]

In pop culture

  • The house was featured on the sleeve cover for Oasis' single "Live Forever".[8]
  • Menlove Ave. is a John Lennon album, posthumously released in 1986 under the supervision of Yoko Ono.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "BBC News – Lennon and McCartney homes given Grade II listed status". bbc.co.uk. 29 February 2012. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
  2. ↑ Harry, Bill (1992). The Ultimate Beatles Encyclopedia. London: Virgin. p. 322. ISBN 0-86369-681-3.
  3. ↑ BBC News, 9 November, 2000: Lennon's housebricks for sale Linked 2015-06-18
  4. ↑ English Heritage: English Heritage Blue Plaques in Liverpool & Merseyside, Southampton, Birmingham and Portsmouth Linked 2015-06-18
  5. ↑ BBC News, 14 March, 2002: Yoko buys Lennon's childhood home Linked 2015-06-18
  6. ↑ Culture 24, 27 March 2003: Imagine – John Lennon's Bedroom Open To The Public Linked 2015-06-18
  7. ↑ BBC News, 29 February 2012: Lennon and McCartney homes given Grade II listed status Linked 2015-06-18
  8. ↑ NME staff (18 August 2015). "Oasis – The Stories Behind Their Cryptic Album and Single Sleeve Art". nme.com. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
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