Happy John and Paul Day

One of the Great Photographs of the Twentieth Century

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This is the day, 69 years ago, that Paul McCartney met John Lennon, at St Peter’s church fête in Woolton. John was 16 and eight months; Paul had just turned 15.

Actually, there is a little uncertainty about whether they’d met before; stories and memories vary and diverge. John was an unmissable local character, and even though they lived in different neighbourhoods and went to different schools, Paul had probably seen him around. In fact, he has been known to give an alternative account of the ‘first meeting’, involving a sweet story about a bar of chocolate.

But there’s no doubt that Woolton Fête was the first time they really engaged with each other, the first time they heard each other sing and play, and thus the moment at which the friendship, and the partnership, began. And this story begins with Paul walking into the field behind St Peter’s church to see John Lennon playing with his group, the Quarry Men.

Astonishingly, we have photos of that day, and almost of that very moment. This is one of those Beatles coincidences which no longer seem extraordinary because a kind of magical thinking sets in: ‘Of course we have photos from the day Lennon met McCartney - they were going to form the Beatles, right?’ But it didn’t have to happen. For one thing, it wasn’t very common for teenagers, or anyone, to be carrying cameras with them when they were out and about.

It’s lucky that we have photos at all, and it’s positively miraculous that we have photos of such quality. The one above, in particular (slightly larger image here) allows us to put ourselves in the shoes of McCartney as he joined the group of teenagers watching Lennon’s group play skiffle and rock ‘n roll.¹ John is locking eyes with the camera, and therefore with us, and it is not so fantastical to imagine ourselves as Paul at this moment. We get a sense of John’s magnetism, his power. He’s coming to get us.

Even if we didn’t know this was John Lennon, and even if we didn’t know this was the day Paul McCartney saw him play, it would still be a great picture; one that captures the the nascent energy of the teenage British skiffle scene. The whole composition is worthy of a classical painting. It’s crowded with figures yet it doesn’t feel chaotic at all. John’s right hand is blurred from the energy of his strumming; his left hand makes a shape of a banjo chord on the guitar (he had been taught banjo by his mother Julia). Given how momentous the occasion it captures, I’d say it is one of the great photos of the twentieth century. And it was taken by an amateur with a cheap box camera.

The photographer, Geoff Rhind, was a classmate of Lennon’s at Quarry Bank High School. He happened to have been given a Kodak Cresta for his birthday, seven weeks before, he happened to take it along that day, he happened to have some film left in it, and he happened to take this marvellous shot. Geoff is now an artist, living in Dublin. He’s a true gentleman. Last year (on July 9) I did an event at the Pavilion Theatre in Dublin to talk John & Paul. When the book signing was over, I was introduced to Geoff, who had been kind enough not only to come along but to bring his print of this photo to show me. It was one of my favourite moments from the whole book tour.

A while back I wrote about all the photos I couldn’t use for John & Paul. Well, I could and did use this one, after a straightforward negotiation (via my picture researcher) with Geoff, who still owns the rights to it. He was pleased that we had done it the proper way, having several times seen it reproduced without his permission. So he came along to the event to say hello and to show me the print. I’m very grateful to him for doing so.

It made me appreciate the picture even more. It was Geoff who pointed out to me how good it is as a composition, even before we get to its subject. He didn’t do this to boast, but to marvel. He couldn’t believe he’d taken it - a kid, with no training, taking a snap of his mate. Yet there it is, and here we are.

Happy John and Paul day!

You can buy ‘John & Paul’ here, it makes an excellent holiday read.

1. There are also photos of Lennon’s group in the parade on the way to the church, taken by the father of one of the Quarry Men, Rod Davis.