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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Jess Molyneux

The Merseyside places Beatles fans might not think of visiting but really should

Hundreds of Beatles fans will be visiting Liverpool this weekend for the start of International Beatleweek - and making pilgrimages to Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields and The Cavern Club.

But the truly die-hard fans should venture a little further from the city centre and pay tribute to the 'Fifth Beatle' whose contribution to the biggest band in the world shouldn't be underestimated.

So says Beatles historian and author David Bedford, who runs the official Stuart Sutcliffe fan club on behalf of the late artist and musician's family.

He said: "The Beatles is not just about Mathew Street , it's not just about Penny Lane, it's about the whole of Merseyside.

"Every part of Merseyside should claim its part in The Beatles history and growing up in Huyton helped make Stuart who he was."

Sutcliffe, the band's original bassist who played with them during their famous Hamburg era, spent his early years in Knowsley , and is buried there in Huyton Parish Church Cemetary.

Indra Club in Hamburg. (Left to Right) John Lennon, George Harrison, Pete Best, Paul McCartney and Stuart Sutcliffe. (The Beatles in Scotland by Ken McNab)

In the late-1950s, the Edinburgh-born musician met fellow student John Lennon at Liverpool College of Art, and was asked to join the band - then still called The Quarrymen.

It is believed to have been Stuart who suggested they call themselves a name relating to beetles - a reference to the group's favourite band, Buddy Holly's The Crickets.

During their time in Hamburg, he fell in love with German photographer Astrid Kirchherr who took many pictures of the band - and ultimately stayed with her to pursue a career in art when the others returned to Liverpool.

Sadly, the 21-year-old suffered a brain aneurysm the following year and died in an ambulance on the way to hospital.

Stuart's Huyton homes

St Annes Road in Huyton, Liverpool. (Photo by Colin Lane)

Stuart Fergusson Victor Sutcliffe was born in Edinburgh in 1940 and moved to Liverpool with his family at the age of three.

Throughout his childhood he lived around Huyton and his family was very involved in the local community.

Millie Sutcliffe, Stuart's mother, worked for Harold Wilson, who became Prime Minister and was MP for Huyton.

David, 54, who has written multiple books on The Beatles history, said: "The family moved around quite a bit in different houses in Huyton and also they lived in Sefton Park for a time, right by the gates by the lake of Sefton park. I think it's now called Sefton Park Hotel.

"When they moved from Edinburgh they moved to 17 Sedberg Grove, in 1950 they moved to 43 St Anne's Road and then they moved in 1953 to 22 Sandiway."

Parkview Primary School & Prescot Grammar

Park View Academy in Huyton (Photo by Colin Lane)

Stuart went to Parkview Primary in Huyton between 1946-1950.

David said: "He was a very good scholar and proved when he was older, a very very talented artist.

Stuart later became a student at Prescot Grammar School as a teenager, attending from 1951-1956.

David said: "I've seen some of his school exercise books and when he was doing like his woodwork, the detail in his artwork is phenomenal."

David said: "He had a very very good, happy family life. He has two sisters Pauline and Joyce and he was encouraged.

"They could see from a very young age how talented he was."

St Gabriel's Church

St Gabriel's Church Huyton, Liverpool. (Photo by Colin Lane)

The family attended St Gabriel's Church and Stuart joined the choir at the age of nine and was head chorister.

David said: "He would be singing in services every Sunday and special occasions, such as weddings."

Huyton Parish Church cemetery

Huyton Parish Church, Huyton, Liverpool. (Photo by Colin Lane)

Despite joining The Beatles, Stuart never gave up on his first passion and would create art after gigs when the other band members were asleep.

David said: "He looked so cool on stage. He had the black leathers, big quiff, dark sunglasses, he was like the James Dean of the band.

"He turned into a decent rock and roll bass player. Some people say he wasn't, but I've spoken to people who played with him and they said he was.

"I think his family and especially his art tutors, were not happy because he gave up his art career to go and play rock and roll in Hamburg and they thought what a waste of talent.

"He tried to do both but he couldn't keep it up. His art was more important and so he quit."

From 1961-1962, Stuart was a student at Hamburg College of Art, where he studied under sculptor and artist Eduardo Paolozzi.

David said that the amount of artwork Stuart created whilst in Hamburg was "phenomenal" and that Paolozzi is believed to have said that, if he lived, he would have been one of the biggest art talents in the world.

David said: "'He'd been out in Hamburg so long, the family hadn't seen him much in the last two years.

"When he died, The Beatles were just on their way back to Hamburg.

"When they landed, George wasn't with them, it was John, Paul and Pete. Stuart's fiance Astrid was waiting but Stuart should have been there.

"John said 'Where is Stuart?' and he had died the day before. John just collapsed, he was absolutely devastated."

Stuart is buried in Huyton Parish Church Cemetery on Derby Road, Huyton and is often visited by Beatles fans from around the globe.

The grave of Beatle Stuart Sutcliffe in Huyton Parish Church Cemetery, Huyton, Liverpool. (Photo by Colin Lane)

There is also a memorial bench commemorating him in St Michael's conservation area nearby, which was funded by his fan club.

David said: "We wanted to have something in the graveyard that was a little bit more of a tribute than just having a gravestone.

"We got a bench with a nice engraving on it as a tribute. We had an unveiling a couple of years ago with Stuart's sister Joyce and other members of his family and a few of us from the fanclub."

Stuart Sutcliffe street?

David is calling for a road to be named after the Fifth Beatle.

He said: "He was so much more than just a bass player or John's friend.

"He loved what he was doing, he loved being on stage, he loved being part of the band.

"His contribution shouldn't be underestimated.

"Whether it's in Knowsley or Liverpool,  I think he deserves to have a street named after him for what he did."

 
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