An Opportunity to Obtain a Unique Piece of Beatles History!

From Thursday August 27 until Tuesday September 1, St Peter’s Church Hall in Woolton will open its doors to welcome the thousands of Beatles fans who flock to Liverpool every year for International Beatle Week.  However, even those fans that are unable to make the trip to Liverpool this year have the chance to own some very special items of memorabilia from the Church.

During recent repairs to the roof of the Church Hall, where Paul McCartney auditioned for John Lennon on July 6 1957, it was discovered that the weather vane, which had sat atop the hall since the mid nineteenth-century, was no longer safe and the sad decision was taken to remove it.  As part of the ongoing fundraising efforts at St Peter’s, the weather vane is being offered for sale at the Beatles Auction due to take place on Saturday August 29 at LIPA, Sir Paul McCartney’s ‘fame’ school. 

Dr Donna Jackson, Senior Lecturer in Modern History at the University of Chester and a member of the congregation at St Peter’s, said: “For some, the weather vane is a battered piece of old metal, but really it is a unique piece of history.  It has witnessed the transformation of Woolton from a village to a thriving community within Liverpool; it stood proud during the First World War and survived Hitler’s bombing raids on Liverpool during World War II.  And, of course, it was there when a young man entered St Peter’s on July 6, 1957, to audition to join a local band.  Touching the twisted metal gives us a chance to touch all that history.  I’d love to own it but I think it will far exceed my budget.  For the sake of the Church, I hope it does!”

The weather vane from St Peter's
Church Hall

As well as the weather vane, the Church has entered a Hymnal and Prayer Book in the auction.  These old books are no longer used in the Church, which is why they have been made available for sale.  What should interest Beatles fans is that they were used at St Peter’s during the 1950s when both Mimi and John attended the Church.  

Dr Jackson added: “Although St Peter’s has about 50 of these books for sale, they are only available to those people who can buy them in person at the Church.  By putting one of each in the auction, we are giving overseas Beatles fans, who are able to place absentee bids for the auction, a chance to own these special items.”

For more information about the Beatles Auction, including details of the other amazing items that are for sale as well as how to place an absentee bid, visit: http://www.beatlesauction.co.uk/

For those fans lucky enough to be in Liverpool during International Beatle Week, the Church Hall, where Paul McCartney auditioned to join the Quarrymen on July 6 1957, will be open to the public at the following times:

Thursday August 27 – 11am to 5pm

Friday August 28 – 10am to 4pm

Saturday August 29 – 11am to 5pm

Sunday August 30 – CLOSED

Monday August 31 – 10am to 5pm

Tuesday September 1 – 10am to 5pm

Art and cake from The
Cake Rooms Liverpool

Entry to the hall is FREE, and some of the current members of the congregation who were at the Church Fete on July 6, 1957, will be in the hall during the week to share their memories of that historic day.  Refreshments will be available, and from Thursday to Saturday, will include cakes from The Cake Rooms Liverpool, whose amazing “edible works of art” really do taste as good as they look. 

There will also be the opportunity to purchase exclusive souvenirs, including t-shirts, key-rings, commemorative posters, mugs and postcards, as well as the Hymnals and Prayer Books used during the 1950s.  These items are only available at the Church and cannot be purchased online. 

In addition to all this, on Friday August 28, the Hall is proud to host a book signing by Marie Darwin and Tom Donohue, the author and illustrator of a new children’s book entitled “What Did Grandad Paul Do When He Was Little?”  For more information visit: http://www.beatlesliverpoolandmore.com/