Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Beatles & Bournemouth

Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Beatles & Bournemouth
Click on the cover for information about the book. Available to order now.

4 August 2012

Beatles support mystery girl


Can anyone shed any more light on this mystery photo that was unearthed by Facebooker Shaun Weiss and given to Billy J Kramer? 
The shot dates from August 1963 and shows Billy J with The Beatles in what some Facebook posters think might very well be Bournemouth Pleasure Gardens. 
Obviously, we know all about The Beatles and Billy J Kramer being in Bournemouth for a six day summer season on the Gaumont from 19-24 August, but was the photo taken in the town's Victorian Gardens?
It's tempting to think so and there's no denying it's a great photo.
However, it wasn't long before the estimable Bill Harry identified the load being shared by George, Paul and Ringo as Bobby's Girl hit singer Susan Maughan. 
Although she wasn't averse to appearing in panto and summer season shows, no amount of research could place Ms Maughan in Bournemouth that summer. 
Instead, I discovered The Beatles and Billy J Kramer went to the Melody Maker Awards on 10 September 1963 where From Me To You was named Vocal Disc of the Year. 
The final piece of the jigsaw was finding two more photos from the same session in a Tumblr account held by a young Beatles obsessive called The Gilly. They were copied from Tim Hill's book, The Beatles: Then There Was Music
A shame the photos didn't turn out to be taken in Bournemouth, but it's always a pleasure to embark on a magic mystery tour of Beatles ephemera.
Copies of Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Beatles & Bournemouth are on sale at the box office at Bournemouth International Centre while the Beatles In Bournemouth exhibition continues in the Bourne Lounge until 5 September.
The book can also be ordered at a special price from the official website as can art prints of a selection of the rare and previously unpublished images featured in the book.

2 comments:

  1. For the mystery girl, I would check out the local nursing homes.

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  2. Susan Maughan with Billy J Kramer @ the Victoria Embankment Garedens behind the Savoy Hotel where they received Melody Maker awards that day Sept 10 1963.

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