For many Beatles fans, traveling to Liverpool has become something of a pilgrimage. This English port city is the birthplace of the four members of The Beatles, and their childhood homes are in varying stages of protection by English Heritage (the bureau of the British government that protects areas with significant cultural contribution) or the National Trust for Place of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty (more commonly known as the “National Trust”). Popturf user elvis_crabs has provided a number of detail entries about the childhood homes of The Beatles.
John Winston Lennon was born at the Liverpool Maternity Hospital at 6:30 a.m. on October 9, 1940. His father away at sea, and both of his parents in their mid-twenties, Lennon spent the first five years of his life at 9 Newcastle Road. Lennon’s mother and father split up in a dramatic scene in Blackpool where a 5-year-old Lennon was asked by his parents who he wanted to live with. He initially chose his father, but after watching his mother walk away, he ran after her. Shortly thereafter, Lennon began living with his aunt, Mimi, and her husband at 251 Menlove Avenue (also known as Mendips). He would live there until the age of twenty-two.
Paul McCartney was born on June 18, 1942 in Walton Hospital in Liverpool. Paul’s mother, Mary, had worked as a nurse in the hospital maternity ward. His family lived at 10 Sunbury Road from the time of his birth until 1955, when his family moved to 20 Forthlin Road in Allerton.
McCartney’s father enjoyed playing trumpet and piano, and kept an upright piano in the front room that he had purchased a piano at Epstein’s North End Music Store. He encouraged his sons to be musical and gave Paul a nickel-plated trumpet, which he traded for a guitar when skiffle music was becoming popular.
George Harrison was born at 12 Arnold Grove on February 25, 1943. He was born in the home he would live in until 1950, when his family moved to 25 Upton Green. Harrison had been an accomplished student early on, but began to focus his energies on playing music after hearing the Elvis song “Heartbreak Hotel.”
In 1958, George Harrison was introduced to John Lennon by Paul McCartney. Lennon and McCartney were already in a band together named The Quarrymen. Harrison showed Lennon his guitar adeptness by playing the song “Raunchy.” Harrison was in the band shortly after that.
Ringo Starr was born Richard Starkey in his family’s home at 9 Madryn Street on July 7, 1940. His neighborhood was strafed by Nazi bombers during World War II. Ringo’s parents separated when he was three years old, and he grew up at 10 Admiral Grove.
Ringo replaced drummer Pete Best in 1962. Prior to that, he had performed with the band Rory and the Hurricanes. The Beatles would continue to play as a group until 1970.