St Peter’s Church, Woolton, Liverpool, is the place where a famous meeting happened that changed the face of musical history. On July 6, 1957, 16-year-old John Lennon and 15-year-old Paul McCartney first encountered each other. This Friday, at approximately 12.30 pm (UK time), Dr Donna Jackson from the University of Chester will be live-streaming from the Church Hall as she leads a virtual tour of the place where the Lennon-McCartney partnership was formed and the Beatles began.
Although better known for her expertise in American constitutional history and foreign policy – and a regular broadcast contributor regarding the US Presidential elections - Dr Donna Jackson, Senior Lecturer in Modern History at the University, also has an academic interest in Beatles heritage. She also works as a volunteer at St Peter's Church, helping to look after the hundreds of Beatles fans who visit the site.
Dr Jackson said: “Under normal circumstances, we would have had a celebration to celebrate this milestone birthday. Perhaps we can do that for his 81st instead. However, I’m still delighted that we are able to mark Friday in this special way. As part of the live-stream event, I will also try to answer any questions people might have about that special day or about John Lennon’s many other connections with St Peter’s Church. Questions can be emailed in advance to beatlesstpeters@gmail.com — please use ‘John80’ in the subject line — or you can ask them live on the day!”
To view the live stream, please make sure you have liked the St Peter’s heritage Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/beatlesatstpeters – and then tune in on the day.
There are also strong links between the University of Chester and St Peter’s Church and, as part of their History degree, students have conducted research for the Church, some of which is featured on the St Peter’s heritage website:
https://stpeterswoolton-heritage.com/
Most notable are the maps produced by students Sophie Brooke and Nathan Morris, which allow visitors to take self-guided walking tours of the churchyard and Woolton village; and the 1950s party guide produced by students Harriet Blundell and Lucy Fletcher, which enables Beatles fans, wherever they are, to celebrate the most famous meeting in modern musical history in a style that those, there on the day, would recognise.
F: beatlesatstpeters
T: @BeatlesStPeters
