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An incredible chance to purchase a hugely significant property in the history of The Beatles. This sale is for the former house of Julia Lennon, John Lennon's mother, at 1 Blomfield Road. Springwood. Liverpool. L19 4UY. This property played an important role in John (and Paul's) development, being a place they could both escape to and practise without fear of complaints from neighbours or aunt Mimi. From Julia Baird's book 'Imagine This' :
"John's visits to our house had never been regarded as 'special' in any way. They were simply part of everyday life. If Jacqui and I happened to be outside when he arrived, we simply shouted out 'Hi!' and carried on playing. He was there so often, his presence was a natural and familiar thing. He was simply our big brother who happened to have two homes. He often skipped school dinner and came to our house for lunch, sometimes with a friend or two.
I shall never forget the hilarious bathroom jam sessions she shared with the budding Beatles. The bathroom in our little house in Blomfield Road was probably one of the smallest in Britain. To see John, Paul, George, Pete Shotton, Ivan Vaughan, my mother and probably a couple of hangers-on scrambling around inside, trying to find a place to sit, was like a comedy act. They would be squeezed into the bath, perched on top of the loo seat, propped up against the handbasin, squatted on the floor, and standing with one leg up on the edge of the bath to support a guitar. Even getting the door closed was a feat. They sometimes went on for hours, letting rip into all those now classic tunes like 'Maggie May' 'Besame Mucho', 'Alleycat', and the theme music from The Third Man. My mother sometimes lined in on washboard, or playing percussion on an upturned Saucepan or a pair of saucepan lid cymbals.
The reason for their unusual venue was that the bathroom was the next best thing to a proper studio. The wall tiles and the linoleum on the floor were perfect insulation, not unlike studio soundproofing. The acoustic effect was magnificent, even better than on Mimi's front porch Those were the days!' Paul told me. We were really jammed in, couldn't move. Don't forget it wasn't only us in there, but al our instruments as well, and also a pig nose amplifier we carried around. It was the best room in the house, hands down. At home l used ours to practise in, too. When I actually had to go, I would lug my guitar in with me instead of a book. I remember my dad used to say, "Paul, what are you doing playing the guitar in the toilet?" And I'd reply, "Well, what's wrong with that then?" Many a fine tune has been written in that little room The boys suddenly turned up once for a music session while Jacqui and I were having our bath, and we were promptly hauled out. That meant we could go and play until the session was over. Postponing bedtime was obligatory. It would have been impossible for us to get to sleep with the noise.
Looking back, I realise we became a sort of refuge for John in his ever-increasing struggle to live with Mimi amicably. Mimi, the aunt, was forced into the role of the heavy-handed mother which allowed Julia, the mother, to become the ever-indulgent aunt. Besides, at heart, Julia was still almost a teenager herself who easily identified with John and his friends. "
The house is now a stop-off point on the Beatles Tour. On July 15, 1958, a 17-year-old Lennon answered the door of this property to a policeman who informed him his mother had been killed in a road accident.
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