15 February 1963
Concert:
Ritz Ballroom, York Road, King's Heath, Birmingham, Warwickshire
Rescheduled from an earlier date, 11 January, due to bad weather.
"Four pages from a pocket notebook (removed), 1963: the first signed and dedicated in blue ink To Yvonne, Love Paul McCartney xxx; the second signed and annotated in red ballpoint pen Love John Lennon; the third signed and dedicated To Yvonne Love from Ringo Starr; and the fourth signed by George Harrison; accompanied by a letter from the vendor explaining how she obtained the signatures, all -- 2¾x4in. (7x10cm.) (4)
According to the vendor she was picking up her coat from the cloakroom after the Beatles concert at the Ritz, Birmingham on Friday 15th February 1963, when she met Paul McCartney coming out of the toilets. After giving her his autograph she followed him into the bar, where he called her over to meet the rest of the band, who subsequently gave her their autographs too. She then took up Paul's kind offer of giving her a lift back into town in their van, where she sat on his lap and shared a kiss. Paul gave her his address and asked her to write, before dropping her and a friend off at a bus stop."
Source: Christies, 24 June 2010
"Vintage ballpoint signatures, "John Lennon" and "Ringo Starr," on a light green 5.5 x 3.25 album page from 1964, and "Beatles George Harrison xxx" and "Paul McCartney xxx," on a beige 6 x 3 album page, bearing a collector's notation on the reverse, "Ritz Ballroom Birmingham, Fri 15th February 1963." In fine condition, with a few light wrinkles to both pages. The Beatles were originally scheduled to appear at the Ritz in January of 1963, however, the show was postponed due to a blizzard. By the time the rescheduled show took place in July, Please Please Me was riding the charts and Beatlemania was beginning to spread, but fortunately for the promoters, the band honored their originally agreed upon booking fee."
Source: RR Auction, 26 September 2013
In London, Kenny Lynch records John and Paul's composition "Misery", originally intended for Helen Shapiro. Session man Bert Weedon plays guitar on the song, a detail which irks John Lennon when he hears the result, asking "Who's that playing the telephone?" and telling Kenny he would have played the part if asked.
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