Museum Needs Memories To Restore Beatles Stage

The picture shows ‘The stage upon which John Lennon’s Quarrymen skiffle group performed in 1957. National Museums Liverpool’.

The stage from St Peter's Church Hall, Woolton, Liverpool, was the platform upon which John Lennon's Quarrymen skiffle group performed – a gig at which Paul McCartney was a spectator.

The rickety structure was acquired by National Museums Liverpool, with the help of Liverpool City Council, when the church hall was renovated and now staff hope the artefact will be a major attraction in the new Museum of Liverpool opening in 2010.

Before the stage can be displayed, conservators need to return it to its original appearance on the day of the church's annual garden fete, Saturday 6 July 1957, when the historic meeting between John and Paul took place.

A mutual friend introduced the two and Paul demonstrated his singing and guitar skills. The Quarrymen were so impressed they later invited Paul to join the group. As John later famously commented: "That was the day, the day I met Paul, that it started moving."

"This stage is very significant in the history of popular music," explained Paul Gallagher, the Museum of Liverpool's curator of contemporary collecting. "If John hadn't met Paul that day there could have been no Beatles or the international popularity of the Liverpool sound which spearheaded a musical and social revolution."

"Some major structural and decorative changes were made throughout the life of the stage. We would like to know when these changes took place in relation to 6 July 1957."

The stage has been extended at the front and re-painted several times and staff are keen to hear from parishoners or club members who used in the 1950s and 60s. "It would be wonderful to hear from anyone who was there when The Quarrymen performed," added Paul. "We are particularly keen to speak to anyone with documentary evidence of the stage during this period – old film or still photographs." www.24hourmuseum.org.uk