Over the gate...

Designed in 1913 by Victorian/Edwardian/other architect Theophilus A Allen; John Lennon's house between 1964 and 1968; sunroom, attic and prisco stripe hibernice; Mellotron and caravan; Babidji and Mimi; mortar and pestle; Wubbleyoo Dubbleyoo; curios and curiosity; remnants and residue; testimonials and traces; (Cavendish Avenue, Sunny Heights and Kinfauns); Montagu Square; mock Tudor: Brown House: *KENWOOD*.

(Also available as a blog.)

Legal Blah: This blog is for historical research only, and is strictly non-commercial. All visual and audio material remains the property of the respective copyright owner, and no implication of ownership by me is intended or should be inferred. Any copyright owner who wants something removed should contact me and I will do so immediately. Alternatively, I would be delighted to provide a credit. The writing is by me, such as it is, unless otherwise stated, and this is the only Beatles related blog I am responsible for.

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Comments are the responsibility of the individual commenter, and commenters' opinions do not necessarily reflect my own. (NB: This blog revels in flagrant trivia. If that's not yer "thing", this won't be yer "thang".)

Correspond via: kenwoodlennon@googlemail.com

Wednesday 19 November 2014

Hamburg: Bambi Kino/Kaiserkeller 1959 footage.



A year before you know who turned up, here they (Bambi Kino/Kaiserkeller) are, on home movies made for none other than Bruno Koschmider in 1959...
   

If your jaw hasn't dropped, then you are in the wrong place. How have these not come to light until now? And what else is out there? Kudos to the Kinolibrary tumbler for unearthing this. Go there immediately! While we are on the subject, Thorsten Knublauch has been working for some time on amazing new research regarding the Bambi Kino. He's very kindly offered to allow some of it to be posted here, due early December. Watch this space! He has also just written to say that the date on the footage is wrong... and the real story will be revealed soon. (The full version of Thorsten's research will appear in a German fanzine next month.)

Friday 7 November 2014

Kenwood: January 1995.


In January 1995, Andrew Hawkins, finding the gates at Kenwood open, took the decision to chance his luck and headed up to the house to see if he might be allowed to film the exterior. Lucky, really, because what he discovered was a building site, overseen by an amenable Irish foreman who agreed to give Andrew and his friend the grand tour. Thus, Andy's camera recorded the last gasp of the house as John would have known it - shortly thereafter the kitchen, sunroom and garage were demolished and rebuilt, and the first floor master bedroom and attic were gutted and reconstructed.
I will try and put the footage on the blog over Christmas, but in the meantime here, with a minimum of verbiage from me, are some screencaps and a bit of context.

ENTRANCE HALL - The doorway visible here led to the kitchen. Note too the large mirror, still in place:


KITCHEN - Split level, an upper "breakfast terrace" and lower cooking area:


Note the floor tiles, some of which were still evident:


LIVING ROOM - Note the ceiling:


DEN - Colour scheme still in place, 25 years later:


Back to the entrance hall, this time facing the main stairs to the upper levels:


MASTER BEDROOM:


EN-SUITE BATHROOM:


ATTIC: Again, compare the photo of John with the situation in January 1995; clearly the same:


ATTIC LIVING ROOM - Next to the studio room, John pictured here above. This room was where Pete Shotton recalled helping with the general concept for Eleanor Rigby:


ATTIC BEDROOM - Home at various times to Fred Lennon, Pauline Lennon, and even John and Cyn whilst renovation was going on in 1964:


ATTIC TANK ROOM - Home to John's semi-feral cats:


ATTIC CORRIDOR - A glimpse of the studio room at the far end:


SUNROOM EXTERIOR - I'm still not sure if this is a completely different structure, or simply the old sunroom with a new roof and fireplace installed:


SUNROOM INTERIOR:


POOLSIDE STEPS:


GARAGE 1:


GARAGE 2:


And there we have it, for nau. As mentioned, at some point before long the footage itself will appear here.
Finally, I'd like to express my thanks to Andy for his generosity in allowing me to use his film. Cheers, mate!