The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Homecoming for photos of Fab Four in Dundee
Museum acquires photographs and negatives from band’s October 1964 show
Rare pictures of The Beatles’ last visit to Dundee, where the term Beatlemania was coined, have returned to the city.
The McManus has acquired a set of photographs and negatives from the band’s performance at the Caird Hall on October 20 1964.
The photographs were taken by Dundee-based photographer Winnie Forbes-Cochrane and include a letter of provenance showing their authenticity and copyright documents. The McManus paid £6,600 for the set. The phrase Beatlemania is said to have been conceived in Dundee after former music promoter Andi Lothian was speaking to a reporter about the frenzied state fans were in during the concert.
The images show fans surrounding their car as The Beatles arrive, the Fab Four sitting together on a couch being interviewed before the show and the band playing on stage.
According to reports on the day, there were 6,000 screaming teenage girls that all but drowned out the Beatles’ set.
Sinclair Aitken, Leisure and Culture Dundee chairwoman, said: “We have such a rich and diverse musical heritage in Dundee.
“Caird Hall and the concerts there are a huge part of that, so it’s really pleasing to see these pictures of The Beatles come home.
“These pictures are a fantastic acquisition for the McManus and will now be preserved in our collections for future generations to enjoy.”
Curators at the McManus plan for the photographs to go on display at some point this year.
McManus curator Kristen Segerius said: “It’s an engaging piece of our social history. There are a lot of pictures of the crowd and I find them more interesting than the actual pictures of the Beatles, but these are incredibly important to us.”
Mr Lothian said: “I heard Love Me Do on the radio and knew they would be big.
“I brought the Beatles to Scotland for some shows, but not Dundee, in 1963.
“I was at the back of the hall for one show and the band said they were going to play some new records. They played She Loves You, followed by some others.
“I knew the new songs were going to be massive so me and my fellow music promoter Albert Bonisi flew down to meet Brian Epstein, their manager.
“He said to us ‘you obviously know what I know, that they’re going to be huge’ and said we could have them for £500 a night.
“The other tour was only £40 a night, which must be about £800 in today’s money, and we lost money every night.
“We originally wanted them for 10 nights, but we agreed on three nights in November 1963, including Dundee.
“When the Beatles were introduced at the Caird Hall, the girls were screaming and climbing over each other and pulling the back of each other’s shirts to get to the front.
“It was Beatlemania.”
It’s an engaging piece of our social history. KRISTEN SEGERIUS
Whether they represent the very pinnacle of musical genius or an over-hyped pop band is an entirely subjective matter. However, one cannot possible dispute the impact of The Beatles on the development of rock and roll.
A set of snaps showing the Fab Four at the height of their fame is sure to prove a big draw in Dundee.
It is great to see such a fine collection Come Together locally.