The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Rare Beatlemania snaps are exhibited in Dundee
Pics of the Fab Four in their heyday have been acquired by McManus Galleries for new exhibition
Rare pictures of The Beatles last visit to Dundee, where the term Beatlemania was coined, have gone on public show for the first time.
McManus Galleries had paid £6,600 for a set of photographs from The Beatles’ last performance at the Caird Hall on October 20 1964.
10 of the images – taken by Dundeebased photographer Winnie ForbesCochrane – have now gone on display as part of their Revealing Characters Exhibition.
Sinclair Aitken, chairman of Leisure & Culture Dundee, said the photos will help highlight the city’s “rich and diverse” musical heritage.
He said: “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.”
A letter of provenance and copyright documents were also purchased alongside the photos, many of which include images of fans.
The phrase Beatlemania was conceived in Dundee after a promoter, Andi Lothian, saw fans at the Caird Hall in a frenzied state.
The pictures represent a snapshot at the height of the craze.
The gig was the eighth date of their 1964 British tour, and the second of three consecutive nights in Scotland.
Monifieth-born Forbes-Cochrane’s 33 photos were put up for auction earlier this year and successfully secured for the city’s collection by Leisure & Culture Dundee, which runs The McManus.
The museum has also had some unique merchandise created from the images, which is for sale in its shop.
The McManus is free to visit, and Revealing Characters, an exhibition looking at the enduring attraction of the portrait, runs until Sunday February 3 next year.