But it wasn't long though before Cynthia and John started dating. A place that became a popular hang out for them was Stu Sutcliffe's studio flat. It was here that John came to the attention of the national press for the first time. On Sunday, 24 July 1960, The tabloid newspaper The People ran a story on 'THE BEATNIK HORROR'. The accompanying photograph, taken in Stu's squalid flat, shows a group of unkempt students. In the centre of the picture, lying on the floor, is John Lennon.

Early in 1960 John moved into Stu's flat. By now John was nineteen and in his third year of art school. Having twice failed the intermediate exams it was to be John's last year at the school. The music scene in Liverpool was becoming frantic. John decided to spend his last months at art school putting a band together. Paul and George had resolved to drop out of school and were happy to fall in with John's plan. Now all they needed was a drummer and bassist. Stu Sutcliffe, a very talented artist, made a stab at learning bass.

Raw as they were and supported by a stand-in drummer from another group, the Beatles nevertheless made an impression on Larry Parnes, a well-known promoter. When Larry was in need of low budget backing for a would-be pop star he managed, he called on the Beatles. After a couple of days of rehearsing half a dozen songs to be performed by Johnny Gentle, the outfit went on a tour of the north of Scotland.

The Silver Beetles, as they were known at this point, started the gigs with a few numbers, mostly by Little Richard, and after Johnny Gentle's contribution the boys would finish the set with another half dozen songs. During a break Johnny played his next record to John Lennon. John didn't like the middle eight and quickly suggested an alternative. The song was recorded using John's version of the middle eight but without any credit to John; but he got to hear his music on a record before the Beatles had recorded anything at all.

Heading for a gig in Fraserburgh, Scotland, the beat-up old van carrying everyone and everything necessary for the tour collided head-on with another vehicle. Luckily only the drummer, Tommy Moore, was hurt but despite losing teeth and needing stitches he made the gig. On their return from Scotland Tommy quit and the Beatles were without a drummer.

Pete Best had made a name for himself as a drummer on the Liverpool music scene. George Harrison began negotiations with Pete but was getting nowhere until the Beatles were contracted to play Hamburg for six weeks.

In August 1960 John, Paul, George, Stu and Pete took up residency in a strip bar in Hamburg's red-light district. They played nightly for six-hour stretches and when they came off stage they would often party until the early morning.

When they returned to Hamburg in 1961 to play the Top Ten Club, Stu Sutcliffe, who had never mastered the bass, fell in love with Astrid Kircherr, fell out with Paul McCartney and left the Beatles. Paul took over on bass.

It was during this visit that Bert Kaempfert, an A & R man from Polydor, contracted the Beatles to back up Tony Sheridan's recording of 'My Bonnie' and 'The Saints'. The record was made in Hamburg but didn't make much of an impression when released in Germany. John said of their contribution: "It could have been anyone bashing about back there."

When the band returned to Liverpool the kids at the Cavern went crazy for the madcap, battle hardened Beatles and at the end of their set the compere would implore the audience to buy the Beatles' new record.

Around the corner from the Cavern was a record store run by Brian Epstein. When Brian finally managed to get a stock of the record he was amazed to find it outsold recordings by Elvis. Brian lost no time in visiting the Cavern and was immediately convinced of the potential the band possessed. He had no experience as a manager, but John recognised the need for the band to break into the UK charts and after a few weeks finally agreed to do a deal with Brian.

Brian's efforts to secure an audition with a record company were fruitless until he threatened to boycott EMI product in his store, the biggest record retailing operation in northern England. Reluctantly EMI agreed to set up an audition. It was scheduled for the first day of January when key EMI staff would still be on holiday. A young assistant called Mike Smith was put in charge of the recording. The session, which became known as the Decca Audition, didn't go well and the result failed to reflect what the Beatles were capable of.

On 24 January 1962 the Beatles gathered in Brian's office to be told that he would make every effort to promote them, but didn't want to sign them to an agreement that they might later regret. Nine months would elapse before a proper management contract was signed with Brian, on John's 22nd birthday, 9 October 1962. The contract was for five years.

On 11 April 1962 the Beatles once again left for Hamburg but this time to headline at the world's greatest rock venue, the Star-Club, where they enjoyed huge success. But they also received bad news. Upon their arrival, a sad Astrid told them that Stu had died. John was distraught and wept inconsolably.

Every producer at EMI had turned down the Beatles until only George Martin, in charge of the Parlaphone label, was left. By a stroke of sheer good luck Brian Epstein was presented with the opportunity to pitch his proteges at George. George wasn't greatly impressed with the recording but recognised some potential. Well, enough potential for him to draw up a contract, without having ever seen the Beatles, which committed Parlaphone to very little. Brian sent a telegram to the boys at the Star Club advising that EMI were interested.

Immediately on returning from Hamburg the Beatles signed on 4 June 1962. On 6 June, John, Paul, George and Pete arrived at the Abbey Road studios for their first session with George Martin. The session was unremarkable.

Although the most popular member of the Beatles with the girls at live shows, the very handsome Pete Best wasn't considered good enough for recording and a session drummer was called for. Before long Brian Epstein sacked Pete, much to the dismay of his many fans. In later years John Lennon remarked that sacking Pete had been a mistake.

John outside 'Mendips'

At the time John had other matters on his mind. Pete's sacking was announced in the press on the same day that John married Cynthia Powell, 23 August 1962. Cynthia had recently informed John that she was pregnant: "I watched his face drain of all its colour, and fear and panic crept into his eyes. He was speechless for what seemed an age. I stared at him, my heart pounding so fast that I thought I would pass out. Once he was over the initial shock he replied: 'There's only one thing for it Cyn, we'll have to get married.'"

The drummer brought in to substitute for Pete was Richard Starkey, stage name Ringo Starr. The first recording made by the Beatles was a song by Paul McCartney called 'Love Me Do'. It reached number 17 in the charts. A couple of months later the band made their second recording with a John Lennon song, 'Please Please Me' and the Beatles had their first hit.

© Apple Corps Ltd

The first UK tour by the Beatles started in February 1963. During this tour the boys took one night off to record the 'Please Please Me' album in one session. In March, during the second tour, the album reached number three in the charts and concert audiences were going wild.

Julian Lennon was born on 8 April 1963. Owing to earlier commitments with the Beatles several days elapsed before John was able to visit his wife and son. On seeing Julian for the first time John said: "He's bloody marvellous, Cyn. Isn't he absolutely fantastic? Who's going to be a famous little rocker like his dad?"

In September 1963 the Beatles had a break from their hectic schedule. Cynthia and John, who had been married more than a year, grabbed the opportunity for a belated honeymoon in Paris, where they were later joined by Brian Epstein.

In October the Beatles topped the bill on the immensely popular TV show, Sunday Night at the London Palladium. The show attracted an audience of fifteen million and led to an invitation for the Beatles to headline the Royal Variety Show.

Cynthia and John dodge press, from a drawing by Cynthia Lennon.

In November Cynthia had Julian christened John Charles Julian Lennon at Hoylake Parish Church. Julian was named after his father John, Cynthia's father Charles and Julian after John's mother, Julia. It was at this point that the press revealed them as John's family.

During a January 1964 concert engagement in Paris, news came through to the Beatles that 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' had gone to No.1 in the US charts. An appearance on the Ed Sullivan show quickly followed and on their first visit to the US, it was clear that Beatlemania had gripped America.

© Apple Corps Ltd

On their return to the UK the boys began shooting their first film 'A Hard Day's Night'. It was during filming that Alfred Lennon presented himself at the dressing room of the Scala Theatre and revealed to John that he was his father. The meeting was strained at first but John and Alfred were soon able to chat amiably.

Father and son were reconciled, for a time. No one was more pleased than Alfred's brother Charles who said: "John, I've been waiting for that many a long year."

Dromoland, a 16th century castle in Western Ireland

In August, soon after a tour of Australia, the Beatles returned to America for a hectic thirty-two-date tour. It was during this tour that Bob Dylan introduced himself to the Beatles, and the Beatles to marijuana.

© Apple Corps Ltd

By 1965 the Beatles were a phenomenon. But John was in despair. He felt he had less control than ever before, not only of the band's musical direction but also of their role in filmmaking. John was not happy on the set of 'Help!' and considered the whole episode to be a low point in the career of the Beatles. The music he created for the movie gives a clue to John's state of mind - 'I'm a Loser', 'Nowhere Man' and 'Help'. John stated: "We weren't in control of the movie, and we weren't in control of the music, either."

In August of 1965 the Beatles met Elvis at his Bel-Air home. The meeting did not go very well. Elvis's career has been in decline for some time and he was a little resentful of the Beatles unparalleled success. John's suggestion that Elvis should revert to the kind of recordings he had made in the early days with Sun was taken as a slight, implying that Elvis's career was in some kind of trouble. The band departed without any great meeting of minds. John was saddened by this outcome as Elvis had been something of a hero.

© Apple Corps Ltd

When 'Rubber Soul' was released in December of 1965 it was evident that the band had matured considerably and in the process had gathered up an audience who had previously dismissed them as just another pop group with little to say of real interest.

Already weary of touring the Beatles endured two terrifying experiences in 1966 that would persuade them never to go on the road again.

In Japan they were subject to a death threat.

The subsequent police presence, 3,000 police to the 10,000 fans, cast a shadow over the concerts. The next month,

Cynthia, John & Julian at home. © Apple Corps Ltd

in the Philippines, the band failed to attend a dinner hosted by the Marcos family. The family hadn't been informed that the Beatles had declined the invite, but the press reported it as a deliberate snub. The next day angry mobs lined their way to the airport. The government failed to provide an escort and their takeoff was delayed. All this meant that they vowed never to return. It also heralded the beginning of the end of live gigs. The Beatles final concert was held on 29 August 1966, in San Francisco's Candlestick Park. From this point on the Beatles would be a studio band.

Julian returned home one day proudly carrying a drawing he'd made at Heath House Infant's School. He recalls: "I trundled home from school and came walking up with one of my watercolour paintings. It was just a bunch of stars and this blonde girl I knew at school. And dad said: 'What's this?' I said: 'It's Lucy in the sky with diamonds!'"

John outside Paul's house. © Lizzie Bravo

Between November 1966 and March 1967 the Beatles logged 700 hours of studio recording time laying down tracks for their next album. It was to be the most famous album of all time - 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'. Inspired by the reaction to the album, Paul McCartney had the notion to make a film. 'Magical Mystery Tour' follows the Beatles and an oddly assorted cast on a 'magical' coach trip through the English countryside. The bus stops and comic scenes are interwoven with performances of Beatles songs, some rare like 'I Am the Walrus' and 'The Fool on the Hill'. Julian was on the bus during the filming of 'Magical Mystery Tour'.

© Apple Corps Ltd

Brian Epstein's contract with the Beatles was due to expire on 8 October 1967, but Brian died before negotiations took place to renew the contract.

In February 1968 the Beatles flew to India for a stay at the Maharishi's ashram in Rishikesh. John at first enjoyed the privacy and freedom of the Maharishi's Meditation Academy and spent more time developing his music than meditating. The Maharishi had an elaborate suit made for Julian in

celebration of his fifth birthday. But John became disillusioned and on his return to England announced: "We made a mistake. What could be more simple?"

At the time of Cynthia and John's divorce Paul McCartney wrote Hey Jude (originally Hey Jules) to comfort Julian.

By now John had met Yoko Ono and they had begun a relationship. His marriage to Cynthia was effectively over, and on 22 August 1968 Cynthia filed for divorce. Six months later John and Yoko married. When the divorce came through on 8 November Cynthia was given custody of Julian. Cynthia and Julian moved to Cheshire. Julian continued to see his father from time to time. One occasion resulted in a car accident. In the summer of 1969 while visiting John's Aunt Elizabeth in Scotland, John failed to take a bend and ran the car into a ditch. All the passengers, Yoko, Yoko's daughter Kyoko and Julian were taken to Lawson Memorial Hospital for treatment.

The final performance by the Beatles took place on a London rooftop on 30 January 1969. Dressed in warm clothes against a wintry breeze the band launched into their last live set with 'Get Back'. When the performance was over John amused the audience with his comment: "I'd like to say thanks on behalf of the group - and I hope we passed the audition."