Autographs of The Beatles from day they received MBEs are put up for sale in Lichfield
Autographs of all four Beatles obtained on the day they received their MBEs, by a man who was also being honoured by the Queen, are coming up for auction in Lichfield.
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr all signed a card at Buckingham Palace on October 26, 1965 for Birmingham fire officer George Goodman, who requested the autographs for his 12-year-old daughter, Joy.
While Joy was a huge fan of the group, her father bluntly told the musicians: “I don’t know what she sees in you!” and the funny and honest exchange was noted at a Beatles press conference following the ceremony.
Now Joy has decided it’s time to part with the autographs and they go under the hammer with Richard Winterton Auctioneers at The Lichfield Auction Centre, with an estimate value of £3,500 to £4,500.
The Beatles’ award of the MBE and their appointment at Buckingham Palace triggered extensive media coverage on television, radio and in newspapers and the group held a press conference after leaving the palace.
It was there that John Lennon said the band signed autographs ‘for all the people who were waiting to get their MBEs’ and Paul McCartney added: “They were all nice, you know. But one fellow said: 'I want it for my daughter but I don’t know what she sees in you!'.”
“All dad said was there were lots of people asking The Beatles for autographs so he did too,” said Joy, who accompanied Mr Goodman to the palace with her sister Jill and their mum Doris.
