Beatles Mania!

The Granda bill in 1963
The Hey Beatles
The Hey Beatles
Ian Watkins
A ticket to the sell out gig
Beatles memorabilia
All ready.....
The Fab Four - fans threw Jelly Babies after George mentioned he was a fan
The Granada 1963
Mansfield Museum
She Loves You....Yeh...Yeh...Yeh...

Saturday 23 February 2013 was a very special date in the history of Mansfield; it marked the 50th anniversary of the day that the legendary Beatles first performed in the town.

The Beatles appeared at the Granada on Westgate in 1963. Many well know acts performed at the Granada including Cliff Richard, The Rolling Stones and Tommy Steele, unfortunately it was flattened in 1973 to make way for the Fours Seasons Shopping Centre and Primark now stands on the sight.

The Beatles appearance in 1963 was as part of the Helen Shapiro tour, also on the bill that night The Honeys and The Kestrels. When they appeared again a month later the tour was with Tommy Roe and Chris Montez.

To mark this special occasion Mansfield 103.2 programme controller and lifelong Beatles fan Ian Watkins organised for the tribute band ‘Hey Beatles’ to perform at a  special gig at the St Peter’s Centre Mansfield.

The audience for this sell out gig included people that were there in 1963.

Ron East remembers being in Mansfield in 1963 with his parents “…we went to a restaurant down the side of the Granada and saw the Beatles when they came out of the Granada after the gig….I wasn’t able to go as 5 shillings was too expensive in them days…”

Jill Murfin went to the gig with her husband “…the atmosphere was 10 out of 10…everybody was dancing and standing up….and dancing in the aisle…”

David Watkins was 16 when the Beatles played in 1963 “…the first visit was to really see Helen Shapiro the Beatles were just in the background… 1 month later they had taken over and they were really the ones that people wanted to see…one of the memories that is very clear in my mind was that people listened to the music and the screaming came later…”

 

Thank you to,

www.mansfield103.co.uk/

www.heybeatles.com/splash.html

www.stpeters-centre.co.uk/

 

 

 

Comments about this page

  • Just made a TV Programme about this night and its available on the Mansfield TV Station at http://www.ourmansfield.tv/1769/beatles/ Hope you enjoy.

    By Gary Greenwood (13/03/2013)
  • Just making a little TV documentary film about the anniversary night for http://www.ourmansfield.tv with help from 103.2, which should be ready soon. Was a great night and the hey Beatles were fab. Gary

    By Gary Greenwood (11/03/2013)
  • Brilliant, my foot has been tapping just listening to the video.

    By Pauline M (01/03/2013)
  • Great memories! I saw two of the Beatles, George Harrison and John Lennon that day, but they were not on stage, they came around the corner in an old Morris car to the back of the Granada. Me and my friend were 10 years old at the time, and we didn’t know who they were! A few girls were stood in line waiting for their autograph and we went up to John and George and asked who they were. The Beatles they replied, we just giggled and went on our way. How I could have kicked myself after finding out who they were!

    By Angela Roche (01/03/2013)

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