A Lichfield auctioneer is getting ready to sell a fab four collection of autographs in a sale next month.
The signatures of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr were obtained in 1965 at Buckingham Palace by Birmingham firefighter George Goodman.
He collected the autographs of The Beatles before they received their MBE for his then 12-year-old daughter.
But whereas little Joy was a huge fan of the group, her father bluntly told the musicians “I don’t know what she sees in you!”
The exchange was noted at a press conference by The Fab Four after their ceremony at the palace.
Nearly six decades on, Joy has now decided it’s time to part with the autographs and they go under the hammer with Richard Winterton Auctioneers on 9th October – with an estimate of £3,500 to £4,500.
She said:
“All dad said was there were lots of people asking The Beatles for autographs so he did too -telling them like that that the autographs were for me certainly sounds like my dad.
“It wouldn’t be the thing he would normally do, asking for autographs from these long-haired pop stars – he was always smartly dressed and very dignified.
“He showed the Queen great respect at all times and we always listened to her speeches.”
Joy, from Lichfield, had travelled on the day with her father to try to catch a glimpse of the Fab Four.
She said:
“I had to wear my school uniform on the day, which I wasn’t over the moon about – but I was the only daughter who went to grammar school so I had to wear the uniform.
“I was a huge fan of The Beatles at the time and I still am, I have always liked them.
“I was never allowed to go to a concert but then I was still very young when they stopped touring in 1966.
“I have had the autograph book tucked away for years,” Joy added.
“We’ve recently moved and downsized and I think it is a good time to pass it on to an collector who will appreciate it.”
Rob French, valuer at Richard Winterton Auctioneers, said he expected the signatures to be a popular lot.
“I am very excited with this discovery, especially as the provenance is extraordinary.
“To get such good quality signatures of all four Beatles on the same page is very important, but I was also so moved by the story itself.
“Hearing it from Joy first-hand you can see how proud she still is of her father.”
The full catalogue for the auction can be accessed at www.richardwinterton.co.uk/auction-dates a week before the sale.