The Quarrymen live: Wilson Hall, Liverpool

This was the last known performance by the Quarrymen at Wilson Hall. Unlike the previous three, it wasn’t promoted by Charlie ‘Mac’ McBain, and there were no Teddy boys causing trouble.

The event was a late Christmas party for the Speke Bus Depot Social Club. George Harrison’s father Harry was the club’s chairman, which helped the Quarrymen land the booking. Harry was the club’s MC, and his mother also ran a learners’ ballroom dancing class at the venue.

This event saw the end of drummer Colin Hanton’s tenure with the group. During the interval the members of the Quarrymen drank some of the party refreshments, doubtless excited by the news that a local cinema manager was in the audience and considering offering them further bookings.

At the beginning the night went really well. We were all in a good mood – pulling George’s leg and saying, ‘There’s George’s dad; where’s his bus?’ It was a real stage they’d put us on, with a curtain that came up and down. The curtain got stuck, so we played six numbers, not five, in our first spot. The busmen and clippies were all cheering, they really dug us.

In the interval, we were told, ‘There’s a pint for you lads over at the bar.’ That pint turned into two pints, then three. When we went on for the second spot, we were terrible. All pissed. The bloke from the Pavilion [cinema] never booked us. There was a row about it on the bus going home, and I thought, ‘Right. That’s it. I’ll not bother playing with them again.’

Hanton carried his drums off the bus, despite it not being his stop, and played no more in the Quarrymen.