English Heritage plaque to be unveiled at Lennon’s former London home

John Lennon’s former home at 34 Montagu Square, London is to have an English Heritage blue plaque, it has been announced.

The maisonette, which encompassed the ground floor and basement of the building, was leased by Ringo Starr early in 1965. He lived there for a short time before subletting it to friends.

In 1966 Paul McCartney used it as a demo studio, where he recorded an early version of ‘Eleanor Rigby’. Jimi Hendrix stayed there for a short time the following year with his manager Chas Chandler.

The most famous tenants, however, were John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Unable to remain at Kenwood, Lennon’s home in Weybridge, they moved into the building. It was there in the summer of 1968 that they took the controversial cover photography for their first long-player, Unfinished Music No 1: Two Virgins, which featured the pair nude.

On 18 October 1968 the police raided the property and confiscated a small amount of cannabis resin. The pair were arrested, but Lennon took sole responsibility and pleaded guilty on 28 November.

The blue plaque will be unveiled by Yoko Ono on 23 October 2010. It is the second English Heritage plaque honouring Lennon; the first was in December 2001 at Mendips, Lennon’s childhood home at 251 Menlove Avenue, Liverpool.