The Beatles Map of Liverpool

This pictorial map of Liverpool is folded into a souvenir record-sleeve style pack which comprises:

• ‘Nothing to get hung up about’, a 30 page short history of the Beatles by Mike Evans
• a discography (slightly creased)
• three posters (timeline, tours and an image of the band with long hair)
• a bookmark
• 4 black and white postcards
• an official Beatles Fan Club letter.

By 1974 the band had broken up, but on our map they are locked in 1968 – in the style of the animated film ‘Yellow Submarine’: Old Fred makes a guest appearance, hand in hand with the Chief Blue Meanie, and the Yellow Submarine itself bobs on the Mersey. Read more

The driving force behind the creation of the map was Ron Jones, then Deputy PR Officer for Liverpool City Council, who recalled that ‘it was impossible for a visitor to Liverpool to buy a Beatles souvenir or even a postcard at that time. There was no Beatles map or guide to Liverpool to tell visitors where they could find their homes, schools, the clubs and dance halls where they played or the places which inspired their songs’ (quoted in Bryars and Harper). It was the first 'official' Beatles souvenir item specifically produced for Liverpool but Jones anticipated hostility from some quarters in Liverpool City Council, so this first step towards establishing Beatles tourism was undertaken without securing official approval from any council committee.

The map was designed by Liverpool-based commercial art studio McCaffrey and Sharp, established in 1963 by Stan McCaffrey and Jim Sharp. McCaffrey recalled that the 'Yellow Submarine' era was chosen in part because the film, with action divided between Pepperland and Liverpool, provided another direct link with the city. The Beatles do not seem to have been consulted individually, although their record company EMI was very helpful, but Jones assumed that they would have been sent copies out of courtesy. The Beatles map is not exclusively a celebration of The Beatles: space has been found for the Diddymen and Jam Butty Mines of Knotty Ash, immortalised by Liverpool comedians Arthur Askey and Ken Dodd.

Condition & Materials

Map sheet size 46 x 40.5 cm, printed in tones of green on green paper, blank verso; sleeve has one or two small creases, laminate not extending fully to the top and right hand edges.

References

Bryars and Harper, A History of the 20th Century in 100 Maps, pp. 166-7. Read less