Sunday, April 10, 2022

How Trudy met Ringo

 Today's story is one of some fans that met The Beatles during the recording of the White Album in September 1968.   The girl writing the story is Trudy and she is a Ringo girl.   Tomorrow I will post the same story through the eyes of two of the other girls on the trip.

One of the fun things I like to do when I read one of these stories is to go through my photos and see if I have any of the photos taken by these fans.  I THINK the photo Ringo at Sunny Heights is of him and Trudy.  Ringo is wearing what he is said to have been wearing in this story and his look is Autumn 1968.  However, I am not totally sure.  

I also find it extremely interesting that the Beatles took a break from recording to go watch TV at Paul's house for a few hours.  I really want to dig deeper and figure out what they might have been watching that night. 

How Trudy met Ringo

The Pottie Bird Beatle Chapter newsletter

April 1970

By Trudy Nieman

 

England – in one word “Richie.”  I met him.  It took a while but I did it.  Should I start right from the beginning?  The first day there, September 3, 1968, we met Paul coming out of EMI.  Our hotel was two blocks from Paul’s so we were there every hour – almost.  We talked to Paul’s cousin, John, from Liverpool.  He was about 14 or 15.  We saw the dog Paul gave Jane.  He’s really cute.

On September 5, we went to Weybridge, We went to Richie’s house.  Mo answered.  I said, “Mo?” She said, “Yes?” Then I couldn’t say anything.  Jay said, “Could we see Ringo?” Mo said, “We have company and he’s very busy.”  I asked if she would take my Magical Mystery Tour book and have him sign it.  I asked her if she would sign but she said she never signs.  I asked if I could take her picture but she said she never poses for photos.  She brought the books, Sue and mine back.  Richie wrote “Love Ringo Starr.”  I asked when Richie would be done.  She said, “In 2 or more minutes.  He has to go to work.”  I asked if I could come back tomorrow and she said “yes.”  I gave her a vase but couldn’t find the car to go with it.




September 6, we started to walk to Richie’s house when it started to rain.  I bought Mo some flowers.  We walked up to the house and I knocked, and an older lady appeared answered.  I asked if Mo was home and she said, “No, she’s out shopping now.”  Richie was sleeping.  We left and decided to find John’s house but no luck – and we got soaked.  We went back to the hotel to dry off, then we went to Richie’s again.  This time at Richie’s house there was a limousine.  I brought back the flowers and asked if I could see Mo.  When Mo came Zak came out.  Sue took a photo and it came out beautifully.  I gave Mo the flowers and asked if Richie could see us now.  Mom said, “I’m very sorry but we still have company and he’s busy.”

Then we went off to George’s house.  Sue knocked (George is her fave) and an older woman, Margaret, answered.  Sue asked if Pattie was home.  She said, “Yes, just Pattie, just a minute.”  We waited a few minutes then Pattie came.  Sue gave Pattie the gift she had for her, then Sue asked if George was there.  Pattie said, “Yes, he is but he just washed his hair.”  Sue said, “Can we take your pic?”  Pattie said, “Yes.”  She said if we waited up by the gate George would be out in 20 minutes.  So we wait for about an hour and George came out with Pattie.  George got in the car and drove towards the gate.  He pulled right up in front of us.  He signed our books and he said, “Oh, you got Ringo already.”  We took photos and I remembered for one to turn my tape recorder on.  It was 6:45 and George was late for EMI, so he had to go.  He was very nice and his hair was beautiful.

September 7, Sue and I went to find John’s house and did.  It’s beautiful!   Then we went to Richie’s house.  I knocked and the housekeeper answered.  I asked if Mo and Richie were home.  She said, “No, they’re out now.” I asked when they would be in, she said around noon.  Sue said about what time.  She said around 2 or 3.  We had to check out of the hotel and leave for Salisbury.

The next few days we spent in Liverpool.  We met the owner and manager of the Cavern and a new group, “The Curiosity Shop.”   The manager took us downstairs and we all sat on the Beatles’ stage for about 2 hours talking and taking photos.  Some members of the Curiosity Shop came down and so did the Cavern D.J. –it was just great.  Norm, the manager, invited us to come the net day and hear The Curiosity Shop rehearse.  So we came.  Norm put on some old Beatles songs.  We stayed until 6:00pm and left for the train to London.  By the way – the group is good!

 






During our stay there we went to see Mr. and Mrs. Harrison.  They were really great.  She had us almost crying when we left!

We also worked in the Fan Club for a few hours and took a lot of pictures. 

On September 12, at night we went to EMI and saw John and Yoko for the first time.  They left early and Paul seemed to be upset.  Sort of nervous and jumpy.

Sue and I went to Germany for the next few days and Jay and Mary stayed in London.  Germany was very nice.  We saw the Star Club.

On Monday, September 16, Sue and I  arrived back from Hamburg, at 3am.  That night we all went to see “Yellow Submarine.”  We watched it two times.  It’s really great; in color; and a wonderful and meaningful story.

September 17, that night we went to EMI and we got there about 6:45.  Paul arrived first at 7pm. I asked him to sign our MMT books.  I gave him a look like “please” and stepped back.  Paul looked at me and did the same thing.  Then I laughed and so did he.  George arrived next.  He got out of his car and signed only 2 or 3 autographs.  Someone said, “Hey, there’s Mal.”  I looked.  George walked by me fast and I said, “George that was too fast.”  He got up to the top step and turned around and smiled.  Richie arrived next.  Mary took a photo and Richie looked up from locking his car and gave Mary a dirty look.   I asked him for his autograph and he said, “Give them to the man.”  Richie really got me mad.  A girl told me that every time Mo is with him, he is like that.

Then Mal left and picked up John and Yoko.  John rushed in but turned around and smiled when he got to the top of the steps.  Yoko was right behind him.  Around 8:30pm Richie and Mo came out walking hand in hand.

I wrote a note and gave it to Mal to give to Richie.  I told him that I’d been to his house 3 times and had no luck in meeting him.  I told him that tomorrow around 2:30 or 3:00 we would be at his house and it would be my last chance to see him.  I enclosed one photo and a postcard, the postcard for my pen pal’s birthday, for Richie to sign.

I gave them to Mal but it was getting late so we had to leave.  Mal never came out with the photos.

September 18, we went to Richie’s house.  The time was 3:30pm when we arrived.  The house was all quiet and it seemed no one was home.  This time I had Sue knock on the door.  I thought it would be bad luck if I did it since every time I did it before, he wasn’t home or was busy.  Richie’s maid answered.  We said, “Is Richie home?”  She said, “Yes, he is.  Just a minute.”  Then she came back.  “Are you the American girls?”  “Yes we are!”  “Just a minute.  He is expecting you.”  She left and who appeared at the door next?  Richie!!!  He was wearing a long, hip-length black velvet suit coat and purple velvet pants.

 



He said, “Whose birthday is it?”  I said "my pen pal".  Then at the same time, Sue said, “It’s Trudy’s birthday this Friday!”  He looked at us all mixed up.  I didn’t know Sue had given a note to Mal for Richie about my birthday, which never go to him as we found out from Richie, but my note did.  Richie said, “I gave those photos to Mal, but when Mal went outside to give them to you, you were gone.”  I started to explain about the subway stops running but Jay interrupted me.  I asked him to sign my photos of him.  The pen wouldn’t write at first.  He was answering questions they were asking him.  He was very nice and he was beautiful.  Sue was snapping pictures like mad.  I wanted to take a photo of him but I wanted someone else to get it with him and Mary jumped right in.  I said, “OK!” Then Richie put his head on Mary’s shoulder, and that got me mad!  I said, “Now that’s too close!!”  I stood there and I wouldn’t take the picture.  Richie smiled when I said that and he moved his lovely head.  Wow! Then I took the photo.  Jay asked if they would be recording at EMI that night and Richie said, “Yes, I’ll be leaving in 10 minutes.”  So we figured we’d better go.  I said, “We’ll see you at EMI tonight!”  Richie said, “OK, Goodbye.”  We tried to hurry back to London to see The Beatles arrive at EMI.  We arrived at 7:00 and found that all the Beatles arrived early.  Richie came around 5 with Mo again.  We decided that we would go back to the hotel and out to get something to eat.  We came back around 9:30 and found that all the Beatles left.  Margo said they all came running out of EMI, jumped into their cars and drove off.  They all went over to Paul’s house.  At about 11pm they all came back.  George in his car, and Richie and Mo in theirs.  Richie parked right by the gate.  When he got out he saw me, smiled and locked his car.  I said, “Richie can I take a photo of you?” He said, “yes.”  Then he gave me a wild pose.  He’s beautiful!  He seemed to be so happy!  After they drove up, Mal came with John and Yoko.  Then Paul drove up.  A girl asked what was going on and Paul said, “We went to watch a T.V. show.”  Everyone went, “Oh.”  And Paul said, “Oh!”  Paul had his long overcoat on.  Mal came out and brought my photos.  He said he was sorry someone hung the photo up of Richie and it tore.  We left since Mal said they would work late that night.

 

September 19 – we left for Liverpool again.  We went to the fan club and then to the Cavern.  When we walked in Harry and Sammy, two members of the Curiosity Shop were rehearsing a new song the owner of the Cavern wrote.  They really surprised me.  They remembered us and seemed happy to see us.  Later they were dancing to the song and they reminded me of The Beatles and how they kid around.  We asked if they would be playing that night.  They said at 11:30pm.  They had to play at some other club first.  When 11:30 came and they returned to the Cavern they were too hot and tired to play.  So it just happened that the last train left at 12:30am.  We had no place to sleep.  We thought we could stay at the Lime Street Station, but it was closed.  So we went to the hotel where we stayed last time and asked for a room.  They were full.  I asked if we could at least stay in the lobby and the doorman said yes.  So at 7:55am we left for London.

 

September 20 at 6:30pm we left for EMI.  We got there in a matter of minutes.  George arrived first.  I got some good photos of him.  Richie and Mo came next.  Richie’s chauffeur was driving through.  When Mal came, he had Paul, John and Yoko.  John and Yoko went right in and Paul was signing a few photos, so I took a few pics.  Kevin said they would work late again, so since we were all coming down with colds and had only had about 4 hours of sleep, we left.

September 21 – Sue’s pen pal and her friend, my pen pal, Margaret, and I all went shopping.  Margaret stayed with us, so we went to see Yellow Submarine, and then she stayed overnight.  

September 22 – We went to Margaret’s house and saw all of Beatles things.

September 23 – at 10:30, I hate to say, we left London.  It was a clear and cool day.  The sun was shining but we were all crying inside and little on the outside. 

Well, we all enjoyed England and we can’t wait to go again.  I don’t know if I’ll make it next year but if I do – I’ll be there – right on Richie’s doorstep and in front of EMI when they come and go. 

3 comments:

  1. The Beatles took a break from recording to go to Paul's house to watch the rock and roll movie from the 1950's The Girl Can't Help It starring Jane Mansfield and some classic rockets from that era. Isn't this fairly common knowledge? (MarkZapp)

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    Replies
    1. Wow -- I had no idea. Maybe common knowledge to others, but I thought I just discovered some interesting tidbit of information -- come to find out everyone else already knew! Oh well. Thanks MarkZapp!

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  2. Another interesting read. I'm looking forward to the perspective of the other 2 girls. Thank you for the time and effort you take in doing these, Sara.

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