The fan club made it possible

 

The autographed page from the Beatles Monthly 

The lucky Beatles membership card 

You all know that I am obsessive about Beatles fan clubs. Now that I have written a book all about the Beatles' North American fan clubs, I would love to write one about the Beatles' fan clubs in Europe, Japan, Australia, and other countries around the world. So, this story is especially great to me. 

Last year, Gotta Have Rock n Roll auctioned items belonging to Constance Vrijdaghs, a Dutch Beatles Fan Club member.  She met John and Yoko during the Bed-In at the Amsterdam Hilton and had them autograph several items, asked them a few questions, and then left a questionnaire for them to fill out and return to her.   They completed the questions by hand and mailed it back to her.   She sold all of the items from that day.  

It is a great story. However, I found in the May/June 1999 Issue of Beatles Unlimited Magazine a reprint of her original story, which was published in the Fan Club newsletter Chains after she met them. The story is a tad bit different from her retelling over 50 years later, and she doesn't even mention the questionnaire.   I always find it interesting what someone writes about directly after the encounter.  Some of the things she wrote were big news at the moment, such as the Beatles having a new album and  a movie.  I hope you all enjoy this as much as I have. 

Written by Constance Vrijdaghs

Aerdenhout, Wednesday, 26th March, 1969,

It is almost impossible to believe, but this afternoon, I went to the Hilton and chatted with John and Yoko! Here's what happened to me! I arrived at the Hilton at about 5 PM and joined a boy and a girl that were watching John and Yoko's room. I asked them if they knew a way to get inside. I told them that I had my membership card from the fan club with me and that I had the intention of interviewing John and Yoko. The boy (Kees) asked if he could come along with me. After a lot of trouble, we were able to talk to a guy at the desk. I showed him my card and told him that I would like to interview John Lennon.

 I had to phone them. The phone was answered by a lady who told me that she had instructions to intercept any calls. The man at the desk took over the phone and transferred the call. A certain Mister Hille from Bovema the Beatles record company (pre-EMI) answered the phone and told me to wait 15 minutes, after which it would be possible to come upstairs. Indeed, two gentlemen came down, Mister Hille and Mister Boskamp. Again, I showed them my card. I just couldn't believe that I was taken up in an elevator and stood before the door before I realized it. Mister Boskamp opened the door, chatted a bit, and then told me that they were allowing me five minutes! 

We walked inside, where the couple sat on the bed in white pyjamas covered by white kimonos. I congratulated them on their marriage, thanked them for receiving us, asked for an autograph, and asked a couple of questions. They were married in Gibraltar, which was quiet and peaceful, and they had traveled to Amsterdam because it was a provocative city. They still thought that Provo was active! They spoke about Provo and their white bikes! At that moment they knew that they had been mistaken, because during that afternoon's press conference, they'd heard that Provo was gone now.   The next Beatles LP will be released this summer and John told me that there were plans to bring out another Beatles movie. Because I had with me the latest BEatles Monthly, something he hadn't seen yet, he read it and signed his autograph on it.  

Inside the room, there were lots of flowers and a large variety of fruit available.  After 15 minutes, we had to go. We quickly shook hands and left the room.  Great. I have never had so much respect for my membership card!