Joseph is trying to reach fans
Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon and George Harrison in 1963(Image: Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
A man is trying to reach 100 Beatles fans who sent fan mail to Ringo Starr in 1965 as part of a special project. Memorabilia collector Joseph Robert O’Donnell, from Newcastle, has amassed a collection of fan mail once belonging to Ringo, all dating from September 1965 to January 1966.
The letters were previously in the possession of Roger Hopkins, a one-time employee of Ringo. According to Roger’s wife, the letters were originally kept in order to save the envelopes for the stamps, which were collected by his late father. Mr Hopkins, of Wokingham, used to work for Ringo, carrying out odd jobs and looking after his house, Sunny Heights, in Weybridge.
He lived in a caravan on the property. His girlfriend at the time, Iris, whom he later married, would occasionally socialise with Ringo and his wife, Maureen Cox. Roger recalled: “Ringo was quite a funny sort of bloke. I remember once being in the kitchen when I heard him shouting for me, so I went to see what he needed.
“He asked me to fill up the Mini as he was heading out. I didn’t have any money on me, so I asked, ‘What shall I fill it up with?’ After a few seconds, he replied, ‘Milk.’ I looked at him, puzzled, before he burst out laughing and handed me a tenner.
Ringo’s house was situated on the left, halfway down a very big hill. John used to visit quite often, usually turning up on his moped. One winter’s day, as John was leaving, the roads were icy, and he needed to rev up a lot to get up the hill.
“Just as he exited Ringo’s drive, his moped skidded, and he fell off. At the time, there were lots of female fans gathered outside Ringo’s place. They all rushed over to help John up and retrieve his moped.
“When I went to check on him, he grinned and said he was fine. The fans were gobsmacked at the chance to touch and talk to John Lennon. He signed autographs for all of them before getting back on his moped and heading home.”
Memorabilia collector Joseph O’Donnell has amassed a collection of fan mail once belonging to Ringo Starr, all dating from September 1965 to January 1966.(Image: Joseph O’Donnell)
Joseph is now trying to reconnect with the fans who wrote to Ringo during this exciting period of Beatles history, as the band’s global popularity reached new heights. Late 1965 was a transformative time for The Beatles – their album ‘Rubber’ Soul, released in December, marked a shift towards more experimental music, paving the way for their later psychedelic work.
“The group had just completed their second film, ‘Help!’, and continued to dominate the charts worldwide. Their success saw them constantly touring, recording, and making television appearances.
Joseph said: “There are 84 letters in total, and more than half of them have clear return addresses. I have written letters to these fans, hoping that someone who knows them still lives at the address.
“The goal is to obtain a further 16 letters and exhibit these fascinating pieces of Beatles history as ‘100 Letters to Ringo’. I’d also love to speak to any Royal Mail workers from this time, to learn more about the volume of letters sent to The Beatles”
The envelopes contain notes to the Beatle, one even asking to “give this to John”. Some fans wrote directly to Paul, John and George at Ringo’s address; some wrote door numbers the wrong way around, and one is even addressed simply to ‘Ringo Starr, Liverpool, England’ yet it still found its way to the drummer.
Ringo has a well-documented stance on fan mail. In 2008, he announced that he would no longer accept or sign autographs or correspondence.
In a video message posted on his website, he stated: “Please do not send fan mail to any address that you have. Nothing will be signed after October 20. If that is the date on the envelope, it’s gonna be tossed.
Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band performs at Pechanga Resort Casino on May 19, 2023 in Temecula(Image: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
“I’m warning you with peace and love, I have too much to do. So no more fan mail. Thank you, thank you, and no objects to be signed. Nothing. Anyway, peace and love, peace and love.”
In 1991, Ringo’s fan mail even became the subject of an episode of The Simpsons in which Marge reveals that she was once a huge fan of Ringo and had sent him letters along with portraits she painted of him.
“She never received a response, until decades later when Ringo, depicted as someone who diligently replies to every letter, finally gets around to reading hers. Impressed by her artwork, he writes back, inspiring her to take up painting again.
The letters in Joseph’s collection originate from 14 countries, including Australia, Brazil, Italy, Spain, England, and the United States. Some are addressed to Ringo’s address in Weybridge named ‘Sunny Heights’, and some are addressed to his address in Montague Square in London, the flat which Ringo later rented out to guitar legend Jimi Hendrix, before evicting him.
John Lennon and Yoko Ono also lived there when they were arrested for drug possession, and even took their infamous ‘Two Virgins’ album cover image there, in which they are both standing naked.
The letters originate from: Sydney, NSW; New York, NY; Paris; Rio de Janeiro; Harrogate, Yorkshire; London; Toronto, Ontario; Milano, MI; Eindhoven; Rotterdam; Liverpool; Surrey; Rexdale, Ontario; Swindon, Wilts; Chicago, IL; London, Ontario; Grove City, Ohio; Felicity, Ohio; Bandhagen; Sudbury, Ontario; St. Louis, MO; Mantua, NJ; Louisville, Kentucky; Warren, Ohio; Huron, Ohio; Lehigh Valley; Sleaford, Lincolnshire; Bloomfield, Indiana; Wausau, Wisconsin; Boston, Massachusetts; Andover, New York; Birmingham; Rye, New York; Lake Bluff, IL; Oak Lawn, IL; Omaha, Nebraska; Washington, DC; Wolvenweg, Tilburg; Elkhart, Indiana; Zaandam; Newark, NJ; Messina; Kankakee, Illinois; Roermond; Brighton & Hove, Sussex; Bronx, New York; Radford, Virginia; Southampton, Pennsylvania; Irankenhaus; Cherry Creek, NY; Reno, Nevada; Martin, Tennessee; Ruthin, Denbighshire; Ridgeville, Indiana; Carntyne, Glasgow; Rockford, IL; East Quogue, NY; Lewistown, Ohio; Helsingborg.