.: 1963 - 1983
John Charles Julian Lennon was born at 7:45 AM on Monday, 8 April 1963
to John Lennon and Cynthia Powell Lennon. He was named John for his father,
Charles for his mother's father, and Julian after his father's later mother
Julia. His mother Cynthia remembers in her book A Twist of Lennon.
"He was beautiful. The reason for the difficulty during Julian's
birth was because the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck; he arrived
into this world an awful yellow color. Apart from that, he was perfect,
just perfect. It was two days before I could hold my baby in my arms and
a week before I saw my husband. John had been phoning Mimi nightly for
progress reports on his wife and baby to be. On learning that he was the
father of a healthy son, he was overjoyed yet unhappy he couldn't be with
us sooner. I had inquired if we could have a private room, knowing full
well that we wouldn't have a moment's peace in the public ward. (The cat
that John was married and had a son would truly be out of the bag.) So
for the incredible low price of 25 shillings a day, I had my own little
room. Although the room was private, it did look lout onto the hospital
corridor through large glass partitions. John's excited arrival however
did not go unnoticed. He rushed through the door like a hurricane sweeping
everything before him. It was a wonderful moment. 'Oh, Cyn, I love you.
Where is he then? Who's a clever little Miss Powell then? Was it awful?
Who does he look like?' I just couldn't get a word in edgeways. He was
consumed with happiness and awe. When he eventually plucked up enough
courage to pick the little bundle up he was full of pride and emotion.
'He's bloody marvelous, Cyn. Cyn, isn't he absolutely fantastic? Who's
going to be a famous little rocker like his dad then?' Whilst this beautiful
reunion was taking place, grinning faces were pushing themselves against
the glass pain of the partition. Groups of nurses and patients were gathering
in the corridors, eager to gain a glimpse of a Liverpool celebrity. It
started getting noisy, claustrophobic, and very embarrassing, like being
in a goldfish bowl. This incident was my first glimpse of how my life
was to change, and it unnerved me. Very quickly John became jumpy and
on edge. He was beginning to feel trapped, and it was time for him to
escape. But before he left he told me that Brian had asked him to go on
holiday to Spain with him, and he wanted to know if I objected. I must
admit the request hit me like a bolt out of the blue, and I really didn't
take it in properly at the first, but when it sank in I suppressed my
true feelings and acquiesced. I was well aware John deserved a holiday.
He had just completed a tour and recording sessions. In actual fact he
had never had a holiday as such. They all had been working under great
pressure since the success of 'Please, Please Me;' so I concealed my hurt
and envy and gave him my blessings. He was delighted and left me a happy
man." Though only a week, old this set a president for Julian's relationship
with his father for the rest of his father's life and having to grow up
in the shadow of The Beatles.
Julian's childhood was never normal. After leaving the hospital Julian
and his mother lived with his Aunt Mimi, who had raised his father. Then
they moved into a house in the Hoylake district of Liverpool. In November
of 1963, Julian was christened and was photographed by a photographer,
which exposed the secret that John was married with a child. In February
1964 Cynthia accompanied John as The Beatles made their debut in America.
On his parents vacations he would stay either with one of his father's
aunts or his Grandmother Powell, who returned from living in Canada in
late 1963. On July 15, 1964 Julian, and Cynthia moved into Kenwood in
Weybridge, Surrey outside of London. This was to be home for his early
childhood. He was cared for by the housekeeper Dot Jarrlett. One day in
1966 Julian brought home a drawing from school. His father praised him
and asked what it was. Julian replied that it was drawing of his classmate
Lucy in the with diamonds. His father then composed one of the most famous
Beatles songs after Julian's drawing. In 1967 Julian and his parents and
the other Beatles and their families vacationed in Greece. He also got
to be on the bus as The Beatles filmed the television special Magical
Mystery Tour. In 1968 his parents joined the other Beatles in India
to study transcendental meditation with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who
sent home a beautiful wardrobe of Indian clothes and hand-painted figures
of Indian hunters. Shortly after this period of his childhood ended when
his father became involved with Yoko Ono, and Cynthia found them together
upon returning from a trip to Greece.
The next era of Julian's life began as Cynthia took Julian and her mother
to Italy to get away. They stayed in a hotel owned by the Bassanini family.
It was here she first met the Bassanini's son Roberto, who would become
Julian's first stepfather and a very important person in his life. After
a meeting with John and Yoko after returning, Cynthia sued for divorce
on 22 July, 1968, and John moved out with Yoko, while Julian's grandmother
moved into Kenwood. During the divorce proceedings, Paul McCartney drove
out to see to Cynthia and Julian to show his concern for them. He thought
about how hard the divorce must be on Julian and started singing "Hey
Jules, don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better." The
song later became one of The Beatles' greatest songs 'Hey Jude,"
and for the second time Julian had inspired one of The Beatles' best songs.
The divorce was final on November 8, 1968 and his family moved to Cheshire.
He did see his father still though. He attended the taping of the 11 December
1969 television special ROCK & ROLL CIRCUS. On 20 March, 1969 John
married Yoko in Gibraltar. In June 1969 during a trip to Scotland with
his father and Yoko, and her daughter Kyoko John had an accident while
driving them, but no one was seriously injured, and Julian suffered only
from shock. On August 1, Cynthia married Roberto Bassanini. He became
more of a father figure to Julian than his father John Lennon. Julian
remembers him always being there to take and pick him up from school.
In September John and Yoko moved to New York City, and Julian rarely sees
his father after this.
Julian had now entered his teen years. On December 27, 1973 Julian flew
with his mother to visit his father (who was temporarily separated from
Yoko). John's companion at the time May Pang was responsible for convincing
John to arrange the visit. In 1974 Julian attended school at Kingshead
Boarding School, where he met lifelong friend Justin Clayton. They formed
a band after Julian received a guitar from his father for Christmas the
year before. In July of that year, Julian returns to New York City to
visit his father and May Pang. John was recording the album Walls and
Bridges. While Julian was visiting the studio John encouraged him
to take the drums on the song "Ya, Ya." Julian is unaware that
it is being recorded and would be included on the album. In December Julian
visited his father and May. During this visit he attended George Harrison's
concert in Madison Square Garden with John and May. They also spent time
in Mantauk, Long Island, New York and Palm Beach, Florida. Later that
year John and Yoko reconciled, and Julian's half-brother Sean Ono Lennon
was born on October 9, 1975 (the same day as their father's 35th birthday).
Cynthia married John Twist in 1978, who Julian never really liked, as
he felt he was too strict and disciplinary. They moved to Ruthin, North
Wales and Cynthia and John Twist open a bistro. In March 1979 Julian returned
to New York City to visit John, Yoko, and Sean while on break from school.
During this visit they celebrate Julian's 16th birthday on a yacht in
Palm Beach, Florida. This would be the last time Julian saw his father.
On December 8, 1980 John Lennon was murdered by a deranged fan. Julian
remembers being awoken when a brick came crashing down in his bedroom
in the pre-dawn hours in England about the moment his father died. The
next morning when Julian awoke, he found the house shut up and his mother
gone. His stepfather did not tell him the news about his father because
Cynthia had told him she had wanted to tell Julian. When Julian saw all
the members of the press outside though, he knew something was wrong and
John Twist finally told him his father had been killed. Julian traveled
to New York City to be with Yoko and Sean. This definitely made a big
change in his life.
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