This book would not have come to fruition without the assistance of a large number of people.
I am especially grateful to Ian Watt of Exisle Publishing for his support and guidance.
Brett Nelson of Hastings, who founded the first Beatle museum in New Zealand, is also acknowledged with much respect and gratitude. His contribution to the book, in terms of memorabilia and other Beatle paraphernalia, is one of the reasons for the book’s pictorial scope.
Bruce Renwick of Christchurch, the creator of a groundbreaking self-published book based on the Beatles’ 1964 tour, provided direction and motivation. His publication was a true labour of love, the sort of artefact I have come to expect of true Beatle fans.
The input of Jim Sparey of Auckland, a member of ‘Friends of the Beatles’, the New Zealand Beatles fan club, is also gratefully acknowledged.
While most of us just kept on listening to the music, people like Brett, Bruce and Jim ensured that the Beatle heritage, a priceless treasure, would not go unrecorded in this country.
Wayne Hall of Kihikihi, a young fan who lived just up the road from me, provided the initial connection with the ‘giants’ of Kiwi Beatle commemoration and collection.
As the project gained momentum, the contribution of Shelby Grant, a Wellington music teacher and Beatle buff of long standing, came into its own. Not only did Shelby provide his own trenchant recollections, he widened the net so that aficionados like Graeme Collins, Jonathon Harper and others could contribute to this permanent record of one of New Zealand’s most significant events.
During my research I was able to unearth some interesting Beatle associations. No one actually played with the Beatles, but Chris Thompson of Hamilton played and recorded with Keshav Sathe, who played with George Harrison on his Wonderwall album. Jan Hedge of Hamilton is a good friend of Iris Fenton, who grew up alongside and went out with both George and Paul. Jack Mathews of Hamilton and Lynda Mathews were both second cousins of John Lennon. And occasionally household names – like Keith Quinn – turned out to be avid Beatle fans.
And then, of course, there were the ordinary Kiwis who loved the music, mourned the Beatles’ break-up and the deaths of John and George, and then went to the trouble of recounting their experiences of the Beatles and that magical tour of New Zealand in 1964.
Finally, I am grateful to the New Zealand Listener for permission to reprint extracts by Bruce Mason and M.H. Holcroft.
To all these people, I am deeply indebted.
Graham Hutchins