03/01/2026
25 Upton Green, Liverpool: One of the Most Important Heritage Homes in British Music History (written by Ken Lambert)
*An Early and Regular Rehearsal Space for George, John, & Paul*
Most people would consider that the biggest and most popular band or musical act in (western) music over the past 75 years is the Beatles. The Fab 4, all hailing from Liverpool- in northwest England. Ringo did not join the band until August 1962, but the other 3 members (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison) had been playing together for several years by the time Ringo came along.
George joined the Quarrymen in early 1958, a bit after Paul joined John’s band. From that point on through the end of the Quarrymen time, George’s home was a regular rehearsal spot for the band- especially John, Paul, and George. This continued after the group changed its name to the Beatles, as well- through the time that the Harrison’s left Speke in November/ December 1962.
Several pictures exist that show George with his guitar(s) in the front room.
It is probable that the 3 bandmates did play and practice in the front room, but they also were known to gather and rehearse in George’s bedroom- which was shared with George’s older brother.
The brother (Peter) has been quoted as saying that the group would come over once or twice a week, and sometimes they would make such a racket and be so loud that the parents or George’s siblings would be downstairs and would bang the ceiling with a broom so that the teenagers knew to quiet down.
There are also recollections that John, Paul, and George used to practice in the back garden and even in the outbuilding.
Where did these 3 Beatles gather and play the most, during those early days? It is clear that John’s house at Menlove Avenue and also Paul’s home at Forthlin Road (both owned and managed by the UK’s National Trust) are very important homes to British and overall music history. That said, I would offer George’s old home at 25 Upton Green in Speke as the location that witnessed more Beatles (and Quarrymen) rehearsal sessions than any other place up until the group gained superstardom in early 1963.
To better substantiate this, I’d offer the following quotes and notations:
“In Liverpool, Paul would come round my house and we’d play in the living room. Paul knocked me out with his singing especially, although I remember him being a little embarrassed to really sing out, seeing as we were stuck right in the middle of my parents place with my whole family walking about.” – George Harrison
“We asked George to join us because he knew more chords, a lot more than we knew. So we got a lot from him. Every time we learned a new chord, we’d write a song round it. We used to sag off school and go to George’s house for the afternoon. George looked even younger than Paul and Paul looked about ten, with his baby face.” – John Lennon
“Mimi wasn’t very keen on George, when she first heard about him. So a lot of the practicing was done at George’s house in Upton Green.“ – Hunter Davies (Beatles Biography -Authorized, 1968)
“Mrs. Harrison has known Paul since he was 14 when George brought him home from school. When the Beatles first started, Paul was round at the Harrisons four nights a week.” (newspaper article- 1963/1964 – unknown origin)
“(There is) oral evidence from the families, friends, and the Beatles themselves that many hours were spent rehearsing in the Harrison’s home at Upton Green, Speke. Liverpool cultural ambassador (and the Beatles booking manager from 1962- 1963) Joe Flannery informed me: ‘I personally know that George’s house in Speke was used a lot.’” (The 21st Century Legacy of the Beatles- Michael Brocken)
“John and Paul often wrote songs at Paul’s house while his father was working, but most of the band rehearsals took place in distant Speke at the Harrison home.” (Liverpool and London Beatles Tour- Glenn Gass)
The point of this article is just to validate that the Harrison home in Speke is a very key location for the growth and development of the Beatles. The early Lennon-McCartney songs were not written at Upton Green, but it was primarily George’s house where the songs were worked out and rehearsed.
