Scrapbook layout designed by the donor.

Compiled by Judy Johnston using clippings from Australian magazines and newspapers, exercise books and Perkins Paste (glue).
Five of the scrapbooks are labelled on the front with a colour magazine clipping of the name 'The Beatles'. These coloured labels were taken from 'The Beatles Book', a fan magazine which the donor purchased at a Caringbah drug store for 3/6. The clippings are pasted in very neatly. As the donor explained, 'The neatness was part of the passion' (Judy Johnston to Peter Cox, 13/1/99).


The scrapbooks were all completed in the first half of 1964 and concluded with the Beatles Australian tour. 'By the time the Beatles visit was over the fan thing was just about over for me. I moved on'. (Judy Johnston to Peter Cox, 13/1/99).

Compiled by the donor Judy Johnston (nee Overett), who loved the Beatles with a passion. She saw the Beatles performing at the Sydney Stadium and has also kept the program from that Sydney concert and the program from the 1964 movie 'A Hard Day's Night'.

She was 16 years old when she saw the Beatles in concert. 'You couldn't hear them at all. The screaming went on and on and on after they left the stadium. They were able to clear the stadium by playing 'God Save the Queen'. That whole generation was used to standing up and being quiet. The screaming turned off like a tap when they played 'God Save the Queen'. (Judy Johnston to Peter Cox, 22/12/98).

The donor also saw other performers at the Sydney Stadium in the early 1960s. She remembers seeing Johnny Cash, the Playmates, Gene Vincent ('with his leg in plaster') and 'the guy who sang 'Rockin Robin' [Bobby Day], all on one bill' (Judy Johnston to Peter Cox, 13/1/99). She also remembers seeing concerts by Ray Charles, Peter Paul and Mary, Gene Pitney, Gerry and the Pacemakers, the Dave Clark Five, Peter and Gordon, Del Shannon, PJ Proby.

'The stadium had its method of accolade. If there was someone really great you would stamp your feet on the wooden boards. We did it for Del Shannon and I remember a kind of thunder. I saw PJ Proby, who split his pants. I wasn't too keen on him. In the end I sat outside with a policeman.' (Judy Johnston to Peter Cox, 13/1/99).


Kept by the donor until she decided to donate them in 1999.

Six scrapbooks devoted to the Beatles. Each scrapbook consists of an exercise book covered in brown paper, the pages inside printed with ruled lines. Within each book are pasted newspaper clippings and magazine articles, with colour and black and white pictures about the Beatles. Some of the clippings have been removed from colour magazines such as the 'Australian Women's Weekly' and 'Everybodys'. Five of the scrapbooks are labelled on the front with a colour magazine clipping of the name 'The Beatles'. These coloured labels were taken from 'The Beatles Book', a fan magazine.
Exercise book with 'The Beatles' in blue on the front cover. Contains clippings about the Beatles and their first US appearances.

Exercise book with 'The Beatles' in red on the front cover. Contains clippings about the Beatles.

Exercise book with 'The Beatles' in purple on the front cover. Contains clippings about the Beatles.

Exercise book with 'The Beatles' in blue on the front cover. Dated April-May1964. Contains clippings about the Beatles including their upcoming tour of Australia.

Exercise book with 'Beatles Visit' in red on the front cover, and a colour illustration of the Beatles (taken from the 'Women's Weekly') covering the front and back. Contains clippings of the Beatles' Australian tour in June 1964 and an original ticket stub.
Within the scrapbook:
a loose colour image of the band
a printed ruled sheet of paper with a quotation from John Lennon hand written by the donor.

Exercise book with blank cover. Contains pictures of Ringo Starr only.

Designed: Sydney

Made: Sydney; 1964


Used: The Beatles; Australia

None

99/105/1