Young John

John Lennon

John Winston Lennon was born on October 9, 1940 in Liverpool, England, during an air raid. At first, he was raised by his mother and father, Julia and Fred Lennon. Fred was a merchant marine and left when John was three. His mother was unable to cope and left John with his more stable Aunt Mimi (her sister). Even at a young age, John played harmonica and drew pictures and wrote stories. He always felt out of place at school, feeling no one realized he was an artistic genius, while being forced to do math and science. In his teens, he listened to all the American rock and roll he could get a hold of. He begin visiting his mother, and she taught him how to play the banjo. He went on to Liverpool Art College, where he was known as a Teddy boy (rocker), and played in a skiffle band, the Quarrymen. John was devastated when his mother died when he was 17. She was run down at the bus stop by a drunk off-duty cop. He met his first wife, Cynthia Powell while at art school. They married in 1963 when she became pregnant with their son, Julian. In 1968, he and Cynthia divorced when he openly began an affair with Japanese artist, Yoko Ono. Yoko and John married in 1969 and were inseparable until 1974 when they separated briefly. During this time, John began abusing drugs and partying all night with friends. They resolved their differences, and after many years of trying and disappointing miscarriages, Yoko gave birth to Sean Ono Lennon on John’s birthday, October 9th, 1976. John became a reclusive house husband to raise his son while Yoko handled their business affairs. In November 1980, John released a new album, “Double Fantasy” and the hit single “Starting Over.” However, on December 8th, 1980, John signed an autograph for fan Mark David Chapman. On return from Geffen Studios, Chapman fired a spray of bullets at John. He died at the hospital. Friends, family and millions of fans mourned his loss world-wide, and held a candle light vigil outside his New York apartment building, the Dakota, for days. Yoko has continued to release his recordings post humously.


1940s	1950s	1960s	1970s	1980
John Lennon John Winston Lennon was born on October 9, 1940 in Liverpool, England, during an air raid. At first, he was raised by his mother and father, Julia and Fred Lennon. Fred was a merchant marine and left when John was three. His mother was unable to cope and left John with his more stable Aunt Mimi (her sister). Even at a young age, John played harmonica and drew pictures and wrote stories. He always felt out of place at school, feeling no one realized he was an artistic genius, while being forced to do math and science. In his teens, he listened to all the American rock and roll he could get a hold of. He begin visiting his mother, and she taught him how to play the banjo. He went on to Liverpool Art College, where he was known as a Teddy boy (rocker), and played in a skiffle band, the Quarrymen. John was devastated when his mother died when he was 17. She was run down at the bus stop by a drunk off-duty cop. He met his first wife, Cynthia Powell while at art school. They married in 1963 when she became pregnant with their son, Julian. In 1968, he and Cynthia divorced when he openly began an affair with Japanese artist, Yoko Ono. Yoko and John married in 1969 and were inseparable until 1974 when they separated briefly. During this time, John began abusing drugs and partying all night with friends. They resolved their differences, and after many years of trying and disappointing miscarriages, Yoko gave birth to Sean Ono Lennon on John’s birthday, October 9th, 1976. John became a reclusive house husband to raise his son while Yoko handled their business affairs. In November 1980, John released a new album, “Double Fantasy” and the hit single “Starting Over.” However, on December 8th, 1980, John signed an autograph for fan Mark David Chapman. On return from Geffen Studios, Chapman fired a spray of bullets at John. He died at the hospital. Friends, family and millions of fans mourned his loss world-wide, and held a candle light vigil outside his New York apartment building, the Dakota, for days. Yoko has continued to release his recordings post humously.

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