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Stuart Sutcliffe
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==Early years== Sutcliffe was the eldest child of Martha, known as Millie, a teacher at an infants' school{{sfn|Norman|2005|p=62}} and Charles Sutcliffe, a senior civil servant. Charles had moved to [[Liverpool]] in 1943 to help with wartime work and subsequently signed on as a ship's engineer, so he was often at sea during his son's early years. Sutcliffe had two younger sisters, Pauline and Joyce; three older half-brothers, Joe, Ian, and Charles; and an older half-sister, Mattie, from his father's first marriage to a woman also named Martha.{{sfn|Kane|2007|p=52}}{{sfn|Sutcliffe|Tufnell|Cornish|1998|p=30}} Sutcliffe was born at the [[Edinburgh Royal Maternity Hospital and Simpson Memorial Maternity Pavilion]] in [[Edinburgh]].<ref>{{cite news|last=McGinty|first=Stephen|title=Stephen McGinty: Scotland meant a lot more to the Beatles than just Mull of Kintyre|url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/stephen_mcginty_scotland_meant_a_lot_more_to_the_beatles_than_just_mull_of_kintyre_1_1795434|access-date=13 November 2011|newspaper=The Scotsman | location = Edinburgh |date=12 August 2011}}</ref> After his family moved to England,<ref name="Stuart Sutcliffe Estate">{{cite web |url=http://stuartsutcliffeart.com/about_stuart.html |title=Stuart |publisher=Stuart Sutcliffe Estate |access-date=1 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110622064538/http://stuartsutcliffeart.com/about_stuart.html |archive-date=22 June 2011}}</ref> he was brought up at 37 [[Aigburth]] Drive in Liverpool.{{sfn|Pawlowski|1989|p=88}} He attended Park View Primary School, [[Huyton]] (1946–1951), and [[Prescot School|Prescot Grammar School]] from 4 September 1951 to 1956.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/stuart-sutcliffe-school-beatles-story-11512980 |title = Stuart Sutcliffe's school reports reveal he had a 'mischievous character'|date = 23 June 2016}}</ref> When Sutcliffe's father returned home on leave, he invited his son and art college classmate Rod Murray (also Sutcliffe's housemate and best friend), for a "real good [[Alcoholic beverage|booze-up]]", slipping £10 into Sutcliffe's pocket before disappearing for another six months.{{sfn|Spitz|2005|p=105}} During his first year at the Liverpool College of Art, Sutcliffe worked as a [[bin man]] on the [[Liverpool Corporation]]'s waste collection trucks.<ref name="Sutcliffe's cheque book">[http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/mol/exhibitions/sutcliffe/cheque.asp Sutcliffe's cheque book -] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608062041/http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/mol/exhibitions/sutcliffe/cheque.asp |date=8 June 2011 }} liverpoolmuseums.org.uk. Retrieved 13 May 2007</ref> Lennon was introduced to Sutcliffe by mutual friend [[Bill Harry]] when all three were students at the College of Art. According to Lennon, Sutcliffe had a "marvellous art portfolio" and was a very talented painter who was one of the "stars" of the school.{{sfn|Spitz|2005|p=105}}{{sfn|Spitz|2005|p=107}} He helped Lennon improve his artistic skills, and with others, worked with him when Lennon had to submit work for exams.{{sfn|Sutcliffe|Tufnell|Cornish|1998|p=31}} Sutcliffe shared a flat with Murray at 9 Percy Street, Liverpool, before being evicted. He moved to Hillary Mansions at 3 Gambier Terrace, home of art student [[Margaret Chapman]], who vied with Sutcliffe to be the best painter in their class.<ref>[http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/mol/exhibitions/sutcliffe/painting.asp Painting by Sutcliffe in Percy Street flat] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060925013321/http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/mol/exhibitions/sutcliffe/painting.asp |date=25 September 2006 }} liverpoolmuseums.org.uk. Retrieved 13 May 2007</ref> The flat was opposite the new [[Liverpool Cathedral|Anglican cathedral]] in the rundown area of Liverpool 8, with bare lightbulbs and a mattress on the floor in the corner. Lennon moved in with Sutcliffe in early 1960.{{sfn|Miles|1997|p=50}}{{sfn|Lennon|2005|p=63}} ([[Paul McCartney]] later admitted he was jealous of Sutcliffe's relationship with Lennon, as he had to take a "back seat" to Sutcliffe.)<ref name="TheBeatlesAnthologyDVD">"The Beatles Anthology" (DVD) 2003 (Episode 1 – 0:27:24) McCartney talking about being jealous of Sutcliffe's friendship with Lennon.</ref> Sutcliffe and his flatmates painted the rooms yellow and black, which their landlady did not appreciate.<ref>Norman Allanson [http://triumphpc.com/mersey-beat/beatles/sutcliff2.shtml "I heard that Stuart had painted his room"], triumphpc.com. Retrieved 26 November 2007.</ref> After talking to Sutcliffe one night at [[the Casbah Coffee Club]] (owned by [[Pete Best]]'s mother, [[Mona Best]]), Lennon and McCartney persuaded him to buy a [[Höfner 500/5]] model bass guitar on hire-purchase from Frank Hessey's Music Shop.<ref name="Sutcliffe's cheque book"/><ref name=autogenerated2>"The Beatles Anthology" (DVD) 2003 (Episode 1 – 0:28:02) Harrison and McCartney talking about Sutcliffe's first bass guitar.</ref><ref>[http://www.rockmine.com/Stu2.html Sutcliffe's President Bass] rockmine.com. Retrieved: 9 May 2007</ref> Sutcliffe's prior music experience consisted of piano lessons, which his mother had insisted on since he was nine; singing in the Huyton church choir, playing [[Bugle (instrument)|bugle]] in the [[Air Training Corps]], and playing guitar using chords his father had taught him.{{sfn|Spitz|2005|p=173}}<ref>[http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/mol/exhibitions/sutcliffe/choir.asp Photo of Sutcliffe in church choir] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929092650/http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/mol/exhibitions/sutcliffe/choir.asp |date=29 September 2007 }} liverpoolmuseums.org.uk. Retrieved 13 May 2007</ref> In May 1960, Sutcliffe joined Lennon, McCartney, and [[George Harrison]] (then known as "[[the Silver Beatles]]").{{sfn|Coleman|1995|p=212}}{{sfn|Lennon|2005|p=66}} Although he had previously played [[acoustic guitar]], Sutcliffe's fingers would often blister during long rehearsals, as he had never practised long enough for his fingers to become [[callus|calloused]].{{Sfn|Lennon|2005|p=64}}<ref>[http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/mol/exhibitions/sutcliffe/guitar.asp Sutcliffe's first guitar] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927000109/http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/mol/exhibitions/sutcliffe/guitar.asp |date=27 September 2007 }} liverpoolmuseums.org.uk. Retrieved 13 May 2007</ref> He started acting as a [[booking agent]] for the group, and they often used his Gambier Terrace flat as a rehearsal room.{{sfn|Miles|1997|p=50}} In July 1960, the Sunday newspaper ''[[The Sunday People|The People]]'' ran an article titled "The Beatnik Horror" with a photograph taken in the flat below Sutcliffe's of a teenaged Lennon lying on the floor, with Sutcliffe standing by a window.{{sfn|Ryan|1982|p=43}} As they had often visited the Jacaranda club,{{sfn|Ryan|1982|p=53}} its owner, [[Allan Williams]], had arranged for the photo to be taken, subsequently taking over from Sutcliffe to book concerts for the group: Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Sutcliffe.{{sfn|Miles|1997|p=53}} The Beatles' subsequent name change came during an afternoon in the Renshaw Hall bar when Sutcliffe, Lennon, and Lennon's girlfriend, [[Cynthia Lennon|Cynthia Powell]], thought up names similar to Holly's band, the Crickets, and came up with Beetles.{{sfn|Spitz|2005|p=175}}
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