Liverpool College of Art | Documents relating to Stuart Sutcliffe and Cynthia Powell, 1958-1959

Liverpool College of Art

Two sets of exam results, including Cynthia Powell [Lennon] and Stuart Sutcliffe, comprising:

i) A Monthly Assessment Of Results for 3^rd and 4^th Year Painters 1958-1959, a lined leaf, inscribed at the top and listing twenty-four students names, including Stuart Sutcliffe and Rodney Murray, their marks between October 1958 and March 1959, and an explanation of the ‘Marking System’, (330 x 200.3 mm.)

ii) Second Year Exam Results 1958-1959, a printed leaf, with typescript heading ‘Intermediate Drawing School Second Year – Group 3, College Records 1958-59’ with handwritten details for the half year assessment, January-February 1959; listing 15 students including: Cynthia Powell, Anthony Carricker, [Tony], Phyllis McKenzie, Rodney Murray, Russell Mahomed [Jeff] and Margaret Morris and five teachers including Arthur Ballard, John Lennon’s tutor to whom, according to the vendor, this sheet belonged, (205.2 x 200.3 mm.)

-Monthly assessment: general discolouration with age and rubbed edges to corners and edges of leaf – overall good

-Second Year Group 3 Assessment: general discolouration with age, top has torn left hand corner and paper loss along top edge and right hand corner, several pin holes at corners – overall fair to good

In addition to Stuart Sutcliffe, the Beatles’ original bass guitarist, and Cynthia Powell, who in 1963 became John’s wife and mother of his son Julian, a number of the students’ names listed in these Art College assessments held a particular resonance for Lennon at this time:

- Anthony (Tony) Carricker was one of John’s most influential friends at college. Carricker had a passion for American Rock and Roll and Rhythm and Blues and a phenomenal record collection to boot. This he supplemented with records borrowed from the American Embassy and thus broadened Lennon’s musical horizons at a key period in his life.

- Jeff Mahomed was another close friend of John’s. It is said that Jeff encouraged Lennon to ask Cynthia to dance with him at the end of their second year.

- Rod Murray was a close friend of Stuart Sutcliffe. Rod lived with John and Sutcliffe in a number of different flats. He was also asked to join the Quarrymen.

- Margaret Morris (Diz) lived with Murray and Sutcliffe in Percy Street and Gambier Terrace and also became Rod’s girlfriend.

- Phyllis McKenzie became a lifelong friend of Cynthia Lennon.