1957 Lennon forms a skiffle group, the Quarry Men, an early incarnation of the Beatles. Paul McCartney joins the group that year. Lennon enrols at Liverpool College of Art, where he meets his future wife Cynthia and Beatle-to-be Stuart Sutcliffe

1958 Lennon’s mother, Julia, dies in a road accident, an event that scars him for life

1960 The band changes its name to the Beatles and spends four stormy months gigging in Hamburg

1961 The Beatles make their debut at the Cavern, a club in central Liverpool. Brian Epstein offers to manage them

1962 The Beatles audition for Decca, who turn them down. They sign instead to Parlophone, part of EMI. Drummer Pete Best is sacked and replaced by Ringo Starr. Lennon marries Cynthia Powell. Stuart Sutcliffe dies of a brain hemorrhage aged 21. In October, the band’s first single, Love Me Do, is released

1963 The Beatles’ second single, Please Please Me, goes to No 1. Beatlemania is born as the band’s first album tops the charts. They play their last gig at the Cavern and appear at the Royal Variety Performance, where Lennon invites those in the expensive seats to “rattle your jewellery”. Julian Lennon born

1964 Mass hysteria as the Beatles arrive in the US at the start of an American tour. 73 million watch the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. First Beatles film, A Hard Day’s Night, is shot. Lennon’s first book, In His Own Write, published, earning its author a literary luncheon at Foyle’s. John and Cynthia Lennon move to Weybridge, Surrey

1965 The Beatles’ second film, Help!, is shot in the Bahamas. The band are appointed MBEs, causing several other MBEs to return their insignias. Lennon’s second book, A Spaniard in the Works, published. A record-breaking 56,000 attend a Beatles concert at Shea Stadium

1966 Lennon declares the Beatles are more popular than Jesus. Hysterical reaction in the US, where Beatles records are burnt. The Beatles give their last live performance, in San Francisco. Lennon meets Yoko Ono in London

1967 Sgt Pepper released. While the Beatles attend a course in transcendental meditation, Brian Epstein dies. The film Magical Mystery Tour is the Beatles’ first major flop

1968 John and Yoko start to appear together in public, later in the year releasing an avant-garde record on the sleeve of which they both appear naked. The pair go on stage at the Royal Albert Hall in a large white bag

1969 The film Let It Be charts the deteriorating relations within the Beatles. Lennon appoints an aggressive American lawyer, Allen Klein, to look after the group’s affairs, antagonising McCartney. John and Yoko married in Gibraltar. The couple hold a series of “bed-ins” to campaign for peace. Releases his first solo single, Give Peace a Chance. Returns his MBE to protest against the Vietnam War, among other things

1970 McCartney leaves the Beatles. Lennon’s first solo album, Plastic Ono Band

1971 The album Imagine is recorded in nine days

1975 After three miscarriages, and a period of estrangement from Lennon, Yoko gives birth to Sean Lennon in New in New York

1980 Dec 8. Lennon shot dead in New York

LENNON ONLINE

www.timesonline.co.uk/lennon

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