And nearly 60 years later, experts reckon her precious book containing big names including all four Beatles, could be worth £4,000.
Pamela Timson's Beatles autographs. A gesture of goodwill by a mystery member of The Beatles could earn a Nottinghamshire woman thousands of pounds as she prepares to part with treasured musical memories from the 1960s. See SWNS story SWMDbeattles. The Fab Four were so new on the music scene in 1963, Pamela Timson hadn’t worked out which Beatle was which when one popped out from a backstage door at the Granada Theatre in Mansfield, Notts 57 years ago. Pamela, then just 12, used to hang out there with friends and other young music fans in the hope of gaining autographs. When a musician or singer appeared, they’d all thrust their autograph books up in hope. Her book was among a few whisked away by the unknown Beatle. It was returned to her shortly afterwards with a full set of Beatles signatures - Paul McCartney, George Harrison, John Lennon and Ringo Starr. Now Pamela’s autograph book, which boasts other 1960s musical legends including Adam Faith, Roy Orbison and The Walker Brothers, is due to go under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers on July 21 with a guide price of £3,000-£4,000.
The Beatles signed Pamela’s book when she was aged 12, before they were global superstars. She waited for hours outside a stage door for one of her idols to have a cigarette break so she could ask them to sign her book.
Earlier she had been one of only a hundred people to watch them perform at the venue on March 26, 1963.
Her patience was finally rewarded when her red autograph book was among a few whisked away by one of the Fab Four, but Pamela was unable to identify who it was.
Minutes later it was returned to her with the signatures of Paul McCartney, George Harrison, John Lennon and Ringo Starr.
Pamela Timson in 1963. A gesture of goodwill by a mystery member of The Beatles could earn a Nottinghamshire woman thousands of pounds as she prepares to part with treasured musical memories from the 1960s. See SWNS story SWMDbeattles. The Fab Four were so new on the music scene in 1963, Pamela Timson hadn’t worked out which Beatle was which when one popped out from a backstage door at the Granada Theatre in Mansfield, Notts 57 years ago. Pamela, then just 12, used to hang out there with friends and other young music fans in the hope of gaining autographs. When a musician or singer appeared, they’d all thrust their autograph books up in hope. Her book was among a few whisked away by the unknown Beatle. It was returned to her shortly afterwards with a full set of Beatles signatures - Paul McCartney, George Harrison, John Lennon and Ringo Starr. Now Pamela’s autograph book, which boasts other 1960s musical legends including Adam Faith, Roy Orbison and The Walker Brothers, is due to go under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers on July 21 with a guide price of £3,000-£4,000.
Her autograph book, which also contains the signatures of 1960s music legends Adam Faith, Roy Orbison and The Walker Brothers, is going under the hammer with a guide price of between £3,000 and £4,000.
Pamela, 69, a retired building society customer advisor and gran from Worksop, said: “I was standing outside the stage door at the Granada on March 26, 1963, with friends, hoping against hope that someone would pop outside for a cigarette break.
“It happened that night when one of The Beatles appeared.
“Sadly, I hadn’t worked out who was who at that time and it all happened so quickly.
Jim Spencer of Hansons with the autograph book. A gesture of goodwill by a mystery member of The Beatles could earn a Nottinghamshire woman thousands of pounds as she prepares to part with treasured musical memories from the 1960s. See SWNS story SWMDbeattles. The Fab Four were so new on the music scene in 1963, Pamela Timson hadn’t worked out which Beatle was which when one popped out from a backstage door at the Granada Theatre in Mansfield, Notts 57 years ago. Pamela, then just 12, used to hang out there with friends and other young music fans in the hope of gaining autographs. When a musician or singer appeared, they’d all thrust their autograph books up in hope. Her book was among a few whisked away by the unknown Beatle. It was returned to her shortly afterwards with a full set of Beatles signatures - Paul McCartney, George Harrison, John Lennon and Ringo Starr. Now Pamela’s autograph book, which boasts other 1960s musical legends including Adam Faith, Roy Orbison and The Walker Brothers, is due to go under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers on July 21 with a guide price of £3,000-£4,000.
“They’d only just released Please Please Me and were yet to have a number one hit.
“And though one of The Beatles took the book away, someone else brought it back.
“Thank you, whichever Beatle you were, for taking my book and getting it signed by the Fab Four.
“Only later as their success grew did I realise I was the owner of something very special.
Pamela Timson's, Walker Brothers autographs. A gesture of goodwill by a mystery member of The Beatles could earn a Nottinghamshire woman thousands of pounds as she prepares to part with treasured musical memories from the 1960s. See SWNS story SWMDbeattles. The Fab Four were so new on the music scene in 1963, Pamela Timson hadn’t worked out which Beatle was which when one popped out from a backstage door at the Granada Theatre in Mansfield, Notts 57 years ago. Pamela, then just 12, used to hang out there with friends and other young music fans in the hope of gaining autographs. When a musician or singer appeared, they’d all thrust their autograph books up in hope. Her book was among a few whisked away by the unknown Beatle. It was returned to her shortly afterwards with a full set of Beatles signatures - Paul McCartney, George Harrison, John Lennon and Ringo Starr. Now Pamela’s autograph book, which boasts other 1960s musical legends including Adam Faith, Roy Orbison and The Walker Brothers, is due to go under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers on July 21 with a guide price of £3,000-£4,000.
“I’m now approaching my 70th birthday and as I look at my autograph book, I realise how lucky I was to be a teenager at that time.
“In 1962, at the age of 12, I discovered the Granada Theatre in Mansfield.
“It was a few miles from my home and regularly presented live music shows. I could now see my favourites in person for the princely sum of six shillings and sixpence in old money.
“These were the days before large stadiums packed in thousands of fans to enjoy the sights and sounds of the famous.
“It was tough on the road in those early days for both up-and-coming and established artists.
“They played small venues in front of a few hundred fans. They’d go to a different town every night and weren’t earning megabucks.
Pamela Timson's Adam Faith autograph. A gesture of goodwill by a mystery member of The Beatles could earn a Nottinghamshire woman thousands of pounds as she prepares to part with treasured musical memories from the 1960s. See SWNS story SWMDbeattles. The Fab Four were so new on the music scene in 1963, Pamela Timson hadn’t worked out which Beatle was which when one popped out from a backstage door at the Granada Theatre in Mansfield, Notts 57 years ago. Pamela, then just 12, used to hang out there with friends and other young music fans in the hope of gaining autographs. When a musician or singer appeared, they’d all thrust their autograph books up in hope. Her book was among a few whisked away by the unknown Beatle. It was returned to her shortly afterwards with a full set of Beatles signatures - Paul McCartney, George Harrison, John Lennon and Ringo Starr. Now Pamela’s autograph book, which boasts other 1960s musical legends including Adam Faith, Roy Orbison and The Walker Brothers, is due to go under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers on July 21 with a guide price of £3,000-£4,000.
“I was lucky. I got to see many of my favourites and some of their autographs are in my book including Del Shannon, Brian Hyland and Dion DiMucci. Dion and The Belmonts were on the bill for Buddy Holly’s final concert at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa,in 1959.
“I saw Little Richard in October 1962. I had tickets for the early evening show, thankfully, as when he came on stage for the late evening show fans stormed the stage and he never got to perform his set.
“As I approach 70, I feel It’s time for someone else to enjoy them. I hope whoever buys my book of nostalgia and memories will treasure and appreciate it as I have done for the past 60 years.”
The autograph book will be sold at Hansons Auctioneers next Tuesday July 21.
