ALAN WHALLEY'S WORLD

YET another lively chord has been struck regarding the ongoing Cavern Club and beat-group theme which seems to have unlocked so many memories for our middle-aged readership.

Jim Barrett, the St Helens Town diehard from Grant Close, who first set the old 'beat ball' rolling, now writes to tell me that his neighbour is none other than Chris Richmond of earlier Chris and the Autocrats fame.

Now approaching 50 and a grandad twice over, Chris was a 14-year-old vocalist with the group which started out in 1961-62 and was doing an early gig at a wedding reception in the Boars Head pub at Eltonhead Road for staff members at Rainhill Hospital. Among the guests were a certain Lennon, McCartney and Harrison, newly-returned from Hamburg. They informed Chris's group that they were about to release a record, having signed up with Parlophone, and that their type of music would revolutionise the pop scene.

"The rest is history," writes Jim, "but John Lennon's recommendation that Chris and the Autocrats should head down to Liverpool and seek out Bob Wooller came good for our local lads. They eventually went on to become support act at Morecambe Floral Hall to Brian Poole and the Tremeloes, The Hollies and Lulu and the Luvvers. And a booking at Trentham Gardens had them supporting the Merseybeats."

Chris's group is among those recorded on the fascia bricks of a Liverpool pub, named the Cavern in honour of the legendary cellar club - once the cradle of countless fledgling star acts and hopefuls.

I'D be delighted to hear further details of the Autocrats' career pattern and of their chance (and beneficial) meeting with the Beatles at that Sutton pub reception.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.