The Indra Club in Hamburg, Germany, where the Beatles,
with Stu Sutcliffe, played before they became famous.
(Photo by Raymond Arritt/Wikimedia Commons)
The gravesite of one-time Beatle Stu Sutcliffe has been restored after years of neglect, thanks to a longtime Beatles fan.
Colin Unwin used his own money to clean up the headstone and repaint its gold lettering, reports the Liverpool Echo and the Manchester Evening News.
“After the sad tale of Strawberry Field, I wanted to tidy up Stuart’s grave. He was the forgotten Beatle and contributed so much to the band in its founder years," Unwin told the Echo.
“Before there was John and Paul there was John and Stuart, and it broke my heart to see his grave so neglected and at a 45-degree angle.”
The 62-year-old Unwin said he paid £50 to have the refurbishing job on the headstone done.
"If it had been £300, I still would have paid it," he told the Manchester Evening News.
“Fourteen years ago, during a visit to Strawberry Field, I picked a flower and planted it in my garden. I have now transferred this purple flower and planted it next to Stuart’s grave for the many fans who visit his grave to appreciate,” he told the Echo.
Somewhere, Stuart Sutcliffe is smiling.
Comments
How touching & lovely. Bless his hColin's heart for being such a caring person. I'm sure John is side by side with Stu, both smiling down on this gentle soul.
At the core of every Beatle fan is devotion. This brings new meanings and new highs to the band we followed for all those years. If you were in NYC just after we lost John or after we found out that George passed we can understand with clarity just what devotion is all about. I stand up and applaud Colin Unwin for his devotion to the Beatles and their roots. Stu Sutcliffe is very much a part of those roots as is Pete Best.
Forty years after the Beatles broke up anyone who keeps up with sites like this one and who continues to revere the Fab Four and their music has a deep sense of history. Colin is such a person. Well done ! All Beatle fans salute you !
After all Stuart and Pete were Beatles too.
Sad that it got in that condition in the first place. I realize Paul and Ringo are busy people (and are not part of Stu's immediate family), but surely they could have found some way or someone or some $ to provide for the upkeep of their mate's grave site. Maybe Stu was more of a friend to John than to Paul and Ringo, but still....he was once a Beatle too.
You guys know Ringo had nothing to do with Stu and Paul really didn't like Stu much...
hi all, thanks for all your comments as this person is my dad, he isnt used to the internet but can read and send emails his email address is colinunwin@live.co.uk if anyone is intrested in contacting him, he has also been the custodian of john lennons old house and has also repainted strawberry fields gates back to there former glory,
thanks for reading
dave
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