George Harrison's Mum Was 'Disgusted' & 'Ashamed' By Beatles Fans Screaming At Gigs

As letters from George Harrison’s mother, Louise Harrison, go under the hammer at the Liverpool Beatles Memorabilia Auction on Saturday, 26 August, BBC News has shared one of the highlights from the collection.

One of the letters up for auction is a letter from Louise Harrison to a Beatles fan, Janet Gray, which Harrison wrote after witnessing The Beatles put on a show in Manchester. Harrison recalled feeling “disgusted” by Beatlemania in 1963, writing:

Nobody with any sense would pay and queue for a ticket just to stand on a seat and scream and not hear one sound from the stage.

In one of 25 letters from Harrison to Gray set to be auctioned this month, George’s mum wrote that she was “disgusted at the way the so-called fans just screamed”.

“I was really ashamed I was a female,” Harrison added, telling Gray to “try and remember that your mum is your best friend, even if you don't see eye-to-eye on some issues.

“Thank God I get on fine with all my four children, and they with each other.” The letter is estimated to sell between £100-£150 ($197-$295 AUD). You can take a look at other letters from Louise Harrison here.

In 2021, the 50th anniversary of Harrison’s All Things Must Pass was celebrated with a nature-inspired recreation of his album cover - which re-entered the charts following its special release the week before.

Created by artist Ruth Davis, the piece was a large-scale rendition of the cover's famous gnomes, featuring giant gumboots made with local flowers. The installation was erected in Duke of York Square, London.

Harrison's son Dhani explained about the installation, “The connection with source and the connection with nature, that's how he meditated and prayed - his was gardening”.

The late musician’s wife, Olivia, called the final product “the most joyous thing I have ever seen” upon seeing it for the first time.