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Alfred LennonSailor, musician, father of John Lennon
Date of Birth: 14.12.1912
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- Biography of Alfred Lennon
- Early Adulthood
- Marriage and Family
- Reunion with John Lennon
- Later Years and Death
Biography of Alfred Lennon
Childhood and Early LifeAlfred Lennon, the father of legendary English musician John Lennon, had a childhood that was not well-documented. Despite the challenges he faced, Alfred was a carefree and joyful boy. After the death of his father, Alfred and his sister Edith were sent to an orphanage. He suffered from rickets during his childhood and never grew taller than 1.62 meters. Alfred developed an interest in music at a young age, as there were rumors that his father and grandfather were talented singers. In 1927, he successfully auditioned for the children's group 'Will Murray's Gang' at the Liverpool Empire Theatre. However, his artistic career was short-lived as he was caught and returned to the orphanage after escaping to join the group in Glasgow.
Early Adulthood
At the age of 15, Alfred left the orphanage and quickly found a job as a courier in a local company. However, he had no interest in his job and preferred spending time in local vaudeville theaters and cinemas. It was in a club called 'Trocadero' that Alfred met Julia Stanley, and they had their first conversation in Sefton Park. Their romance blossomed, and Alfred even turned down a lucrative offer to join a two-year expedition on a whaling ship in order to be with Julia. However, Julia's father did not approve of Alfred, and it was he who arranged the offer to keep them apart.
Marriage and Family
On December 3, 1938, Alfred and Julia got married, 11 years after their first meeting. Alfred worked on merchant ships to support the family but was rarely in Liverpool. In 1943, Alfred disappeared without a trace, and neither Julia nor the merchant fleet knew his whereabouts. He returned home on January 13, 1945, when Julia was already pregnant with another man's child. Julia refused any help from Alfred's side of the family, so Alfred took John to live with his brother while their daughter Victoria was given up for adoption.
Reunion with John Lennon
Alfred explained his disappearance with a convoluted story, claiming he spent nine days in military prison for stealing a bottle of beer and then escaped from an Arab criminal group. Regardless, Alfred's career at sea did not go well, and he finally gave up after a six-month prison sentence for attempting to rob a store. Meanwhile, John was being cared for by Julia's sister, Mimi Smith. Alfred reunited with his son during the height of Beatlemania, learning about his impressive achievements accidentally. He attended one of The Beatles' concerts and then visited Brian Epstein's office, where he was introduced to John. Their first meeting was not warm, and John did not even shake his father's hand. Alfred tried to convince John that family should never be abandoned, but it did not impress him, and their conversation ended abruptly. A few weeks later, Alfred visited John at home and had a conversation with his wife, Cynthia. This news upset John as he discovered that his father had started a music career. Alfred's debut record, "That's My Life (My Love and My Home)," was released on December 31, 1965, but John asked Epstein to sabotage its success. Unfortunately, Alfred never achieved success in the music industry.
Later Years and Death
In 1976, Alfred was diagnosed with stomach cancer. His fiancée, Pauline Jones, contacted John Lennon to inform him of the sad news. John sent his father a bouquet and apologized for his previous behavior in a telephone conversation. Alfred Lennon passed away on April 1, 1976.
