A few weeks before the Beatles' first trip to Hamburg, when Allan Williams was their first manager and agent, a photographer from the Sunday newspaper, The People, came to a flat in Liverpool. It was late at night. John Lennon was residing at the flate at the time though he appears to have been out when the photos were taken, thus, he is not in any of the photos. At the time The Beatles were known as the Silver Beetles and a poster advertising a gig by the band with Gerry and the Pacemakers, billed as 'THE BIG BEAT!' can be seen on the living room wall above the fireplace.
A series of articles in The People, called The Beatnik Horror, was already running when the photographs were taken in Liverpool for a later article in the series.
The photographs were taken in the flat where John lived in Gambier Terrace about a week before the article was published in The People in July 1960.
In the photos various people can be seen including Allan Williams (with a beard) Pete the Beat, Rod Murray, art college friend of Stuart Sutcliffe, (he's the one clowning around with a World War Two baby's gas mask and a notice which says "SOON"). Also in the photos two young men are sitting on a bed, one is holding a Belisha beacon.
Various paintings, probably by Stuart Sutcliffe, can be seen on the wall. A guitar in a case is standing in the corner by the door.
Photos credited to Harold Chapman, Liverpool, England.
The photographer took some photos in one of the bedrooms:
