The Beatles fans to see dozens of letters sent to Ringo Starr’s home go on display

Dozens of letters sent to The Beatles by fans from across the world will go on display for the first time after being sent to several of Ringo Starr’s home addresses

The Beatles had fan mail from across the globe(Image: Popperfoto via Getty Images)

Bizarre fan mail sent to The Beatles in their heyday is to feature in a new exhibition put together by a devoted collector. The letters of yesteryear were written by besotted teenagers to Paul McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison and sent to Ringo Starr’s homes in London, Liverpool and Surrey.

Some were addressed with door numbers the wrong way around. One stated simply: ‘Ringo Starr, Liverpool, England’. There were requests like ‘Please give to Paul’ or ‘Please give to John’. Yet, somehow, they all ended up in the hands of the Beatles drummer. Many asked individual band members to write back to them directly, and had return addresses both inside and on the outside of the envelopes. They are to feature in a new exhibition inspired by “100 letters to Ringo” from fans as far afield as Australia, Brazil, and Spain.

They would often have no address or the wrong house number
One of the letters to Ringo Starr

READ MORE: GAP’s £75 denim bomber jacket is the perfect spring wardrobe staple

Memorabilia collector Joseph Robert O’Donnell has amassed the collection of fan mail dating from Sept., 1965 to Jan., 1966. They ended up with Roger Hopkins, who was Ringo’s ‘odd job man’ at his ‘Sunny Heights’ property in Weybridge, Surrey. Roger worked for the star at the height of his fame, and lived in a caravan on the property.

He and his then girlfriend Iris, who later became his wife, would occasionally socialise with Ringo and his first wife, Maureen Cox. hey married in 1965 and divorced in 1975. Their marriage produced three children: Zak, Jason, and Lee Starkey.

Article continues below
The bizarre collection was sent to Ringo at various UK addresses
Joseph Robert O’Donnell with the letters

Joseph, 28, of North Shields, North Tyneside, said: “There are 84 letters in total, and more than half of them have clear return addresses. “I have written letters to these fans, hoping that someone who knows them still lives at the old addresses. The goal is to obtain a further 16 letters and exhibit these fascinating pieces of Beatles history as ‘100 Letters to Ringo’.

“I’d also love to speak to any Royal Mail workers from this time, to learn more about the volume of letters sent to The Beatles”. Roger, of Wokingham, has fond memories of his time with Ringo.

The letters were kept for Roger's dad, who collected stamps
Ringo and his odd job man Roger

The Surrey home was often besieged by fans. Paul McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison were regular visitors. “John usually turned up on his moped,” Roger recalled. “One winter’s day, as John was leaving, he skidded and fell off. There were lots of female fans gathered outside.

“They all rushed over to help John. When I went to check on him, he just grinned and said he was fine. The fans were gobsmacked at the chance to touch and talk to John Lennon.

“He signed autographs for all of them, got back on his moped and headed home.” The letters cover an important period in the Beatles history.

He would answer fans letters even at the height of the Beatles fame
Ringo with the fanmail

Their album Rubber Soul, released in 1965, saw a shift to sophisticated songwriting and experimentation, paving the way for their later psychedelic work. The group had just completed their second film, Help!, and continued to dominate the charts worldwide. Their success meant they were busy touring, recording, and appearing on TV. Ringo happily answered fanmail until 2008, when he announced that he would no longer accept nor sign autographs and correspondence.

In 1991, Ringo featured in an episode of ‘The Simpsons’ when Marge reveals that she was once a huge fan and had sent him letters along with portraits she painted of him.

Ringo rented his flat in Montague Square, London, to guitar legend Jimi Hendrix, before evicting him. John Lennon and Yoko Ono were staying there when they were arrested for drug possession, and posed naked there for the ‘Two Virgins’ album.

All the letters, along with the names of the fans Joseph hopes to contact, are on his website: www.josephrobertodonnell.com.

Article continues below

The Beatles fans to see dozens of letters sent to Ringo Starr’s home go on display

Dozens of letters sent to The Beatles by fans from across the world will go on display for the first time after being sent to several of Ringo Starr’s home addresses

The Beatles had fan mail from across the globe(Image: Popperfoto via Getty Images)

Bizarre fan mail sent to The Beatles in their heyday is to feature in a new exhibition put together by a devoted collector. The letters of yesteryear were written by besotted teenagers to Paul McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison and sent to Ringo Starr’s homes in London, Liverpool and Surrey.

Some were addressed with door numbers the wrong way around. One stated simply: ‘Ringo Starr, Liverpool, England’. There were requests like ‘Please give to Paul’ or ‘Please give to John’. Yet, somehow, they all ended up in the hands of the Beatles drummer. Many asked individual band members to write back to them directly, and had return addresses both inside and on the outside of the envelopes. They are to feature in a new exhibition inspired by “100 letters to Ringo” from fans as far afield as Australia, Brazil, and Spain.

They would often have no address or the wrong house number
One of the letters to Ringo Starr

READ MORE: GAP’s £75 denim bomber jacket is the perfect spring wardrobe staple

Memorabilia collector Joseph Robert O’Donnell has amassed the collection of fan mail dating from Sept., 1965 to Jan., 1966. They ended up with Roger Hopkins, who was Ringo’s ‘odd job man’ at his ‘Sunny Heights’ property in Weybridge, Surrey. Roger worked for the star at the height of his fame, and lived in a caravan on the property.

He and his then girlfriend Iris, who later became his wife, would occasionally socialise with Ringo and his first wife, Maureen Cox. hey married in 1965 and divorced in 1975. Their marriage produced three children: Zak, Jason, and Lee Starkey.

Article continues below
The bizarre collection was sent to Ringo at various UK addresses
Joseph Robert O’Donnell with the letters

Joseph, 28, of North Shields, North Tyneside, said: “There are 84 letters in total, and more than half of them have clear return addresses. “I have written letters to these fans, hoping that someone who knows them still lives at the old addresses. The goal is to obtain a further 16 letters and exhibit these fascinating pieces of Beatles history as ‘100 Letters to Ringo’.

“I’d also love to speak to any Royal Mail workers from this time, to learn more about the volume of letters sent to The Beatles”. Roger, of Wokingham, has fond memories of his time with Ringo.

The letters were kept for Roger's dad, who collected stamps
Ringo and his odd job man Roger

The Surrey home was often besieged by fans. Paul McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison were regular visitors. “John usually turned up on his moped,” Roger recalled. “One winter’s day, as John was leaving, he skidded and fell off. There were lots of female fans gathered outside.

“They all rushed over to help John. When I went to check on him, he just grinned and said he was fine. The fans were gobsmacked at the chance to touch and talk to John Lennon.

“He signed autographs for all of them, got back on his moped and headed home.” The letters cover an important period in the Beatles history.

He would answer fans letters even at the height of the Beatles fame
Ringo with the fanmail

Their album Rubber Soul, released in 1965, saw a shift to sophisticated songwriting and experimentation, paving the way for their later psychedelic work. The group had just completed their second film, Help!, and continued to dominate the charts worldwide. Their success meant they were busy touring, recording, and appearing on TV. Ringo happily answered fanmail until 2008, when he announced that he would no longer accept nor sign autographs and correspondence.

In 1991, Ringo featured in an episode of ‘The Simpsons’ when Marge reveals that she was once a huge fan and had sent him letters along with portraits she painted of him.

Ringo rented his flat in Montague Square, London, to guitar legend Jimi Hendrix, before evicting him. John Lennon and Yoko Ono were staying there when they were arrested for drug possession, and posed naked there for the ‘Two Virgins’ album.

All the letters, along with the names of the fans Joseph hopes to contact, are on his website: www.josephrobertodonnell.com.

Article continues below

The Beatles fans to see dozens of letters sent to Ringo Starr’s home go on display

Dozens of letters sent to The Beatles by fans from across the world will go on display for the first time after being sent to several of Ringo Starr’s home addresses

The Beatles had fan mail from across the globe(Image: Popperfoto via Getty Images)

Bizarre fan mail sent to The Beatles in their heyday is to feature in a new exhibition put together by a devoted collector. The letters of yesteryear were written by besotted teenagers to Paul McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison and sent to Ringo Starr’s homes in London, Liverpool and Surrey.

Some were addressed with door numbers the wrong way around. One stated simply: ‘Ringo Starr, Liverpool, England’. There were requests like ‘Please give to Paul’ or ‘Please give to John’. Yet, somehow, they all ended up in the hands of the Beatles drummer. Many asked individual band members to write back to them directly, and had return addresses both inside and on the outside of the envelopes. They are to feature in a new exhibition inspired by “100 letters to Ringo” from fans as far afield as Australia, Brazil, and Spain.

They would often have no address or the wrong house number
One of the letters to Ringo Starr

READ MORE: GAP’s £75 denim bomber jacket is the perfect spring wardrobe staple

Memorabilia collector Joseph Robert O’Donnell has amassed the collection of fan mail dating from Sept., 1965 to Jan., 1966. They ended up with Roger Hopkins, who was Ringo’s ‘odd job man’ at his ‘Sunny Heights’ property in Weybridge, Surrey. Roger worked for the star at the height of his fame, and lived in a caravan on the property.

He and his then girlfriend Iris, who later became his wife, would occasionally socialise with Ringo and his first wife, Maureen Cox. hey married in 1965 and divorced in 1975. Their marriage produced three children: Zak, Jason, and Lee Starkey.

Article continues below
The bizarre collection was sent to Ringo at various UK addresses
Joseph Robert O’Donnell with the letters

Joseph, 28, of North Shields, North Tyneside, said: “There are 84 letters in total, and more than half of them have clear return addresses. “I have written letters to these fans, hoping that someone who knows them still lives at the old addresses. The goal is to obtain a further 16 letters and exhibit these fascinating pieces of Beatles history as ‘100 Letters to Ringo’.

“I’d also love to speak to any Royal Mail workers from this time, to learn more about the volume of letters sent to The Beatles”. Roger, of Wokingham, has fond memories of his time with Ringo.

The letters were kept for Roger's dad, who collected stamps
Ringo and his odd job man Roger

The Surrey home was often besieged by fans. Paul McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison were regular visitors. “John usually turned up on his moped,” Roger recalled. “One winter’s day, as John was leaving, he skidded and fell off. There were lots of female fans gathered outside.

“They all rushed over to help John. When I went to check on him, he just grinned and said he was fine. The fans were gobsmacked at the chance to touch and talk to John Lennon.

“He signed autographs for all of them, got back on his moped and headed home.” The letters cover an important period in the Beatles history.

He would answer fans letters even at the height of the Beatles fame
Ringo with the fanmail

Their album Rubber Soul, released in 1965, saw a shift to sophisticated songwriting and experimentation, paving the way for their later psychedelic work. The group had just completed their second film, Help!, and continued to dominate the charts worldwide. Their success meant they were busy touring, recording, and appearing on TV. Ringo happily answered fanmail until 2008, when he announced that he would no longer accept nor sign autographs and correspondence.

In 1991, Ringo featured in an episode of ‘The Simpsons’ when Marge reveals that she was once a huge fan and had sent him letters along with portraits she painted of him.

Ringo rented his flat in Montague Square, London, to guitar legend Jimi Hendrix, before evicting him. John Lennon and Yoko Ono were staying there when they were arrested for drug possession, and posed naked there for the ‘Two Virgins’ album.

All the letters, along with the names of the fans Joseph hopes to contact, are on his website: www.josephrobertodonnell.com.

Article continues below

World Handicap System manipulators are cheats – R&A

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With Rory McIlroy’s Masters success – and career Grand Slam – expected to inspire a surge in participation, golf bosses are warning humble hackers to avoid cheating on their handicaps.

Millions of recreational players in Great Britain and Ireland are being sent information on how to stick to the rules of the controversial World Handicapping System (WHS) which was introduced in 2020.

Administrators admit the system is open to abuse and some players artificially manipulate handicaps to improve their chances of winning amateur competitions.

“Through our research it’s clear that in Great Britain and Ireland there are some specific concerns around the system,” Grant Moir, the R&A’s executive director of governance told BBC Sport.

“And particularly there is a perception that there are a small minority of players that are manipulating the system.

“We recognise that even if it is only a small number doing this then it can impact on competition golf and it negatively impacts on golfers’ opinions of WHS.

WHS was brought in to help make golf more inclusive. Players do not have to be a club member to acquire a handicap which can then be used at any course in the world.

In line with scores submitted, golfers are given a ‘handicap index’ which will provide the appropriate number of shots for the difficulty of the course they are playing. This should enable players of all abilities to play against each other.

Under the new system, scores from ‘general play’, rather than solely from rounds in formal competitions, can be submitted. The arrangement depends on the honesty of golfers to enter scores that reflect their true ability.

“The rules of golf and handicapping rely on the integrity of players,” Moir added. “And we all need to be prepared to challenge any behaviour that lacks that integrity.

“We want golfers to take the same view on the rules of handicapping as they would on the rules of golf.

“We know that it is very, very rare for people to seek to play other than in accordance with the rules of golf and we need people to view the rules of handicapping in exactly the same way.”

Golfers and club committees are receiving reminders on how the system should be implemented.

“We’ve got a social media and e-newsletter campaign,” Moir said. “We at the R&A are collaborating with England Golf, Golf Ireland, Scottish Golf and Wales Golf to address some of these concerns.

“The principle purpose of the campaign is to raise awareness among golfers, but also with handicapping committees as to what their own responsibilities are within the rules.”

Officials insist the new system works well and point to growing participation numbers, which are expected to be further boosted by McIlroy’s dramatic and inspirational play-off win in Augusta.

Last year, 14 million handicap cards were submitted in Great Britain and Ireland – up 1.4 million on 2023 – while nine million of those came from competition play.

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  • Golf

World Handicap System manipulators are cheats – R&A

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  • 503 Comments

With Rory McIlroy’s Masters success – and career Grand Slam – expected to inspire a surge in participation, golf bosses are warning humble hackers to avoid cheating on their handicaps.

Millions of recreational players in Great Britain and Ireland are being sent information on how to stick to the rules of the controversial World Handicapping System (WHS) which was introduced in 2020.

Administrators admit the system is open to abuse and some players artificially manipulate handicaps to improve their chances of winning amateur competitions.

“Through our research it’s clear that in Great Britain and Ireland there are some specific concerns around the system,” Grant Moir, the R&A’s executive director of governance told BBC Sport.

“And particularly there is a perception that there are a small minority of players that are manipulating the system.

“We recognise that even if it is only a small number doing this then it can impact on competition golf and it negatively impacts on golfers’ opinions of WHS.

WHS was brought in to help make golf more inclusive. Players do not have to be a club member to acquire a handicap which can then be used at any course in the world.

In line with scores submitted, golfers are given a ‘handicap index’ which will provide the appropriate number of shots for the difficulty of the course they are playing. This should enable players of all abilities to play against each other.

Under the new system, scores from ‘general play’, rather than solely from rounds in formal competitions, can be submitted. The arrangement depends on the honesty of golfers to enter scores that reflect their true ability.

“The rules of golf and handicapping rely on the integrity of players,” Moir added. “And we all need to be prepared to challenge any behaviour that lacks that integrity.

“We want golfers to take the same view on the rules of handicapping as they would on the rules of golf.

“We know that it is very, very rare for people to seek to play other than in accordance with the rules of golf and we need people to view the rules of handicapping in exactly the same way.”

Golfers and club committees are receiving reminders on how the system should be implemented.

“We’ve got a social media and e-newsletter campaign,” Moir said. “We at the R&A are collaborating with England Golf, Golf Ireland, Scottish Golf and Wales Golf to address some of these concerns.

“The principle purpose of the campaign is to raise awareness among golfers, but also with handicapping committees as to what their own responsibilities are within the rules.”

Officials insist the new system works well and point to growing participation numbers, which are expected to be further boosted by McIlroy’s dramatic and inspirational play-off win in Augusta.

Last year, 14 million handicap cards were submitted in Great Britain and Ireland – up 1.4 million on 2023 – while nine million of those came from competition play.

Related topics

  • Golf

Russia’s Putin, Qatar’s emir discuss Syria and Gaza at Moscow talks

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has told Russian President Vladimir Putin that Syria’s new leader is keen to build ties with Moscow.

At talks in the Russian capital on Thursday, Al Thani assured the Russian leader that interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa was seeking to build relations with Russia, after the removal of former President Bashar al-Assad, who was a close ally of Moscow.

“As for Syria, a few days ago President al-Sharaa was in Qatar, and we spoke with him about the historical and strategic relationship between Syria and Russia”, Al Thani told Putin.

The talks come as Putin attempts to retain Russia’s use of two military bases in Syria to maintain its influence in the region after al-Assad fled the country in December as opposition fighters led by Ahmed al-Sharaa closed in on the capital.

Putin said Syria’s situation, rocked by sectarian violence in recent weeks, was of serious importance.

“We would like to do everything to ensure that Syria, firstly, remains a sovereign, independent and territorially integral state, and we would like to discuss with you the possibility of providing assistance to the Syrian people, including humanitarian assistance”, the Kremlin leader told the emir.

The two men also discussed the situation in Gaza, where Qatar played a key role in brokering a January ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas for a three-phase ceasefire.

Israel restarted its offensive in the besieged enclave in March, and talks to try to restore the ceasefire have so far failed to achieve a breakthrough.

“We reached an agreement regarding Gaza a few months back, but Israel has not adhered to the agreement”, Al Thani said.

“Qatar, in its role as a mediator, will strive to bridge differing perspectives in an effort to reach an agreement to end the suffering of the Palestinian people”.

Putin told the emir, “We know that Qatar is making very serious efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Unfortunately, the initiatives put forward, including by you, have not been implemented. Peaceful people continue to die in Palestine, which is an absolute tragedy of today”.