On Saturday 13 July 1968, John Lennon visited his aunt Mimi Smith at her home in Sandbanks, Poole, Dorset — bringing his girlfriend Yoko Ono with him. It was the first time the two women had met.
| Date | Saturday 13 July 1968 |
| Location | Harbour’s Edge, 126 Panorama Road, Sandbanks, Poole, Dorset |
| Occasion | First meeting between Mimi Smith and Yoko Ono |
| Context | Weekend break during White Album recording sessions |
The visit
The Beatles had the weekend free from the recording sessions for what would become The Beatles (the White Album), and Lennon took the opportunity to visit his aunt Mimi in Poole. He brought Yoko Ono with him — the Japanese artist and avant-garde musician who had become his partner earlier that year, following the breakdown of his marriage to Cynthia Lennon.
It was the first time Mimi Smith and Yoko Ono had met. Mimi was famously protective of her nephew and had strong opinions about the women in his life. Her reaction to Yoko has been the subject of much speculation over the years; accounts suggest the meeting was polite but not warm. Mimi reportedly never fully warmed to Yoko, though she maintained contact with Lennon until his death in 1980.
Mimi Smith and John Lennon
Mary Elizabeth ‘Mimi’ Smith (1906–1991) was John Lennon’s maternal aunt and the woman who raised him. When Lennon’s mother Julia was unable to care for him, Mimi and her husband George Smith took the young John in at their home, Mendips, at 251 Menlove Avenue in Woolton, Liverpool. Lennon lived there from the age of five until he left for art college.
Mimi was famously sceptical of Lennon’s musical ambitions. She is said to have told him repeatedly: “The guitar’s all very well, John, but you’ll never make a living out of it.” Lennon later had the phrase engraved on a silver plate and sent it to her.
After her husband George died in 1955, Mimi continued to live at Mendips. In 1965, Lennon bought her a bungalow called Harbour’s Edge at 126 Panorama Road in Sandbanks, Poole, for £25,000. She moved there and lived at the property until her death in 1991. The house was subsequently sold and later demolished.
Yoko Ono and John Lennon in 1968
John Lennon and Yoko Ono had grown close through their shared interest in avant-garde art and music. Their relationship became romantic in May 1968, while Cynthia Lennon was on holiday in Greece. Lennon and Cynthia separated shortly afterwards, and their divorce was finalised in November 1968.
Yoko’s presence in Lennon’s life — and increasingly in the recording studio — was a source of tension within The Beatles. The other members, and particularly their partners, were unaccustomed to having outsiders present during sessions. Yoko attended virtually every White Album recording session alongside Lennon, a practice that caused friction with the other Beatles and their producer George Martin.
Despite the tensions, 1968 was an extraordinarily creative year for Lennon. In addition to the White Album sessions, he and Yoko released their experimental album Two Virgins in November 1968, with its controversial full-frontal cover photograph.
The White Album sessions
The recording sessions for The Beatles — universally known as the White Album — took place at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, between 30 May and 14 October 1968, with additional sessions at Trident Studios. The double album, released on 22 November 1968, contained 30 tracks and remains one of the most celebrated and analysed records in rock history.
The sessions were marked by internal tensions within the group. George Harrison temporarily quit during the sessions; Ringo Starr also walked out briefly in August 1968. The weekend of 13–14 July fell during a relatively early phase of the sessions, before the tensions reached their peak.
Sandbanks, Poole, Dorset
Shop Beatles 1968 Merch
Frequently Asked Questions
- When did John Lennon introduce Yoko Ono to his aunt Mimi?
- John Lennon introduced Yoko Ono to his aunt Mimi Smith on 13 July 1968, during a weekend break from the White Album recording sessions. It was the first time the two women had met.
- Where did Mimi Smith live in Poole?
- Mimi Smith lived at Harbour’s Edge, 126 Panorama Road, Sandbanks, Poole, Dorset. John Lennon bought the bungalow for her in 1965 for £25,000. She lived there until her death in 1991, after which the house was sold and later demolished.
- Who was Mimi Smith?
- Mimi Smith (1906–1991) was John Lennon’s maternal aunt, who raised him from the age of five at Mendips, 251 Menlove Avenue, Woolton, Liverpool. She is famous for telling the young Lennon: “The guitar’s all very well, John, but you’ll never make a living out of it.”
- When did John Lennon and Yoko Ono get together?
- John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s relationship became romantic in May 1968. Lennon separated from his wife Cynthia shortly afterwards, and their divorce was finalised in November 1968.
- What was The Beatles recording in July 1968?
- In July 1968, The Beatles were recording the White Album (The Beatles) at EMI Studios, Abbey Road. The sessions ran from 30 May to 14 October 1968. The album was released on 22 November 1968.
- Did Mimi Smith like Yoko Ono?
- Accounts suggest the first meeting between Mimi Smith and Yoko Ono on 13 July 1968 was polite but not warm. Mimi was famously protective of her nephew and reportedly never fully warmed to Yoko, though she maintained contact with Lennon until his death in 1980.
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