Travel: John Lennon – Toronto to Montreal – 26 May 1969
Monday 26 May 1969 | Travel, John Lennon
On 26 May 1969, John Lennon and Yoko Ono flew from Toronto to Montreal, arriving at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel around midnight and checking into Suite 1742 — the room that would become the setting for the famous Montreal Bed-In for Peace. The journey was complicated by an immigration hearing at Malton Airport that morning, which was adjourned until 5 June, allowing Lennon and Ono to remain in Canada for ten days.
Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montreal — John Lennon and Yoko Ono arrived at Suite 1742 around midnight on 26 May 1969, the start of the Montreal Bed-In for Peace.
The Immigration Hearing
Lennon and Ono had flown from the Bahamas to Toronto on 25 May 1969. The following morning, Lennon had an immigration hearing scheduled at Malton Airport (now Toronto Pearson International Airport) at 10am. Lennon's ability to travel freely in North America was complicated by his 1968 conviction for cannabis possession in the UK, which had led the US to deny him entry. Canadian immigration authorities were similarly cautious.
Upon arriving at Malton Airport, Lennon discovered the hearing had been adjourned until 5 June — giving him and Ono ten days in Canada without further immigration complications, and the window they needed for the Montreal Bed-In.
Back to the King Edward Sheraton
Following the adjourned hearing, Lennon and Ono returned to the King Edward Sheraton Hotel in Toronto, where they spoke to members of the press corps. In the evening they returned to the airport, where they waited in a private room while Derek Taylor — Apple's press officer — arranged their flights to Montreal.
The Journey to Montreal
They flew out of Toronto shortly before 10pm, arriving at Montréal-Dorval International Airport approximately an hour later. Lennon, Ono, and Ono's daughter Kyoko were taken from the airport by police car, then transferred to a taxi which took them to the Queen Elizabeth Hotel. They arrived at Suite 1742 at around midnight.
The Montreal Bed-In
The Montreal Bed-In for Peace ran from 26 May to 2 June 1969 at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel — the second of Lennon and Ono's two Bed-Ins, following the Amsterdam Hilton in March 1969. On 1 June 1969, Lennon recorded 'Give Peace A Chance' in Suite 1742, with guests including Timothy Leary, Tommy Smothers, and members of the Canadian Radha Krishna Temple, in what became one of the defining anti-war anthems of the era.
Derek Taylor
Derek Taylor (1932–1997) was Apple Corps' head of press and one of the most important figures in The Beatles' public relations operation. He had worked as a journalist before becoming Brian Epstein's personal assistant and The Beatles' press officer in 1964. His memoir As Time Goes By (1973) is one of the most vivid accounts of life inside The Beatles' circle.
Kyoko Cox
Kyoko Cox (born 1963) was Yoko Ono's daughter from her marriage to Anthony Cox. She was six years old during the Montreal Bed-In. Cox later took her underground to prevent Ono from having custody; she was not reunited with her mother until 1998.
Key Facts: 26 May 1969
- Morning: Immigration hearing at Malton Airport, Toronto — adjourned to 5 June
- Midday: Returned to King Edward Sheraton, Toronto; spoke to press
- Evening: Waited at Toronto Airport while Derek Taylor arranged flights
- Departure: Shortly before 10pm from Toronto
- Arrival: Montréal-Dorval International Airport, approximately 11pm
- Transport: Police car from airport, then taxi to hotel
- Hotel: Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montreal — Suite 1742
- Arrival time: Around midnight
- Travelling party: John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Kyoko Cox
- Montreal Bed-In dates: 26 May – 2 June 1969
- 'Give Peace A Chance' recorded: 1 June 1969
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was John Lennon having an immigration hearing in Toronto?
Lennon's 1968 cannabis conviction in the UK complicated his ability to travel in North America. The hearing on 26 May was adjourned to 5 June, giving Lennon and Ono ten days in Canada for the Montreal Bed-In.
What was the Montreal Bed-In?
John Lennon and Yoko Ono's second Bed-In for Peace, held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal from 26 May to 2 June 1969. 'Give Peace A Chance' was recorded there on 1 June 1969.
Who was Derek Taylor?
Apple Corps' head of press, who arranged Lennon and Ono's flights from Toronto to Montreal. His memoir As Time Goes By (1973) is one of the most vivid accounts of life inside The Beatles' circle.
Who was Kyoko Cox?
Yoko Ono's daughter from her marriage to Anthony Cox, born 1963. She was six during the Montreal Bed-In and was not reunited with Ono until 1998.
Where was 'Give Peace A Chance' recorded?
In Suite 1742 of the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montreal, on 1 June 1969, with guests including Timothy Leary and Tommy Smothers.
→ US album release: Unfinished Music No.2: Life With The Lions – 26 May 1969
Shop Beatles Merch: Beatles T-Shirts & Tops | Shop by Era
0 comments