Friday 12 August 1960 | Paul McCartney, People
On 12 August 1960, Paul McCartney wrote to an unknown drummer, offering an audition to join The Beatles for their first trip to Hamburg. The letter — discovered 51 years later inside a 50p car boot sale book — sold at Christie’s for £34,850 in November 2011.
The search for a drummer
In August 1960, The Beatles comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and original bassist Stuart Sutcliffe. They had played with a series of temporary drummers throughout 1960, including Tommy Moore and Norman Chapman, but needed someone permanent for their upcoming Hamburg engagement.
With just days to spare before their departure for Germany, the group spotted a small classified advertisement in the Liverpool Echo, published on Wednesday 10 August 1960:
DRUMMER, young, free – KP 60 Echo.
McCartney wrote to the mystery drummer on 12 August, misspelling their manager Allan Williams’ name in the process. The letter read:
Dear Sir,
In reply to your advertisement in Echo, Wed. night, we would like to offer you an audition for the position of drummer in the group.
You will, however, need to be free soon for a trip to Hamburg (expenses paid £18 per week (approx.) for 2 months.)
If interested, ring Jacaranda club, Slater St. [ROYAL 65’44] and ask for either a member of the ‘BEATLES’, Alan Williams, or else leave a message, stating when you will be available.
Yours sincerely,
Paul McCartney of THE BEATLES
The Beatles — officially licensed merch
The Beatles: The Cavern T-Shirt (Black).
Pete Best auditions on the same day
The Beatles had already approached Pete Best on 6 August 1960. Best’s audition took place on 12 August 1960 — the very same day McCartney wrote the letter to the mystery drummer. The group were hedging their bets, pursuing two candidates simultaneously with Hamburg just days away.
Best got the job. The mystery drummer did receive McCartney’s letter and phoned the Jacaranda Club, but was told he was too late — the group had already left for Germany with another drummer.
Pete Best remained The Beatles’ drummer until 16 August 1962, when he was replaced by Ringo Starr.
Discovery and auction
McCartney’s letter lay unknown for over half a century. It was discovered in 2011, folded up inside a copy of the antiques price guide What’s It Worth?, bought at a car boot sale in Bootle, Merseyside for just 50 pence.
The anonymous purchaser — a coin and antique collector from Bootle — initially took it to the Beatles Shop in Liverpool, where he was offered £3,000. Sensing it might be worth more, he took it to the Beatles Story museum, who declined to offer a valuation but put him in touch with Christie’s.
The letter was auctioned in London on 15 November 2011 and sold for £34,850 ($55,000).
“One of the best aspects of my work is the rare occasion when, out of the blue, you are made aware of the existence of something so extraordinary, it alters the knowledge of your specialist field. This letter has proved to be such a case. My initial reaction was one of disbelief, but on seeing the item and being able to research the significance of the date and its content as well as conferring with renowned Beatles historians, it has turned out to be much more significant than mere words on paper.”
— Neil Roberts, Director of Popular Culture, Christie’s
The Beatles — officially licensed merch
The Beatles: Love Me Do Graffiti Heart T-Shirt (Black).
Key Facts
| Date | Friday 12 August 1960 |
| Written by | Paul McCartney |
| Ad spotted in | Liverpool Echo, 10 August 1960 |
| Same day | Pete Best’s audition (who got the job) |
| Discovered | 2011, inside a 50p car boot sale book in Bootle |
| Sold at auction | Christie’s, London, 15 November 2011: £34,850 ($55,000) |
The Jacaranda Club, Slater Street, Liverpool — the contact point given in McCartney’s letter to the mystery drummer, managed by Allan Williams, The Beatles’ first manager.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was the mystery drummer Paul McCartney wrote to in 1960?
The identity of the drummer has never been established. He responded to a classified ad in the Liverpool Echo on 10 August 1960, received McCartney's letter, and phoned the Jacaranda Club — but was told The Beatles had already left for Hamburg with Pete Best.
Who was Pete Best?
Pete Best was The Beatles' drummer from August 1960 until August 1962, when he was replaced by Ringo Starr. His audition took place on 12 August 1960, the same day McCartney wrote the letter to the mystery drummer.
How was McCartney's 1960 letter discovered?
The letter was found in 2011, folded inside a copy of the antiques price guide What's It Worth?, bought at a car boot sale in Bootle, Merseyside for 50 pence.
How much did McCartney's 1960 letter sell for?
The letter was auctioned at Christie's in London on 15 November 2011 and sold for £34,850 ($55,000). The finder had initially been offered £3,000 at the Beatles Shop in Liverpool.
Who was Allan Williams?
Allan Williams was The Beatles' first manager, who ran the Jacaranda Club on Slater Street in Liverpool and arranged their first Hamburg engagement in 1960. McCartney misspelled his name as 'Alan' in the letter.
→ The Beatles live: Cavern Club, Liverpool (evening) – 11 August 1961
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→ August in Beatles History
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