Yoko Ono thanks students from Chester University for recreating garden at John Lennon's childhood home, Mendips
Last updated 7/14/2010 10:34:52 AM
Yoko Ono thanks students from Chester University for recreating garden at John Lennons childhood home Mendips
John Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, has thanked five history students for their help in preserving the former Beatle's childhood home.
The students from the University of Chester are helping the National Trust to recreate the authenticity of the garden at Mendips, in Liverpool, which was gifted by Yoko Ono in 2002.
Mendips is now owned by the National Trust and is a mecca for Beatles' fans. While the house itself is contemporary to the 1950s when John Lennon lived there, the garden contains modern plants that were not grown in the 50s.
Under the direction of their course leader Dr Donna Jackson, Senior Lecturer in Modern History, the five students - Christina Asher, Richard Taylor, Thomas Davies, Matthew Jones, and Rebecca Lindley - have carried out research to ensure the garden will look as close as possible to the one that John and his Aunt Mimi would have used and enjoyed every day.
Learning of this news through the University's website, Yoko Ono sent a personal message to the students, in which she wrote: "Christina, Richard, Thomas, Matthew, Donna and Rebecca. Thank you, thank you, thank you, to members of the Family of Peace and love of beauty. Thank you for working on the garden at Mendips. John and I thank you. With love,Yoko."
Delighted, Dr Jackson said: "We are thrilled and honoured to have her blessing, support and encouragement for this project, and it will serve to inspire us even further in our ongoing work. The Beatles are hugely important to the history and economy of this region and I'm delighted that our students share our excitement and sense of privilege."
Student Tom added: "I hope my part in the research will help to further recreate a house which has so much meaning to the early days of the Beatles."
The research isn't the only connection the University has to the legendary Beatles star. Media Studies with Business graduate Matt Greenhalgh was chosen to write the screenplay for Nowhere Boy which had a cinematic release on Boxing Day last year, which illustrated John Lennon's early years at Mendips.
Read also >> National Trust survey of John Lennon's childhood garden reveals a wildlife haven