A document signed by Eleanor Rigby, the woman whose name possibly inspired The Beatles' track of the same name, is to go on sale in a charity auction. It's a payslip dated 30 Nov 1911 and details the wages Ms Rigby received in her role as a scullery maid at Liverpool's City Hospital. It's the same Ms Rigby whose grave is in a graveyard at St Peter's Parish Church in Woolton, Liverpool, where John Lennon and Paul McCartney occasionally hung out as teenagers. It's thought that it was McCartney seeing her gravestone in his youth that inspired him to name the character of that song, and the song itself, 'Eleanor Rigby', though it's not entirely clear if that's really so.
Anyway, Ms Rigby's grave stone has become iconic to Beatles fans, so presumably so will her signature. The auction is in aid of the Sunbeams Musical Trust, who have been in possession of the item since 1990, when it was sent to them by Paul McCartney in response to a request for funds. Quite have McCartney got it we don't know.
The charity's Anne Mawson explains: "I wrote a letter to Paul McCartney in 1989 asking for £500,000 to help provide music therapy to help children with disabilities. I just wanted him to know how much joy his music had brought". Nine months later, she received a reply from the musician. She continues: "I opened it and inside was this beautiful, ancient document. It was spine-shivering really. Partly because he had responded in much a personal way".
The paper is expected to realise £500k (which seems like a lot in these days of crunchery) when it goes on sale at London's Idea Generation Gallery on 27 Nov. Other items to be sold the same day include a guitar owned by Cliff Richard and a guitar owned by Sex Pistol Glen Matlock.
The Sunbeam Music Trust provides music therapy for children with special needs and disabilities as well as adults with Alzheimer's and people with dementia. Monies raised at the auction will go to towards the building of a new centre near the lovely town of Penrith in Cumbria.