Mrs. Starkey didn't follow Ringo's career whilst he was with Rory Storm & the Hurricanes but said, "The first time I saw them was at New Brighton Pier and I thought they were very good.

"I always thought Ritchie would make a career for himself as a musician because he was so keen - but I didn't think it would be like this. I thought he would eventually find a place for himself in an ordinary dance band."

Remembering the first time she saw George Harrison, Mrs. Starkey said, "Ringo was at Butlin's when George came up to the house - I hadn't met him before - and asked if Ritchie was home. I told him he wasn't and he said: 'Tell him we're trying to get him to join us."

Mrs. Starkey misses the boys - they all used to come to the house, she said - and she particularly misses Ringo. "Ritchie can't get home to see us as often as he'd like to," she said. "When he was home at Christmas we had a wonderful time - and he had his camera and was taking lots of photographs of us."

Mr. and Mrs. Starkey are justifiably proud of their son, who has become the world's most famous drummer.

Multi-Talented
Ringo, real name Richard Starkey, is the eldest Beatle and also the last member to join the famous quartet. He is also the smallest Beatle at 5ft 10in. and has an ambition to open a string of hairdressing salons.

Educated at Dingle Vale Secondary Modern School, he was in the same class as another famous Liverpudlian - Billy Fury.

An expert dancer, Ringo is multi-talented, for he can also play an electric organ and is an excellent photographer. His first book of photographs, which has been released in the States, is rapidly becoming a best-seller.

Ringo has no regular girl friend, although his name has been linked romantically with that of Liverpool hairdresser Maureen Cox - and his favourite meal is steak and chips.

A natural actor, Ringo almost stole the honours in the Beatles first film - and he also proved himself a born comedian.

Editors Note: Of course, it wasn't Mr. and Mrs. Starkey. It was Mr. and Mrs. Graves. Ringo's father had left his wife and son when Ritchie was only three years old. They were divorced and he remarried. Harry Graves, a painter and decorator from Romford who worked for Liverpool Corporation, married Elsie on April 17 1953. Ringo loved him as a father and referred to him as his 'step-ladder.' Harry died on August 24 1994 at the age of 87 and Ringo and Barbara attended his funeral. 

The fact that Mrs. Starkey mentioned that George came to the house to ask if Ringo could join the Beatles is an interesting item. It's well documented that John and Paul then went to Butlins to seek Ringo and ask him to join them, but the fact that George was also looking for Ringo may be a clue as to why Bruno gave him a black eye at the Cavern, perhaps he knew of George's involvement in the sacking. It seems that George was actually the main instigator in getting rid of Pete Best. George was a friend of Ringo and got on well with him prior to the drummer joining the Beatles. John Lennon and Brian Epstein both seemed reluctant to get involved, but some pushing from George and Paul did the trick!

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