BEATLES MAGAZINE: PRIVATE COLLECTION OF BEATLES PHOTOS IN NORWICH

Thursday, 25 September 2025

PRIVATE COLLECTION OF BEATLES PHOTOS IN NORWICH

A special, two-day exhibition is currently showcasing The Beatles photographs that are rarely seen by the public, drawn from a private collection.

Seventy images belonging to Mark Stanton are being displayed at The Forum in Norwich on Wednesday and Thursday. The event aims to generate funds for a charitable cause.

This devoted fan of The Fab Four began accumulating his collection 17 years ago, and these photos have never been displayed together in public until now.

"We've already brought in more than £3,000 for Prostate Cancer UK, so it's a win-win situation for me because I've raised money and get the opportunity to view my collection," Mr. Stanton remarked.

Mr. Stanton relocated from Australia to the UK in 1974, settling in Norwich four years later. His career spanned the hospitality and catering sectors, including pubs, before he transitioned into economic development for local government. In 2016, he established his own consulting firm, from which he retired two years prio

He shared that his favorite Beatle was John Lennon, though he never had the chance to see Liverpool's iconic band perform live.

In an interview with BBC Radio Norfolk, he recounted: "I was born and raised in Australia, and The Beatles visited Melbourne's Festival Hall when I was 12, just before they achieved fame in America—that was 1964. Apparently, I was too young, and my mother forbade me from going, but I was utterly obsessed with them. I think it was what they called Beatlemania back then, of course. It wasn't just the kids; parents were fans too—I recall roughly a third of Melbourne's population stood outside their hotel."

His collection began when his wife gifted him a Frank Herrmann photo of the band recording their Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album, purchased from the St Giles Street Gallery in Norwich.

He elaborated on his collecting over the years, noting, "My attic is full of Beatles pictures, and my wonderful wife Teresa isn't eager to have a 'Beatles home'! My aim was never to be a collector of memorabilia per se; instead, I sought out these beautiful pictures taken by various photographers, which are works of art in their own right. I prefer owning a piece of art that truly captures the spirit, emotions, and fashion of that era, rather than a signature that might not even be authentic."

The money Mr. Stanton is raising honors the memory of his brother-in-law, Laurence Taylor, who lived in Japan and passed away from prostate cancer in January at the age of 77.

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