UNSEEN BEATLES PHOTOS TO BE AUCTIONED THIS MONTH

Thirty unpublished photographs of the Beatles taken in 1963 as they were about to release their second album are to be put up for auction.

The black and white negatives of the band were taken by Salford photographer, the late Derek Preston. as they played the ABC Cinema in Ardwick, a suburb of Manchester.

Twenty four feature John, Paul, George, and Ringo on stage and six are of the crowd going wild.

They capture the band performing and play acting - as was their way - taking the mickey out of each other and show presenters.

Derek, who died five years ago, was good friends with Harry Goodwin, when he was the resident Top of the Pops photographer when it was recorded in Manchester.

He would accompany Harry to the some of the programs.

The collection will be sold with copyright and has an estimated price of £5,000 to £7,000.

Karen Fairweather of Omega Auctions, of Liverpool Road, Great Sankey, Warrington, who are selling the collection of behalf of Derek’s son, Mike, said: “Last year we sold a collection of unpublished photographs with copyright of The Beatles playing at The Shea stadium in 1965 which went for £30,000. We expect a lot of interest in this collection.”

The sale is part of a major auction of pop memorabilia which will take place on May 19 and 20.

Other photographs on sale by Derek Preston will be 34 unseen black and white pictures of the Rolling Stones performing live in Manchester in 1964, with a listed price of £1,500 to £2,000; fifty pictures of Cilla Black and Brian Epstein - manager of The Beatles, and Cilla - for the same price, and 12 pictures of Badfinger, when they played The Richmond Club, Heywood, near Rochdale, on February 18 1970, priced at £500 to £700. All are bing sold with copyright.

Also for sale is a single black and white picture of the Rolling Stones on stage for a Top of the Pops special in Manchester in 1964 for £300 to £500.