The Beatles: Previously Unpublished Photos

These previously unpublished photos of the Beatles were taken by my cousin, Geoffrey B. Nanton, in January 1966. Then a teenager and an avid camera buff, Geoff lived on the West Indies island of St. Vincent, a British colony 150 miles east of Barbados.

Geoffrey took pictures of the vacationing John Lennon and Ringo Starr (and their wives, Cynthia and Maureen) as they arrived at the Villa seaside pier near Kingstown and as they departed on the ferry to the Young Island resort 200 yards offshore.

The next day he took a handful of 5”x7” black and white photos over to Young Island, had a conversation with John, Cynthia, and Ringo, and took a few more informal shots. The photographs freeze a moment in time when John and Ringo were relaxed and unguarded, away from the constant media frenzy after their December release of Rubber Soul.

Geoff said, “The Villa was ablaze with bright light and blue sky, with a beautiful azure green sea and its dazzllng wave tips dancing in the tropical sun. As I prepared my gear to take pictures of the Beatles with my Agfa 35mm camera, I was thinking  ‘Girls… lights … camera … action … girls.’ The pictures I would take would surely get some girl’s attention.”