Two experts on The Repair Shop: Beyond the Barn were left gobsmacked after discovering a broken guitar had ties to the Beatles. During the episode broadcast on Wednesday, September 30, woodworker Will Kirk and luthier Julyan Wallis met siblings Jackie and Steve from Stratford-upon-Avon, who brought a piece of family history connected to one of rock and roll's most iconic bands.
A Surprise Find in the Loft
Jackie explained that the broken item was their dad Chas's first guitar, bought in the 1950s while he was growing up in Liverpool. "We found it in dad's loft when we were clearing out the house, after he'd passed away, so a bit of a surprise," Jackie added.
Steve went on: "There's photographs that we've got from him, back in the 50s, with his band from school." Jackie shared that the band was called The Barmen and that they played at the Liverpool Empire and The Cavern Club.
A Call to Join the Beatles
"That's so cool," Julyan said, while Will simply said: "Wow." Steve went on: "Then one of his friends, his drummer, Pete Best - they'd been friends since school - was stuck for a member of their band."
"And he said, 'Oh yeah, can you join in? Can you help us out? Because we're short, we need a bass player for a few gigs.' And he's like, 'Yeah, OK, I'll play it.' And so that turned out to be the Beatles in their formative years. So, that's how he kind of got into it."
Julyan was clearly taken aback, saying: "I wish I could say that!" Steve then shared: "You hear the stories of everyone screaming and shouting about these boys from Liverpool, but apparently, that was the first time it happened... The first time they got off the seats and misbehaved, because you were supposed to sit down at a show until then."
Choosing Chemistry Over Rock and Roll
John Lennon asked Chas to stay in the band, but he ultimately opted to study chemistry instead, before completing a Master's degree and working for Pilkington glass company. In 2016, Chas returned to his musical roots and joined The Quarrymen, John Lennon's original band.
Jackie said: "So, it'd be amazing to have this renovated, I think, in dad's memory," before Steve added: "It'd be nice just to have it put back into one piece."
As Jackie and Steve left the barn, Julyan shared his astonishment. He said to Will: "I'm a bit speechless, actually. It's absolutely mind-blowing."
Julyan later travelled to Worcestershire to witness the guitar back in the hands of Chas's family. "I'm amazed that you were able to repair it, having seen the condition it was in when we first brought it to you," Steve said. Julyan then watched on as Chas's grandson Lewis used the special guitar to record some new music.
