Autographs from The Beatles set to go under the hammer in Harborough

Autographs collected by a Market Harborough driver who took The Beatles to their hotel following a gig are set to go under the hammer.

They are among three sets of autographs by The Beatles which are set to be auctioned at Gildings in town on Tuesday April 4 – the 60th anniversary week of the Fab Four’s first Leicester show at De Montfort Hall.

One set of autographs was collected by a Market Harborough man, who worked for the Police Chief Constable. He drove the band back to their hotel following a concert at Newcastle City Hall in 1963. The autographs, which are estimated at £600 – £1,000, are signed on a police charge sheet as it was the only piece of paper he had to hand at the time.

Another set of signatures in the sale are signed on an early publicity photograph of the band. Due to the signs of folding and wear and tear they are estimated at £300 - £500.

The final set of signatures, which are in good condition, was given to the Northamptonshire-based seller by her boyfriend at the time. He went to the same school as some members of the band and gave the autographs as a present to in 1964.

Gildings memorabilia specialist Andrew Smith said: “We’re delighted to be offering these unique sets of Beatles’ autographs in the week of the 60th anniversary of their first appearance in Leicester.

“The three very different sets all represent a snapshot in time of how those lucky enough to be presented with the opportunity to get an autograph from The Beatles seized it, on whatever surface was available! As a result, we expect these treasured signatures of the Fab Four to attract a great deal of interest among Beatles fans and autograph and memorabilia collectors alike.”

The Beatles played six songs from the Please Please Me album at De Montfort Hall: Love Me Do, Misery, A Taste of Honey, Do You Want to Know a Secret, Please Please Me and I Saw Her Standing There. They returned to the venue to perform twice more – in 1963 and 1964.

Visit gildings.co.uk for more information.