Like many youngsters in England during the 1940s and 1950s, young John Lennon collected stamps. But unlike most of his peers, John grew up to become a musician and songwriter who experienced extraordinary worldwide fame.
When Stanley Parkes was a teenager, he gave his grade-school cousin a hardcover stamp album. The cousin’s interest in stamps lasted a few years. Yet because of history and fame, curiosity about the stamp collection and its owner continues.
“When I was at home from school” in Liverpool, “he noticed I had this stamp album and I was collecting stamps, and he took an interest in it,” Parkes told the Post. “I said, ‘Well, John, the great thing about collecting stamps is that it helps with your geography. You see, the stamps come from all different countries, and you see the people on the stamps, and you take an interest in why the country exists,’ ” he said.
Stanley Parkes (Lennon’s older cousin), age 15 and John, age 8 posing in front of Lennon’s childhood home. Photo courtesy of Time/LIFE.
Cover of Lennon’s 1940s Mercury stamp album
“When I was at home from school” in Liverpool, “he noticed I had this stamp album and I was collecting stamps, and he took an interest in it,” said Parkes, who resembles his Beatles kin in voice, though not in face. “I said, ‘Well, John, the great thing about collecting stamps is that it helps with your geography. You see, the stamps come from all different countries, and you see the people on the stamps, and you take an interest in why the country exists,’ ” he said. Parkes, who grew up with Lennon, started collecting stamps from boarding school classmates who came from various countries.
Front flyleaf showing Lennon’s signatures and address.
While Lennon’s actual stamps aren’t exactly valuable, because the owner of them was one of the most famous people of the 20th century, you can bet the collection is worth a pretty penny now.
Title page showing Lennon’s “embellished” images of British monarchs.
The childhood stamp album will once again be on display for the public in New York City, from May 28 to June 4 at the World Stamp Show.
A view of Lennon’s “embellished” images of British monarchs from the album’s title page.
The New Zealand stamps Lennon obtained through correspondence with relatives.
Pages showing stamps from the USA.
John Lennon’s childhood stamp Album
John Lennon’s childhood stamp Album 
John Lennon’s childhood stamp Album 
John Lennon’s childhood stamp Album 
John Lennon’s childhood stamp Album 
John Lennon’s childhood stamp Album 
John Lennon’s childhood stamp Album 
John Lennon’s childhood stamp Album
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