Born – 9th October 1940
Died – 8th December 1980 (assassinated)
Father – Alfred Lennon (1912 – 1976)
Mother – Julia Stanley (1914 – 1958)
Spouse – m. 1962, div. 1968 – Cynthia Powell (1939 – 2015); m. 1969 – Yoko Ono (b. 1933)
Children – Julian (b. 1963), Sean (b. 1975)
Known to History – Member of The Beatles, assassinated by Mark Chapman
1940 (9th October)
John Lennon was born John Winston Lennon to Alfred Lennon and Julia Stanley in Liverpool, UK during a German air raid.
1940 (after 9th October)
John and his mother lived in Newcastle Road, Liverpool. His father was a merchant seaman and spent long periods at sea.
1944 (February)
John’s father went absent without leave from the merchant navy.
1944 (August)
John’s father, Alfred returned home but John’s mother sent him away because she was pregnant with another man’s child.
1944 (Autumn)
John went to live with his aunt Mimi and her husband George Smith after they complained to Social Services that John’s mother was unable to look after him adequately.
1945 (September)
John attended the Dovedale Primary School in Liverpool.
1946 (July)
John’s father attempted to take him to New Zealand but was intercepted by John’s mother and returned to his aunt Mimi and uncle George. He remained with his aunt and uncle but his mother visited him often.
1951 (October)
John began visiting his mother at her home. She taught him to play the banjo and they listened to Elvis Presley records together.
1952 (September)
After passing the 11-plus exam, Lennon started grammar school at the Quarry Bank High School.
1955 (5th June)
John’s uncle George died of a liver haemorrhage.
1956 (during)
John’s mother bought him a guitar but insisted that it remain at her house because she knew that her sister would not be happy.
1956 (September)
Influenced by Elvis Presley’s success, John formed a skiffle band called the ‘Quarrymen’ after Quarry Bank High School. He told everyone that he would be famous one day.
1957 (6th July)
John met Paul McCartney at St Peter’s Church fete where his band was playing a set of music. He invited McCartney to join his band.
1957 (August)
John failed all his O-level examinations but was still accepted into Liverpool College of Art after his aunt and primary school headteacher spoke for him. At art college he met Cynthia Powell.
1958 (6th February)
Paul McCartney introduced George Harrison to John and suggested that he should play lead guitar. John thought that George, aged 14 years, was too young but relented after hearing him play.
1958 (during)
John was a disruptive pupil at Art College and was eventually excluded.
1958 (15th July)
John’s mother was killed when she was hit by a car while walking home.
1960 (during)
John’s friend, Stuart Sutcliffe, joined the band as bass guitarist.
1960 (during)
The ‘Quarrymen’ changed their name to ‘The Beatles‘.
1960 (August)
Pete Best, a drummer, was asked to join the band.
1960 (17th August)
The Beatles began a 48 night spot at the Indra Club, Hamburg.
1960 (1st October)
The Beatles began a 58 night spot at the Kaiserkeller, Hamburg.
1960 (10th December)
John left Hamburg and returned to England.
1961 (February)
Stuart Sutcliffe left the group to focus on art. Paul McCartney took over as bass guitarist.
1961 (1st April)
The Beatles began a three month spot at the Top Ten Club in Hamburg.
1961 (9th November)
Brian Epstein watched ‘The Beatles’ performing at the Cavern Club.
1962 (24th January)
The Beatles signed a 5-year management contract with Brian Epstein.
1962 (13th April)
The Beatles began a 48 night spot at the Star-Club, Hamburg.
1962 (August)
John Lennon married Cynthia Powell at Mount Pleasant Register Office, Liverpool. Cynthia had to keep a low profile because they did not want fans to know that John was married.
1962 (18th August)
Richard Starkey (Ringo Starr) replaced Pete Best as drummer of the group.
1962 (5th October)
‘The Beatles’ released their first single ‘Love Me Do’. The single reached number 17 in the British charts.
1962 (1st November)
The Beatles began a 14 night spot at the Star-Club, Hamburg.
1962 (18th December)
The Beatles began a 13 night spot at the Star-Club, Hamburg.
1963 (22nd March)
The album ‘Please Please Me’ was released in the UK. It reached No 1 in the album charts.
1963 (8th April)
A son, Julian, was born to John and Cynthia. John was on tour at the time.
1963 (11th April)
The single ‘Please Please Me’ written by Lennon and McCartney was released in the UK. It was the group’s first no 1 hit in the UK.
1963 (28th April)
John left his wife and son and went on holiday to Spain with Brian Epstein for 12 days.
1963 (18th June)
Lennon assaulted the DJ at Paul’s 21st birthday party after he made disparaging comments about John’s holiday with Brian Epstein.
1963 (23rd August)
The single ‘She Loves You’ was released.
1963 (22nd November)
The album ‘With the Beatles’ was released in the UK.
1963 (29th November)
The Beatles released ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’.
1963 (26th December)
The Beatles released ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ in the US.
1964 (7th February)
The Beatles released ‘All My Loving’ in the UK.
1964 (9th February)
The Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in the United States.
1964 (2nd March)
The Beatles began filming the movie ‘A Hard Day’s Night’.
1964 (23rd March)
John published a collection of poems and nonsensical writings entitled ‘In His Own Write and A Spaniard in the Works
‘.
‘.1964 (4th June)
The Beatles began a Tour tour which included dates in Denmark, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand.
1964 (13th July)
The Beatles film ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ was released.
1964 (August/September)
The Beatles toured America.
1965 (March)
John and George experienced LSD for the first time after their coffee was spiked with the drug by George’s dentist.
1965 (24th June)
John published a second collection of poems and nonsensical writings entitled ‘A Spaniard in the Works
‘.
‘.1965 (June)
John, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison were awarded the MBE.
1965 (19th July)
The single ‘Help’ written mainly by John Lennon was released in the US.
1965 (23rd July)
The single ‘Help’ written mainly by John Lennon was released in the UK. It reached number 1 in the charts.
1965 (29th July)
The Beatles second movie ‘Help!’ was released.
1965 (late)
John met Yoko Ono either at an art exhibition or when she requested some music from John.
1965 (3rd December)
The Beatles released the album ‘Rubber Soul’ in the UK.
1966 (4th March)
John controversially commented that ‘we’re more popular than Jesus now’. This caused demonstrations against the Beatles in religious areas of America.
1966 (July)
The Beatles toured Japan and the Philippines. They were accused of snubbing the presidential family in the Philippines.
1966 (5th August)
The Beatles single ‘Eleanor Rigby/Yellow Submarine’ was released.
1966 (5th August)
The Beatles album ‘Revolver’ was released.
1966 (29th August)
The Beatles performed their last live concert at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park.
1966 (November)
John met Yoko Ono at the Indica Gallery.
1967 (February)
The Beatles released ‘Strawberry Fields Forever”/”Penny Lane” a double A side single.
1967 (1st June)
The Beatles released the album ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ in the UK.
1967 (2nd June)
The Beatles released the album ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ in the US.
1967 (7th July)
The Beatles released the single ‘All You Need is Love’ written by John in the UK.
1967 (17th July)
The Beatles released the single ‘All You Need is Love’ written by John in the US.
1967 (27th August)
The Beatles’ manager, Brian Epstein died of an accidental overdose of sleeping tablets. The group were told of his death while attending a seminar on Transcendental Meditation by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
1967 (October)
The film ‘How I Won the War’, an anti-war comedy in which John played the part of Musketeer Gripweed, was released.
1967 (24th November)
The Beatles released the single ‘Hello, Goodbye’ in the UK.
1967 (27th November)
The Beatles released the single ‘Hello, Goodbye’ in the UK.
1967 (December)
The Beatles released the film ‘Magical Mystery Tour’. The film itself did not do well but the movie soundtrack did well.
1968 (February)
The Beatles founded Apple Corps, a corporation that included Apple Records and other companies.
1968 (February)
The Beatles went to India for two months to study with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
1968 (May)
John spent time with Yoko Ono while his wife was on holiday.
1968 (17th July)
The Beatles’ movie ‘Yellow Submarine’ premiered.
1968 (26th August)
The Beatles released the single ‘Hey Jude’ in the US.
1968 (30th August)
The Beatles released the single ‘Hey Jude’ in the UK.
1968 (8th November)
John divorced his wife, Cynthia.
1968 (21st November)
Yoko Ono suffered a miscarriage.
1968 (22nd November)
The Beatles’ album ‘White Album’ was released in the UK.
1968 (25th November)
The Beatles’ album ‘White Album’ was released in the US.
1968 (11th November)
John and Yoko Ono released the album ‘Unfinished Music No 1: Two Virgins’. EMI refused to distribute the album due to the fact it featured both John and Yoko naked on the cover.
1968 (21st November)
Yoko Ono miscarried a son.
1969 (during)
John and Yoko Ono formed the Plastic Ono Band and released the single ‘Give Peace a Chance’.
1969 (13th January)
The Beatles’ album ‘Yellow Submarine’ was released in the US.
1969 (17th January)
The Beatles’ album ‘Yellow Submarine’ was released in the UK.
1969 (30th January)
The Beatles performed an impromptu rooftop concert from the roof of Apple Corps Ltd in London.
1969 (20th March)
John married Yoko Ono in Gibraltar. They spent their honeymoon in bed at the presidential suite of the Amsterdam Hilton as a peace protest.
1969 (11th April)
The Beatles released the single ‘Get Back’ in the UK.
1969 (22nd April)
John changed his middle name from Winston to Ono by deed poll.
1969 (5th May)
The Beatles released the single ‘Get Back’ in the US.
1969 (9th May)
John and Yoko Ono released the album ‘Unfinished Music No 2: Life with the Lions’.
1969 (30th May)
John and Yoko released the song ‘The Ballad of John and Yoko’.
1969 (2nd July)
The Beatles began recording the album Abbey Road.
1969 (4th July)
John released ‘Give Peace a Chance’ by the Plastic Ono Band in the UK. It reached number 2 in the charts.
1969 (7th July)
John released ‘Give Peace a Chance’ by the Plastic Ono Band in the US. It reached number 14 in the charts.
1969 (20th September)
John left The Beatles but the news was kept secret.
1969 (26th September)
The Beatles released the album ‘Abbey Road’ in the UK.
1969 (1st October)
The Beatles released the album ‘Abbey Road’ in the US.
1969 (20th October)
John released the single, ‘Cold Turkey’ by the Plastic Ono Band in the US. It reached number 30.
1969 (20th October)
John and Yoko Ono released the album ‘Wedding Album’ in the US. It did not do very well.
1969 (24th October)
John Lennon released the single, ‘Cold Turkey’ by the Plastic Ono Band in the UK. It reached number 14.
1969 (7th November)
John and Yoko Ono released the album ‘Wedding Album’ in the UK. It did not make the charts.
1969 (25th November)
John Lennon returned his MBE to Queen Elizabeth II as an anti war protest.
1969 (12th December)
John released the album ‘Live Peace in Toronto 1969’.
1970 (during)
John and Yoko both underwent a course of primal therapy with psychologist Arthur Janov
1970 (6th February)
John Lennon released the single ‘Instant Karma’ by the Plastic Ono Band in the UK. It reached number 5 in the charts.
1970 (20th February)
John Lennon released the single ‘Instant Karma’ by the Plastic Ono Band in the US. It reached number 3 in the charts.
1970 (6th March)
The Beatles released their final single ‘Let It Be’ in the UK.
1970 (11th March)
The Beatles released their final single ‘Let It Be’ in the US.
1970 (April)
John was furious when Paul McCartney publicised his own split from the Beatles to coincide with the release of his first solo album. He felt that having been persuaded not to publicise his own split from the band it was very unfair of Paul to not do the same.
1970 (11th December)
John released the album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. It reached number 8 in the UK and number 6 in the US.
1971 (31st August)
John and Yoko Ono moved to the United States. John was told that he would not be able to remain in the United States due to a marijuana conviction in 1968. However, Lennon believed the move was made because of his anti-Vietnam War stance.
1971 (9th September)
John released the album ‘Imagine’ in the US. It reached number 1 in the charts.
1971 (8th October)
John released the album ‘Imagine’ in the UK. It reached number 1 in the charts.
1971 (11th October)
John released the single ‘Imagine’. It reached number 1 in the US and UK charts.
1971 (December)
John and Yoko released the single ‘Happy Christmas (War is Over)’. It reached number 4 in the UK charts the following year.
1972 (during)
John performed at Madison Square Garden for the benefit of mentally handicapped children.
1972 (during)
John released the double album ‘Some Time in New York City’. The album did not do well, largely due to its political nature.
1972 (24th April)
John released the single ‘Woman is the Nigger of the World’. It was banned by many radio stations due to its title and consequently did not do very well.
1973 (Autumn)
John and Yoko Ono separated.
1973 (Autumn)
John began a relationship with May Pang and they moved to California.
1973 (29th October)
John released the album ‘Mind Games’ in the US. It reached number 9 in the charts.
1973 (16th November)
John released the album ‘Mind Games’ in the UK. It reached number 13 in the charts.
1973 (late)
John was reunited with his eldest son, Julian, after he and his mother were invited to America by May Pang.
1973 (Christmas)
John bought his son, Julian, a Gibson guitar and a drum machine for Christmas.
1974 (March)
John was barred from the Troubadour club after displaying extreme drunken behaviour.
1974 (Summer)
John returned to New York to record his next album ‘Walls and Bridges’.
1974 (23rd September)
John released the single ‘Whatever Gets You Thru The Night’ in the US. It reached number 1 in the charts.
1974 (26th September)
John released the album ‘Walls and Bridges’. It reached number 6 in the UK and number 1 in the US.
1974 (4th October)
John released the single ‘Whatever Gets You Thru The Night’ in the UK. It reached number 36 in the charts.
1975 (January)
John and Yoko Ono were reconciled.
1975 (17th February)
John released the album ‘Rock n Roll’ a collection of cover songs. It reached number 6 in the US and UK charts.
1975 (9th October)
A son, Sean, was born to John Lennon and Yoko Ono. John became a stay-at-home father.
1975 (20th October)
John released the album ‘Shaved Fish’ a compilation of his most popular solo music in the US.
1975 (24th October)
John released the album ‘Shaved Fish’ a compilation of his most popular solo music in the UK. It reached number 8 in the charts.
1975 (28th November)
John made a guest appearance at an Elton John concert at Madison Square Garden.
1976 (during)
John was granted permanent US residency.
1977 (during)
John announced that he was taking a break from music to spend time with his son.
1980 (24th October)
John released the single ‘(Just Like) Starting Over’ in the UK. It reached number 1 in the charts.
1980 (27th October)
John released the single ‘(Just Like) Starting Over’ in the US. It reached number 1 in the charts.
1980 (17th November)
John and Yoko released the album ‘Double Fantasy’. It reached number 1 in the US and the UK after John’s death.
1980 (8th December)
John and Yoko returned home after an evening out. Before they could enter their apartment Mark Chapman shot Lennon four times. He was rushed to hospital but was dead on arrival.
1981 (12th January)
The single ‘Woman’ was released in the US. It reached number 2 in the charts.
1981 (16th January)
The single ‘Woman’ was released in the UK. It reached number 1 in the charts
1981 (24th August)
Mark Chapman, who had pleaded guilty to the murder of John Lennon, was sentenced to life imprisonment.
1982 (1st November)
‘The John Lennon Collection’ was released in the UK. It reached number 1 in the charts.
1982 (8th November)
‘The John Lennon Collection’ was released in the US. It reached number 33 in the charts.
1984 (9th January)
The album ‘Milk and Honey’ was released posthumously in the UK. It reached number 3 in the charts.
1984 (27th January)
The album ‘Milk and Honey’ was released posthumously in the US. It reached number 11 in the charts.
1986 (10th February)
The album ‘Live in New York City’ was released.
1988 (10th October)
‘Imagine: John Lennon’ a soundtrack album of music for a documentary of the same name.
1990 (30th October)
‘Lennon’ a four CD box set compilation of John’s music was released.
1997 (27th October)
‘Lennon Legend: The Very Best of John Lennon’ a comnpilation album was released in the UK. It reached number 4 in the charts.
1998 (24th February)
‘Lennon Legend: The Very Best of John Lennon’ a comnpilation album was released in the US. It reached number 65 in the charts.
1998 (2nd November)
‘The album ‘Wonsaponatime’, a compilation of John’s music was released.
1998 (2nd November)
‘John Lennon Anthology’ a four CD box set compilation of previously unreleased music was released.
2002 (1st February)
‘The album ‘Instant Karma: All-Time Greatest Hits’ was released.
2004 (1st November)
‘The album ‘Acoustic’ a compilation album was released. It did not do well in the UK but reached number 31 in the US.
2005 (3rd October)
‘The album ‘Working Class Hero: The Definitive Lennon’ a compilation of John’s music, was released. It reached number 11 in the UK but did not do well in the US.
2006 (25th September)
‘The album ‘The US vs John Lennon’ was released. It is a soundtrack to a documentary made about John.
2010 (5th October)
‘The album ‘Power to the People: The Hits’ was released. It reached number 15 in the UK and number 24 in the US.
2010 (5th October)
‘Gimme Some Truth’ a four CD box set compilation of remastered albums was released.
2010 (5th October)
‘John Lennon Signature Box’ an eleven CD box set compilation of John’s music was released.
2014 (9th September)
‘The album ‘Icon’ was released.
Published Jul 20, 2018 @ 9:50 am – Updated – [last-modified]
Harvard Reference for this page:
Heather Y Wheeler. (2018 – 2020). John Lennon 1940 – 1980. https://www.thetimelinegeek.com/john-lennon-1940-1980 Last accessed [date]