Location One: Thompson House. A photographic studio at 192-212 Gray's Inn Road.The Beatles arrived at the photo studio in the early afternoon, and lined up against a blue background while a fan blew the hair away from their faces.
The BEATLES
Mad Day Out
28.07.68
In the summer of 1968, the Beatles couldn't help but notice that whenever a news article appeared reporting their current activities, it was accompanied by a photograph of them wearing their psychedelic fashions from the year before; or worse yet, a picture of them as the loveable mop-tops from the 'Beatlemania' era. The reason for this was simple. The press no longer had the opportunity to photograph the group since they hadn't performed in concert since 1966, and were now making fewer and fewer public appearances together. This meant that the media didn't have current pictures of the ever changing group. With the exception of a very brief photo session that took place in EMI recording studios on February 8th, the Beatles hadn't yet posed for any group photos in 1968. A plan was devised to alleviate this situation.
On Sunday, July 28th 1968, in the midst of recording sessions for the White Album, The Beatles decided to spend a Mad Day Out being photographed at seemingly random locations all over London. Paul's then girlfriend, Francie Schwartz was assigned the task of picking locations that would act as suitable photographic sites. Veteran war photographer Don McCullin was called upon to act as primary cameraman, however additional photographers Ronald Fitzgibbon, Stephen Goldblatt, Tom Murray, and Tony Bramwell came along as well. Beatles' assistant Mal Evans also came along and took pictures. Other spectators included Mal's six-year-old son Gary Evans, Yoko Ono, and Francie Schwartz.
Location One: Thompson House. A photographic studio at 192-212 Gray's Inn Road.
The Beatles arrived at the photo studio in the early afternoon,
and lined up against a blue background while a fan blew the hair
away from their faces.
A number of props were employed including four colored sheets used as capes and a Liverpool FC (Football Club) rosette worn by Paul.
Next, The Beatles posed against a backdrop of crumpled aluminum foil. The props now included crash helmets with goggles, a boot and trumpet.
Final pictures at this location were taken against the aluminum foil backdrop with a colored sheet, and then without any props.
Location Two:
Mercury Theatre. A
dance studio at 2 Ladbroke Road.
Location Three:
Highgate Cemetery.
Swain's Lane.
The Beatles had hoped to visit the Karl Marx tomb located in
Highgate Cemetery. However, they arrived too late and found the
cemetery closed. Instead they decided to pose sitting on a bench
in front of 79 Swain's Lane.
Then standing in front of a house at 59 Swain's Lane.
Location Four:
Old Street Underground station.
Arriving here around
6pm, The Beatles used a wooden plank as a make-shift ramp
allowing them to climb on top of a large concrete block. This
block was located in the middle island of a busy roundabout next
to Old Street Underground station. Now situated above the
photographers, The Beatles stood; waving, engaging in mock
fist-fights, pointing at the sky, pretending to fall, etc.
Location Five:
St Pancras Old Church & Gardens.
The Beatles first posed to the right of the entrance
gates, sitting on a grassy knoll. They were then photographed at
the following sites within the gardens surrounding the St.
Pancras Old Church.
Sitting with, as well as without six year old Gary Evans on one of the benches surrounding the monument.
Drinking and then spitting water from the ornate drinking fountain.
Sitting on the grass between the tomb of Sir John Soane and a sign which read 'Please Keep Off The Grass'.
Near St. Pancras Coroner's Court, joining an old man sitting on a bench reading a newspaper.
The flowerbed adjacent to the hospital buildings which border the garden on the northwest side.
Another bench in front of the monument (opposite the bench where they were joined by Gary Evans).
The Norman-style arched doorway of St Pancras Old Church.
By now a small crowd had gathered behind the railings which separated the church and gardens. Seizing the photo opportunity, the Beatles mingled amongst the crowd for the final series of pictures at St Pancras Old Church & Gardens.
Location Six: Wapping
Pier Head.
The Beatles and
company arrived here in the late afternoon, parking their cars on
Wapping High Street and then posing near the corner of Sampson
Street for the first pictures at this locale.
After a change of clothes, John began swinging a pickaxe at the concrete. Paul draped himself in the chains once used to close off the entrance to the pier. Then John played dead while Ringo checked his forehead.
The next series of photos was taken along the pier's edge, with the Colonial Wharves building and Tower Bridge in the background.
Photographer Don McCullin (seen on the far left in the first photo below) lends his battle jacket to John for the final series of photos taken along the pier's edge.
Location Seven:
Paul McCartney's Home.
The Beatles finished their Mad Day Out on the familiar
territory of Paul's lovely three-story detached house in
Cavendish Ave. They posed drinking tea and sitting with Paul's
sheepdog Martha in the sunhouse room.
