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Lot Essay
This document is thought to be one of the last to be signed by all four Beatles and their manager Brian Epstein, whose tragically early death on 27th August, 1967 at the age of 32 stunned The Beatles and made news headlines around the world. The date of the document in this lot is significant as it was also on this day that NEMS Enterprises and the Robert Stigwood Organisation amalgamated, making Robert Stigwood a co-managing director of NEMS, hence the necessity for the codicil to the existing management document. There would have been very few, if any, documents signed after this date by all four Beatles and their manager, as at this stage, it was only NEMS business that required all of them to sign the same document.
Although Epstein's professional life had been almost completely immersed in that of the Beatles, it was not entirely exclusive, as the memo to Tony Bramwell included in this lot illustrates. Epstein had acquired the Saville Theatre in 1966 and took a great deal of interest in the acts he booked to appear there; the memo also illustrates the depth of Robert Stigwood's involvement. Towards the end of his life, Epstein's relationship with the Beatles had become increasingly strained as his role in their lives became less and less that of mentor and manager. The Beatles had stopped the relentless round of concerts and tours, and were concentrating on recording, so becoming increasingly independent of Epstein. In a fragment of a draft letter written by Esptein in March, 1967 [sold through these rooms on 27th April, 2000 as part of the Bryan Barrett Collection], he hints at thoughts of ending his role as The Beatles' manager and selling NEMS to Robert Stigwood...when the five of us do meet, we're ...messed up with extraneous issues....My personal usefulness to you is now obviously superceeded by your own intellect, knowledge and so on..., continuing with regard to Robert Stigwood...He is incidentally, I think a very good man...; although the Beatles names are not mentioned, the contents suggest it was intended for them.
In later interviews Paul McCartney relates that Brian Epstein did suggest to them that he wanted to end his management of them as a group, but that they were horrified at this suggestion, and after much protestation, Epstein was persuaded to stay.
Although Epstein's professional life had been almost completely immersed in that of the Beatles, it was not entirely exclusive, as the memo to Tony Bramwell included in this lot illustrates. Epstein had acquired the Saville Theatre in 1966 and took a great deal of interest in the acts he booked to appear there; the memo also illustrates the depth of Robert Stigwood's involvement. Towards the end of his life, Epstein's relationship with the Beatles had become increasingly strained as his role in their lives became less and less that of mentor and manager. The Beatles had stopped the relentless round of concerts and tours, and were concentrating on recording, so becoming increasingly independent of Epstein. In a fragment of a draft letter written by Esptein in March, 1967 [sold through these rooms on 27th April, 2000 as part of the Bryan Barrett Collection], he hints at thoughts of ending his role as The Beatles' manager and selling NEMS to Robert Stigwood...when the five of us do meet, we're ...messed up with extraneous issues....My personal usefulness to you is now obviously superceeded by your own intellect, knowledge and so on..., continuing with regard to Robert Stigwood...He is incidentally, I think a very good man...; although the Beatles names are not mentioned, the contents suggest it was intended for them.
In later interviews Paul McCartney relates that Brian Epstein did suggest to them that he wanted to end his management of them as a group, but that they were horrified at this suggestion, and after much protestation, Epstein was persuaded to stay.