Accompanying letter states that the boots were a gift from Lennon to Kenneth Partridge in 1964 when Partridge was converting and decorating Lennon's house, 'Kenwood', Weybridge, Surrey. According to Partridge Lennon was of a generous nature and frequently gave small items to the workmen on the site. On one occasion for instance, he gave a guitar to a carpenter as a present for the man's children. Later I learnt that a jealous quarrel had broken out between the carpenter and the foreman..who..felt he was entitled to any "perks" or hand-outs that were going. Soon afterwards I heard that the carpenter had been dismissed. Sadly John's generosity had to be surpressed....

This style of boot favoured by The Beatles at this period were identified with them to such an extent that they were known as 'Beatle' boots. A famous photograph by Beatles' photographer Robert Freeman featured an image of the groups' four pairs of boots without their owners and provides a perfect illustration of how instantly recognizable these boots had become.