Unusually for a Beatles memorabilia sale, this auction also includes objects that once belonged to the original Eleanor Rigby, the inspiration for the famous song released in 1966 as the B-side of Yellow Submarine.
Lot 249 in the Warrington sale includes a certificate of purchase for a grave space for the Rigby family at Woolton Parish Church along with a miniature bible dated 1899 with Rigby’s name written inside. The deeds and bible are collectively estimated at £2000-4000 on September 11 at Omega Auctions.
Omega auctioneer Paul Fairweather said: “Each item is fantastic, unique and of significant historical importance so to have both to come up for auction at the same time is an incredible coincidence and it will be exciting to see how they perform.”
Eleanor was born ‘Eleanor Rigby Whitfield’ in 1895. Deeds for the grave space, purchased in October 1915 by Eleanor’s grandmother Frances, were discovered by a relative.
McCartney, who wrote most of the lyrics to the song, is reported to have regularly walked past the headstone of the Rigby family because the graveyard was a shortcut that he and Lennon regularly used near to their homes.
