Bill Sheppard John Lennon apparenly bought his first guitar from Hessys in 57 when they'd moved a few streets away.
Garth Cartwright And when Epstein took over managing The B's the first thing he had to do (apparently) was settle the band's account with Hessy's - they owing over £200 on hire purchase. From what I can tell the Hessy's featured above and on the Record Shop website was a jazz shop that also sold TVs and gramophones but when it reopened, as you noted at a different location, a few years later it focused on selling guitars. If anyone can enlighten me more about Hessy's that would be appreciated.
Comment
I worked at the top shop(27-29 stanley st) learning to be a woodwind repairer under Alf Roberts who was a violin maker.
The accountant was Tom Conlan and A chap called George Beddowes Was also there. Frank Carny was the van driver and do all. We then moved the workshop to the basement of number 62 when the top shop was converted to a Microwave Cafe.
This would have been C1967-8
Name
Alan Walker
(2023)
https://youtu.be/liIusO4xMMU Video of the shop closing
Fortunately, for rock and roll, Frank Hessey Limited was available and sold John his first adequate acoustic guitar. Hessy's was located at 62 Stanley Street, at the corner of Whitechapel, in Liverpool. The guitar was really purchased by his Aunt Mimi for the sum of 17 pounds in 1957 and sold to him by Jim Gretty. Jim Gretty managed the Jim Gretty Variety Agency where, according to his ad in the July 18-August 1, 1963 "Mersey Beat," he booked "Artists and Bands for all Occasions." Lennon also modified his Rickenbacker 325 by replacing its vibrato unit while he and a friend visited the store.
