Brian Epstein's early years: a chronology
I know I'm not the only one who finds the chronology of Brian's early life a little bit confusing, so I put this timeline together to help sort things out. Hopefully it will be helpful to other people as well. Let me know if you have any corrections or additions, because this is a work in progress.
Information is gleaned from the DM Beatles chronology, as well as from Coleman, Geller, Brown, Ellis, Spitz, Norman, Davies, and probably other people besides.
***
Sep 6, 1933. Queenie Hyman and Harry Epstein marry.
Sep 19, 1934. Brian Epstein born.
1936. Clive Epstein born
1938. (or maybe 1937) Peter Brown born
Sep 1950. Drops out of school without taking any qualifications and starts working at his grandfather Isaac's furniture store (I. Epstein & Sons, Walton Road, Liverpool).
1952. Does a six month apprenticeship at Times Furnishing (Lord Street, Liverpool), then goes to work at NEMS in Walton.
Dec 1952. Conscripted for National Service. Ends up in the Royal Army Service Corps (he had wanted the RAF), first at basic training at Aldershot and then at Regent's Park Barracks. Many of his school friends are given the chance to become officers, but Brian isn't.
Jan 1954. Returns home after being discharged from the Army.
1954. Becomes manager of a new family store, Clarendon Furnishing in Hoylake. [Although Norman says this happened in 1957/8.]
c. 1954 or 1955. Begins a relationship with Sonia Seligson. She is seventeen, four years younger than him.
Feb 1955. Appointed a director of NEMS Enterprises.
Aug 1955. Appointed a director of I. Epstein & Sons.
c. "mid 1950s" Geoffrey Ellis, who is three or four years older, meets Brian through mutual friends.
c. 1956. Breaks up with Sonia Seligson
Aug 1956. Writes letter of application to RADA
Sep 1956. Auditions for John Fernald, the Director of RADA, and is admitted. While studying in London lives at 59 Northways, Finchley.
[Mar 10, 1957. Writes to say that he plans to leave RADA... is this correct?]
Apr 17, 1957. Arrested for "persistently importuning" at Swiss Cottage tube station.
1957. ("a few months later") Blackmail incident in Liverpool. According to Yankel Feather, Brian is beaten up with a milk bottle. His watch is stolen. The blackmailer is arrested and Brian testifies anonymously at the trial as "Mr X."
1957. NEMS Great Charlotte Street store opens, and Brian takes over the record department.
c. 1958. Relationship with Joe Flannery starts. Brian rents the flat at 36 Falkner Street around this time.
Jun 1958. Geoffrey Ellis leaves Liverpool for a job in New York City.
Sep 1958. (est.) Meets Peter Brown.
1959. NEMS Whitechapel opens.
1959. Terry Doran meets Brian in a Liverpool pub.
late 1960. Alistair Taylor is hired as Brian's PA.
Sep-Oct 1961. Goes to Spain for six weeks... about the time his blackmailer is released from prison.
Nov 9, 1961. Visits the Cavern with Alistair Taylor for a lunchtime concert, and sees the Beatles for the first time.
Information is gleaned from the DM Beatles chronology, as well as from Coleman, Geller, Brown, Ellis, Spitz, Norman, Davies, and probably other people besides.
***
Sep 6, 1933. Queenie Hyman and Harry Epstein marry.
Sep 19, 1934. Brian Epstein born.
1936. Clive Epstein born
1938. (or maybe 1937) Peter Brown born
Sep 1950. Drops out of school without taking any qualifications and starts working at his grandfather Isaac's furniture store (I. Epstein & Sons, Walton Road, Liverpool).
1952. Does a six month apprenticeship at Times Furnishing (Lord Street, Liverpool), then goes to work at NEMS in Walton.
Dec 1952. Conscripted for National Service. Ends up in the Royal Army Service Corps (he had wanted the RAF), first at basic training at Aldershot and then at Regent's Park Barracks. Many of his school friends are given the chance to become officers, but Brian isn't.
Jan 1954. Returns home after being discharged from the Army.
1954. Becomes manager of a new family store, Clarendon Furnishing in Hoylake. [Although Norman says this happened in 1957/8.]
c. 1954 or 1955. Begins a relationship with Sonia Seligson. She is seventeen, four years younger than him.
Feb 1955. Appointed a director of NEMS Enterprises.
Aug 1955. Appointed a director of I. Epstein & Sons.
c. "mid 1950s" Geoffrey Ellis, who is three or four years older, meets Brian through mutual friends.
c. 1956. Breaks up with Sonia Seligson
Aug 1956. Writes letter of application to RADA
Sep 1956. Auditions for John Fernald, the Director of RADA, and is admitted. While studying in London lives at 59 Northways, Finchley.
[Mar 10, 1957. Writes to say that he plans to leave RADA... is this correct?]
Apr 17, 1957. Arrested for "persistently importuning" at Swiss Cottage tube station.
1957. ("a few months later") Blackmail incident in Liverpool. According to Yankel Feather, Brian is beaten up with a milk bottle. His watch is stolen. The blackmailer is arrested and Brian testifies anonymously at the trial as "Mr X."
1957. NEMS Great Charlotte Street store opens, and Brian takes over the record department.
c. 1958. Relationship with Joe Flannery starts. Brian rents the flat at 36 Falkner Street around this time.
Jun 1958. Geoffrey Ellis leaves Liverpool for a job in New York City.
Sep 1958. (est.) Meets Peter Brown.
1959. NEMS Whitechapel opens.
1959. Terry Doran meets Brian in a Liverpool pub.
late 1960. Alistair Taylor is hired as Brian's PA.
Sep-Oct 1961. Goes to Spain for six weeks... about the time his blackmailer is released from prison.
Nov 9, 1961. Visits the Cavern with Alistair Taylor for a lunchtime concert, and sees the Beatles for the first time.