Big news from the Liverpool Beatles Museum today – we’re thrilled to unveil a truly special addition to our collection: John and Yoko’s very own ‘acorns for peace’!
The story of how the acorns found their way to the museum is an intriguing one! It began in 1968 when a wrought iron bench surrounding two acorns, that would subsequently grow into oak trees, had been submitted by John and Yoko for a sculpture exhibition. The acorns were planted in easterly and westerly positions to symbolise John and Yoko’s relationship. The plaque on the bench read ‘Yoko by John – John by Yoko’
The Canon of the Cathedral was not happy with the installation being on consecrated ground as he did not consider it ‘art’ and had religious concerns that both John and Yoko were still married to other people.
A week later everything was moved to the Cathedral gardens and shortly after the acorns and the plaque were stolen. A disagreement followed and Lennon’s driver was sent to retrieve the bench.
Around the same time, a 20-year-old Beatles fan had failed a breath test and was under arrest at a police station in Nuneaton. Upon searching the young man, police found two acorns in his possession that had been wrapped in a handkerchief and coated with clear nail varnish in order to preserve them.
When traffic sergeant, Mike Davies, retired in 1980 he rediscovered the two acorns in his desk drawer. Mike sent the acorns and his evidential covering letter here to the Museum in November of 2023.
We are delighted that the two acorns from John and Yoko’s first ever peace event have found their own way to the Liverpool Beatles Museum 56 years later.
