Mural Spotlight: Lord Woodbine

A mentor to The Beatles and icon of Liverpool’s Caribbean community how now been honoured with a mural in the city.

Painted by John Culshaw – famous for his range of murals across Liverpool – the mural of Lord Woodbine is part of a series of works commissioned by Mandela8 to showcase and celebrate community role models and local heroes.

Harold Adolphus Phillips, known as Lord Woodbine, was a Trinidadian calypsonian, steelpan player and music promoter, who became an influential figure in Liverpool’s Caribbean music scene and an early mentor to the Beatles.

A member of the Windrush generation, he arrived in England in 1948 after serving in the RAF. Leading bands such as Lord Woodbine and his Trinidadians and the All-Caribbean Steel Band, he introduced calypso and steelpan to British audiences. Partnering with club owner Allan Williams, he promoted the pre-fame Beatles and drove them to Hamburg in 1960, performing alongside them.

Often called the “forgotten sixth Beatle” such was his influence on the band’s early work, he preferred modest living over any exploitation of The Fab Four’s fame. He tragically died in a house fire with his wife Helen at their home in Toxteth.

Carol Phillips, Lord Woodbine’s daughter, said: “The mural is for the whole family of Liverpool 8, not just our family, and we hope it will be a catalyst for the celebration and visibility of the Liverpool 8 music scene and the contributions musicians like my Dad made. Many of them played a prominent role in the growth of Liverpool’s music scene and on the international stage, yet some of their stories and contributions have remained unsung. It is important that we now recognise, celebrate and make visible the part they played in Liverpool’s musical history.”

John Culshaw used the photography of Barry Chang as inspiration for the mural. Here are some words from Barry himself:

“I am the brother of Beryl Williams and brother-in- law of Allan Williams. On 15th August 1960, Allan who was then the manager of The Beatles arranged a booking for them in Hamburg, and I was one of the drivers of the minibus that transported them from Liverpool to Hamburg. On the journey through the Netherlands we diverted to the WW2 cemetery in Oosterbeek near Arnhem to pay our respects to the fallen. There were 5 Beatles at this time and it was there on 16th August 1960 that I was to take what has since become a globally known photo of them with Harold Phillips (aka Woody), but not including John. It is the artist’s interpretation of this photo that has been used in the mural of Harlod Phillips.”

Pictured from left to right can be seen Allan Williams, Beryl Williams, Harold Phillips (Woody) (seated), Stuart Sutcliffe, then Paul McCartney, George Harrison & Peter Best (all seated).

Find out more (click the links below):

Lord Woodbine – Wikipedia

Lord Woodbine | The Forgotten Beatles Mentor Who Took Them to Hamburg –
BEATLES FABDOM

Lord Woodbine: The forgotten sixth Beatle | The Independent