Beatles fans call for return of MBE medal rejected by John Lennon
The MBE medal that John Lennon famously rejected has been unearthed in a royal vault and now, 40 years after Lennon sent the award back to the Queen, Beatles historians are calling for it to be dusted off and put on public display.


Published: 1:44AM GMT 06 Jan 2009
MBE medal that John Lennon rejected unearthed in royal vault
Lennon's medal was found in a cabinet at the Chancery Department of the Royal Household where it has lain untouched for years Photo: PA

The Fab Four were invested as Members of the British Empire in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 1965, after topping record charts around the world.

But later Lennon decided that he had sold out to the Establishment and returned his MBE to Her Majesty 25th November 1969 as part of ongoing peace protests masterminded with Yoko Ono.

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In an accompanying letter Lennon said: "Your Majesty, I am returning my MBE as a protest against Britain's involvement in the Nigeria-Biafra thing, against our support of America in Vietnam and against 'Cold Turkey' slipping down the charts. With Love, John Lennon."

Years later he was quoted as saying: "Lots of people who complained about us getting the MBE received theirs for heroism in the war.

"They got them for killing people. We deserved ours for not killing people. In a way it was hypocritical of me to accept it.

"But I'm glad I did really, because it meant that four years later I was able to use it to make a gesture."

Now Beatles fans have established that the medal has been located in a vault at St James' Palace and have written to Yoko Ono urging her to retrieve it.

The medal was found in a cabinet at the Chancery Department of the Royal Household where it has lain untouched for years.

It is still in the presentation case bearing the name John Winston Lennon, and has been stored along with his protest letter.

Beatles history experts regard it as one of the most important pieces of Beatles history and are calling for the medal to be exhibited in the city 40 years after it was returned.

It has been suggested that it should be given a permanent home at "Mendips", the childhood home John shared with his Aunt Mimi in Woolton, which was bought and donated to the National Trust by Yoko Ono.

Lennon had originally sent the medal to his Auntie Mimi and she kept it in pride of place on her mantelpiece, until John collected it and returned it to The Queen.

Liverpool Beatles Appreciation Society founder Gene Grimes said: "The Palace are sitting on a unique piece of Beatles history and it should not be left to gather dust in a draw.

"The medal is a vital piece of Beatles memorabilia and should be exhibited for John's fans to see."

A Buckingham Palace spokesman confirmed that it was holding the MBE.

The spokesman said: "The Central Chancery would, without question, return any Insignia to the original recipient if they request it during their lifetime.

"If a recipient had not asked for insignia back before they die then it is assumed that they did not wish it to be returned, and any request from any other person for its return at a later date would be going against the original recipient’s wishes.

"The Central Chancery would therefore only consider releasing insignia if they had a direct approach from the recipient’s legal next of kin."


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturenews/4128022/MBE-medal-that-John-Lennon-rejected-unearthed-in-royal-vault.html

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article5454895.ece

These Beatles fans and their Beatles sef. It's just another ploy to get Beatles in the public eye again. Putting a rejected medal on public display - who's going to be making money from this? Hmmn, I wonder. First the remastering of all their songs into a game, and now this.