YORK music lover Ian Jeffery has always loved The Beatles. "I was in The Beatles fan club in the Sixties," he said. "Although I never actually saw them, I've always been a keen Beatles collector."

That collection has ebbed and flowed over the years. Once, fan club special edition flexidiscs and the programmes from two of the fab four's York concerts took pride of place. But he had to sell those many years ago.

Since then, Ian has built up his Beatles archive again. He is always on the lookout for material about the greatest group in pop history.

While on holiday in the United States, he went into a shop in New Town Square, Delamore County, Philadelphia. There he spotted a magazine, minus its cover, called The Real True Beatles.

Written by Michael Braun, it was brought out in 1964 by a New York publisher keen to cash in on the new craze sweeping the States: Beatlemania.

The 98-page magazine, packed with black-and-white photographs, charts the Beatles' progress in Britain and America.

But the chapter that caught Ian's eye was headlined with one word: York.

It was accompanied by the picture above, alongside this jaunty caption: "Throughout England, the dressing room of the Beatles is always crowded. In York, George and John oblige two young ladies backstage. Will they treasure these autographs? Just take a look at the expression of the miss on the right!"

We know that the picture must have been taken backstage at the Rialto. In her recently published book, Something In The Air, Van Wilson describes how the Beatles made four York appearances, all in 1963 and all at the famous Fishergate venue.

On the first three occasions, they were second billing: to Helen Shapiro, who was replaced by Danny Williams when she fell ill, in February; to Chris Montez in March; and to Roy Orbison in May.

George Harrison told former Evening Press music man Stacey Brewer that the band had written From Me To You in the coach as they travelled from York to Shrewsbury after the February concert.

When they returned the following month, it was without John Lennon, who was ill; it was the only time that the Beatles performed as a trio.

Beatlemania had really taken hold by the last gig in November, and they were top of the bill.

Before the concert the police had to work out a special "Beatle plan". Traffic diversions were arranged. One hundred regular officers were supported by 40 special constables.

"The Rialto management had been sent hundreds of requests for autographs, and even a dress which the owner wanted the Beatles to sign so that she could raffle it for charity," Van Wilson writes. "There were 1,800 fans inside the auditorium and another 400 outside jammed between crush barriers shouting, 'We want Paul, George, John and Ringo' throughout the concert."

It was our Yesterday Once More based on Van Wilson's book that prompted Ian Jeffery to bring in his magazine.

The article inside about the Beatles' York visit reveals the young musicians' energy and sense of fun, as can be seen from the following extract.

That evening in the dressing room of the cinema at York two girls came in and asked to interview them.

They said they wanted the interview so that they could make a tape of it for a third girl who was ill in a hospital.

John sat in a corner away from the group. "It's probably just an excuse to get into our dressing room," he said. "Anyway, women should be obscene and not heard."

"Switch it on now," said Paul, conducting the interview for the bewildered girls. "What's your name?" he asked Ringo. "John," said Ringo.

He then asked the girls their names. "How did you like Germany when you were there?" asked the girl whose name was Eileen. "We liked it fine," said Paul. "It was hard work," said Ringo. "Yeah," said George.

All during the interview they signed autographs and books that had been sent to their dressing room and when they were not actually answering a question they read letters from fans that had piled up in the dressing room.

The girls walked over to John. "How do you write the songs?" asked the girl whose name was Daphne. John didn't answer.

Paul shouted across the room in a voice you use to an errant child. "Tell us about the songs John, tell us about the songs."

"Sometimes we write them together," said John. "Sometimes not. Some of them take four hours; some 20 minutes. Others have been known to take as long as three weeks."

"What's your favourite song that you've written?"

"I think 'Glad All Over'," said Paul, opening his eyes even wider. "No, I'm kidding. I think at the moment it's our new record 'I Want To Hold Your Hand.' Is that all right?"

"Yes that's fine," said Eileen. "Thank-you very much indeed."

"Oh dear," said Daphne. "It doesn't seem to have been recording. Sorry about that."

Two hours before the first show in York, the crowd was queuing beneath the theatre marquee that read "Bingo every night (except Thursday)".

Fifteen minutes before the performance the doors were opened. In the lobby was a case lined with gold foil. On the foil were Beatles aprons and belts at 9/6d ($1.33).

The aprons were red and blue striped and were trimmed with a beetle insect playing a guitar and the words "From Me To You". Decorating the case was a spray of plastic roses.

Inside the master of ceremonies was asking: "Do you want to see John? (screams); George? (screams); Paul? (screams); Ringo? (pandemonium). They appeared, and all during their act a man in a dinner jacket stood in front of the stage looking bewildered.

The girls waved, held up pictures, and screamed. The man continued to look bewildered.

After Twist And Shout the screaming rose, then stopped dead for "The Queen," but as soon as this died out the screaming started again.

The rest of the article recalls a conversation between the fab four in a room at their unnamed hotel as they downed whiskies and smoked cigarettes.

"They started talking about their forthcoming appearance in America and decided they would not be successful. 'After all,' said John, 'Cliff went there and he died. He was fourteenth on a bill with Frankie Avalon and George said that 'Summer Holiday' was second feature at a drive-in in St Louis'."

How wrong they were.

Are you the women in the photograph? Or are you Daphne or Eileen (assuming they are different from the women in the picture)? If so, we would love to hear from you. Contact Chris Titley on 01904 653051 ext 337

Updated: 11:25 Monday, December 02, 2002