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Bill Sheppard John Lennon apparenly bought his first guitar from Hessys in 57 when they'd moved a few streets away.

Garth Cartwright And when Epstein took over managing The B's the first thing he had to do (apparently) was settle the band's account with Hessy's - they owing over £200 on hire purchase. From what I can tell the Hessy's featured above and on the Record Shop website was a jazz shop that also sold TVs and gramophones but when it reopened, as you noted at a different location, a few years later it focused on selling guitars. If anyone can enlighten me more about Hessy's that would be appreciated.

Comment
I worked at the top shop(27-29 stanley st) learning to be a woodwind repairer under Alf Roberts who was a violin maker.
The accountant was Tom Conlan and A chap called George Beddowes Was also there. Frank Carny was the van driver and do all. We then moved the workshop to the basement of number 62 when the top shop was converted to a Microwave Cafe.
This would have been C1967-8
Name
Alan Walker
(2023)

https://youtu.be/liIusO4xMMU Video of the shop closing

Fortunately, for rock and roll, Frank Hessey Limited was available and sold John his first adequate acoustic guitar. Hessy's was located at 62 Stanley Street, at the corner of Whitechapel, in Liverpool. The guitar was really purchased by his Aunt Mimi for the sum of 17 pounds in 1957 and sold to him by Jim Gretty. Jim Gretty managed the Jim Gretty Variety Agency where, according to his ad in the July 18-August 1, 1963 "Mersey Beat," he booked "Artists and Bands for all Occasions." Lennon also modified his Rickenbacker 325 by replacing its vibrato unit while he and a friend visited the store.


Comments

Dave Harwood
29 Oct 2024 at 02:01
I found this advert in the 'Liverpool Evening Express' dated 14th October 1942:
“HESSY’S FOR GOOD RADIO. HESSY'S FOR GRAMOPHONE RECORDS. HESSY’S FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. HESSY'S for WIRELESS & TORCH Batteries. HESSY’S, 18 MANCHESTER STREET.”
... and these addresses in the 'Liverpool Echo' dated 17th December 1959:
“HESSY'S LIMITED 271-273 Park Road, Liverpool 8; 18-20 Manchester Street, Liverpool 1; 286-288 Breck Road, Liverpool 5; 37 St. Mary's Road, Garston, Liverpool 19.”
Alan Gerrard
12 Nov 2024 at 11:46
I used to wander in to the Stanley Street shop as a kid in the 1960s knowing nothing and too shy to ask. There was always a guy demoing a guitar playing a fast finger-picking version of 'Freight Train'. I found out later it was Jim Gretty.

Details

Location

62 Stanley Street Liverpool / Merseyside

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