Liverpool Mural Honors 'Forgotten Sixth Beatle'

A vibrant mural honoring Lord Woodbine, a figure once described as the 'forgotten sixth Beatle,' will be unveiled in Liverpool's Toxteth district. Lord Woodbine, whose real name was Harold Adolphus Phillips, was a Trinidadian calypsonian, steelpan player, and promoter who became a vital mentor to The Beatles and a respected icon within Liverpool's Caribbean community. Arriving in England in 1948 as part of the Windrush generation, he significantly influenced the city's music scene by introducing calypso and steelpan music. His daughter, Carol Phillips, expressed hope that the mural will foster greater visibility for the Liverpool 8 music scene and its contributors.

The artwork, created by Liverpool artist John Culshaw, is commissioned by the charity Mandela8. This project forms part of a series dedicated to celebrating community role models and heroes from Liverpool's Caribbean and Black communities, with previous murals honoring figures like Howard Gayle and Nelson Mandela. Sonia Bassey MBE, Chair of Mandela8, emphasized the mural's significance in rightfully placing Lord Woodbine within the city's narrative. The charity aims to ensure that the contributions of these local heroes are recognized and remembered for future generations, addressing the historical invisibility of their impact on the city's musical heritage. Lord Woodbine, who passed away in a fire at his Toxteth home in 2000 at the age of 72, chose a modest life over exploiting The Beatles' fame.