34 Montagu Square (Lennon's & McCartney's former residence), London

34 Montagu Square (Lennon's & McCartney's former residence), London

At 34 Montagu Square, fans can snap a photo of a John Lennon English Heritage Blue Plaque. This property was acquired by Ringo Starr in 1965 and subsequently rented out to Paul McCartney and Jimi Hendrix. Later, in 1968, it became the residence of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who occupied the basement and ground floor during their stay.

It's the place where the famous couple famously posed for the iconic nude photograph used as the cover for their "Two Virgins" album, and it's also where, on the morning of October 18, 1968, John Lennon and Yoko Ono were apprehended by the Drugs Squad. Unsurprisingly, Detective Sergeant Norman Pilcher, who led the operation, had made a name for himself by targeting musicians, including Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, and Eric Clapton.

Interestingly, Lennon had been tipped off a few weeks earlier by a journalist that Pilcher had him next on the list and he had the flat meticulously cleaned. He was dumbfounded when the police informed him that sniffer dogs had found cannabis resin in various hiding places, such as a binoculars case, a film can, and a cigarette roller, amounting to roughly half an ounce in all.

Lennon and Ono were marched through crowds of photographers outside and were transported by police car to Paddington Green. There, Lennon sought counsel from EMI's Sir Joseph Lockwood, who provided guidance on how to navigate the situation with the police.

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34 Montagu Square (Lennon's & McCartney's former residence) on Map

Sight Name: 34 Montagu Square (Lennon's & McCartney's former residence)
Sight Location: London, England (See walking tours in London)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

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