Mary Patricia McCartney, the mother of Michael and Paul McCartney, died on 31 October 1956 at the age of 47.
I can’t remember the details of the day we were told. All I remember is one of us, I don’t remember who, making a silly joke.
Mary had been suffering from breast cancer, and died of an embolism shortly after an operation to stop the spread of the disease.
The first thing I said was, ‘What are we going to do without her money?’
Mary McCartney was buried on 3 November 1956 at Yew Tree Cemetery, Finch Lane, Liverpool.
My mum dying when I was fourteen was the big shock in my teenage years. She died of cancer, I learnt later. I didn’t know then why she had died.My mum wanted us to speak properly and aspired to speak the Queen’s English. One of my most guilty feelings is about picking her up once on how she spoke. She pronounced ‘ask’ with a long ‘a’ sound. And I said, ‘Oh – “aarsk”! That’s “ask”, mum,’ and I really took the piss out of her. When she died, I remember thinking, ‘You a*****e, why did you do that? Why did you have to put your mum down?’ I think I’ve just about got over it now, doctor.
My mother’s death broke my dad up. That was the worst thing for me, hearing my dad cry. I’d never heard him cry before. It was a terrible blow to the family. You grow up real quick, because you never expect to hear your parents crying. You expect to see women crying, or kids in the playground, or even yourself crying – and you can explain all that. But when it’s your dad, then you know something’s really wrong and it shakes your faith in everything. But I was determined not to let it affect me. I carried on. I learnt to put a shell around me at that age. There was none of this sitting at home crying – that would be recommended now, but not then.
That became a very big bond between John and me, because he lost his mum early on, too. We both had this emotional turmoil which we had to deal with and, being teenagers, we had to deal with it very quickly. We both understood that something had happened that you couldn’t talk about – but we could laugh about it, because each of us had gone through it. It wasn’t OK for anyone else. We could both laugh at death – but only on the surface. John went through hell, but young people don’t show grief – they’d rather not. Occasionally, once or twice in later years, it would hit in. We’d be sitting around and we’d have a cry together; not often, but it was good.
Anthology
Also on this day...
- 2018: Paul McCartney live: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo
- 2017: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band live: Moody Theater, Austin
- 2016: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band live: Orchard Hall, Tokyo
- 2015: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band live: Kings Theatre, New York City
- 2013: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band live: Teatro Positivo, Curitiba
- 2012: Paul McCartney’s 1964 Aston Martin DB5 sells for £307,500
- 2011: Paul McCartney commissions restoration of Motown piano
- 1989: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band live: Osaka-jō Hall, Osaka
- 1988: USSR album release: Choba B CCCP by Paul McCartney
- 1983: Album release: Pipes Of Peace by Paul McCartney
- 1969: UK single release: Something/Come Together
- 1968: George Harrison produces Is This What You Want? by Jackie Lomax
- 1967: Filming: Magical Mystery Tour
- 1966: Mixing: Paperback Writer
- 1964: The Beatles live: Gaumont Cinema, Ipswich
- 1963: Travel: Stockholm to London
- 1961: The Beatles live: Litherland Town Hall, Liverpool
- 1960: The Beatles live: Kaiserkeller, Hamburg
Want more? Visit the Beatles history section.
Sir Paul, Well I’m sure that was difficult when you were 14. I’m sorry that happened. But I’m glad to hear that you & John Lennon had each other to console and feel better. I like to hear of your history. Thanks for sharing. May you have wonderful memories of your mum. ?
Paul I am sure that you will never see this however I am 58 years old and have fond memories of the evening my three older sisters in there teens began SHRIEKING AND SCREAMING THE BEATLES ARE ON THE BEATLES ARE ON pushing my father aside from our only tv in the house a black and white 14 inch with a clothing hanger as a rabbit ear to get a good signal
And there in the brilliance of black and white the show came on The Ed Sullivan show in his jovial voice and gestures the then announced AND HERE THEY ARE ALL THE WAY FROM LIVERPOOL
THE BEATLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I will never forget that day watching my sisters in pure delight dancing singing he loves you yayaya and proclaiming out loud which BEATLE WAS GROOVY LOL
Such memories at a young age I hold dear in my heart
Sheer happiness
Sincerely Kimmy lol
I was an only child. But remember a couple of teenage girls, babysitters or in my mother’s 4-H club getting hysterical over the Beatles. I had something with the Beatles picture on it and they grabbed it and so enthusiastically discussed which Beatle they liked the most and how Elvis wasn’t as exciting as he used to be. That and the scenes of hysterical girls on television made being a teenager look like it would be such FUN while my party pooper mother called them silly. How I wish I could go back to those days again!
Some have speculated that Paul’s song YESTERDAY may be about his Mom’s death:
Looking back … all his troubles seemed so faraway, why she had to leave (die) “she wouldn’t say”….”there’s a shadow” certainly hanging over someone who has lost their Mom, “I said something wrong” — (The first thing Paul said was, ‘What are we going to do without her money?’). Not exactly the correct thing to say when being told your Mom has died, but, it’s tough knowing what to say when someone dies…and sometimes you just blurt things out.
…just like when John died…Paul said: “It’s a real drag isn’t it,” which again was the wrong thing to say.
“Now I long for yesterday” …(before his Mom had died). – “I need a place to hide away” Paul longed for YESTERDAY.
Hello to you all , Have you ever noticed and felt that when PAUL McCARTNEY sang those very sad and sincere words ” When I find myself in times of trouble , Mother MARY comes to me ” in the song LET IT BE that he was singing about his very own mother Mary ? And not of Mother Mary of the religious world ?