George and his first Girlfriend

This is sweet.

http://sentstarr.tripod.com/beatgirls/caldwell.html

Iris Violet Caldwell born 1945 to Vi and Ernie Caldwell. As George Harrison recalled "Ernie was a porter in his spare time in the local hospital, Broad Green Hospital. He used to sing songs to his patients. He was a really nice fella, and a window cleaner by occupation. After we'd arrived late at night, he'd go to bed and they'd all make jokes about him, but in a nice way. He was a simple, quiet, mild-mannered bloke." According to Iris "The Beatles used to call my dad The Crusher and call my mum Violent Vi and I've no idea why."

Her brother, Alan, was a talented singer who gave up his job as a cotton salesman to start a group called the Texans. He later adopted the vibrant stage name Rory Storm to better suit his wild stage antics, and the band - who were the top Liverpool group of that era - became known as the Hurricanes, acquired a new drummer called Ringo Starr, and hang out with other up-and-coming groups such as The Beatles. Alan was so dedicated to his new image that he adopted his stage name legally by deed poll and named his home at 54 Broadgreen Road, Stormsville. The group released one single in December 1964 which failed to chart and Rory refused to take up further chances to record. Iris felt that "He was happy to be the King of Liverpool; he was never keen on touring, he didn't want to give up running for the Pembroke Harriers ... and he'd never miss a Liverpool football match!" Her first boyfriend remembers of her brother "Rory was an athlete. I remember a couple of times I came to have a date with Iris, and Rory would come running up to his front door sweating and panting, and checking his stopwatch, because he'd been training."

Iris found her first boyfriend when she was twelve, in a fourteen year old lad called George Harrison. "I met George at the ice rink when I was 12 and he was 14. Every night he would come round to our house after school. He used to play guitar and wanted to get into [my brother] Rory's band but Rory said he was a bit young. We went out for ages - but it was a totally different concept to boyfriend and girlfriend today. We'd walk down Lilly Lane which was like a lovers' lane and kiss and cuddle. George was the best kisser ever. Rory opened a skiffle club and I wasn't supposed to go because I was under 15 so I put cotton wool in my bra and blue blusher on my eyes. "At the end of the night, Rory made a joke about his little sister having cotton wool down her bra. I was so embarrassed I ran out in tears. Then I heard footsteps behind me. It was George. I ran into his arms and he gave me the best kiss ever. I can still feel it right in my tummy, even now. He was lovely." Iris says that the best kisser out of her two Beatle boyfriends was definitely George. "He gave me my first kiss. He was lovely. Paul was charming. George had something else. But we split up when I was having a party. He insulted a friend. We were playing a game where all the girls were named after fruit. The boys would come in and mum would ask if they wanted pears or apples, and whoever was that girl got a kiss. George didn�t find his choice that attractive. When my mum asked do you want lemons or pears? George just said: 'I'm not hungry'. I was so upset. He had insulted my friends. I said I never wanted to speak to him again. But even when I was going out with Paul and we'd had a row, George would still phone up asking if he could take me out. I don't think there was any rivalry over me. It was all good-hearted. Things were so different then.

Her mother Vi recalled "George used to come and watch TV three times a week. He and Iris used to sit there holding hands. It was the first time either of them had ever taken any interest in someone of the opposite sex. At Iris' fourteenth birthday party, I remember George turned up in a brand new Italian-style suit covered with buttons. As in most teenage parties, they kept on playing kissing games and somehow or other, George and Iris always ended up together."

George definitely saw her as his first girlfriend, but was unsure how she saw the relationship. "My first girlfriend was Rory Storm's sister, Iris Caldwell. She was really nice and had cotton wool in her bra. She probably didn't ever think she was my girlfriend. You never know when you're young; you just fancy somebody, or someone's in the same room as you, and you end up thinking they're your girlfriend. ...I'd met Iris a couple of times and went round to her house and hung out. They had a little basement that they were trying to turn into a coffee club. That seemed to be the craze in the Fifties."

George's sister Louise remembered that Iris and George were inseparable until he got into music, and then his interest in her was overtaken by his new love. He even auditioned for her brother's group, The Hurricanes, but wasn't asked to join. Despite failing to join Rory's band and no longer going out with Iris, all of the family were still very friendly with George. "They were a great family and were very friendly to all of us. Later - after we'd come back from Hamburg and done loads of gigs in Liverpool and the North of England - we used Rory's house as a place to hang out when we got back to town after shows. His mother Vi would make endless pots of tea and toast for us all."

That is indeed so sweet. Can you imagine Iris's mom being part of a kissing game?

And his lovely sister was Lou Caldwell for some years.

Ironies: Ringo becomes a Hurricane, Rory's mate; Lou a Caldwell.

Iris was friends with MY favorite Beatles, Paul and George!

What a sweet story. George stories always make you feel good.

Originally Posted by fellowgardener

That is indeed so sweet. Can you imagine Iris's mom being part of a kissing game?

I know! And George's wry response, "I'm not hungry." hahaha!

Originally Posted by beatlebangs1964

George stories always make you feel good.

That's so true, BB!

Jim McCartney was a cotton salesman.

Intersting ain't it, how my 2 favorite Beatles (George & Paul) had more in common!

I find it funny that his girlfriend was angry and broke up with him because he refused to kiss another girl, lol.

That's a good point, Daisy!

I find that funny too. Imagine, a kiss from George!

Makes me think of a Paul McCartney classic, "All My Loving" when he says, "I'll pretend that I'm kissing/The lips I am missing" and no doubt this poor girl was thinking along those lines!