The museum dedicated to the life and works of the city’s most famous band have put the ‘acorns for peace’ on display – with a remarkable backstory.
Yoko Ono recounted how, on 15 June 1968, along with John Lennon, the couple planted two acorns for peace at Coventry Cathedral – the first of many Peace Events. Despite a theft of the acorns, and a story lasting over 50 years, the seeds have found their way to the Liverpool Beatles Museum.
A wrought iron bench surrounding two acorns had been submitted by the couple for a sculpture exhibition. The acorns were planted in easterly and westerly positions to symbolise John and Yoko’s relationship. The plaque on the bench read ‘Yoko by John – John by Yoko’.
However, the Canon of the Cathedral was not happy with the installation being on consecrated ground, as he did not consider it ‘art’, and had religious concerns that both John and Yoko were still married to other people.
A week later, the installation was moved to the Cathedral gardens and shortly after, the acorns and the plaque were stolen. However, by chance, the culprit was discovered.
A 20-year-old Beatles fan had failed a breath test and was under arrest at a police station in nearby Nuneaton. Upon searching the young man, police found two acorns in his possession that had been wrapped in a handkerchief and coated with clear nail varnish in order to preserve them.
When traffic sergeant, Mike Davies, retired in 1980 he rediscovered the two acorns in his desk drawer. Mike sent the acorns and his evidential covering letter to the museum last November.
The two acorns from John and Yoko’s first ever peace event have found their own way to the Liverpool Beatles Museum 56 years later and are now on show.
