All four members of The Beatles gave their autographs when they played in South Yorkshire – and the signatures are going under the hammer for thousands of pounds

The autographs of every member of The Beatles were gathered by a member of staff at the now-closed St James’ Baths in Doncaster, where the band performed in February 1963.

Now the signatures are going under the hammer at auction, with an estimated price running into thousands of pounds.

The original recipient’s grandfather managed the pool, and asked all the visiting acts to sign his autograph books.

The Beatles wrote their names in coloured pens on a light green album page – John Lennon and George Harrison signed in red, and Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr signed in black.

Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a letter of provenance, the autographs are being sold by RR Auction, based in Boston, USA. The album page is described as being ‘in fine condition, with trimmed edges and faint edge toning’.

The final bid is expected to top $7,500, or just under £5,550.

The Beatles toured extensively in their early years, often as part of package tours with other artists, although the date at St James’ Baths – the last of their five appearances in Doncaster – was an exclusive engagement where the band topped the bill.

At the time of the concert on February 20, 1963, they had yet to release their first album Please Please Me, which came out on March 22.

The auction runs until February 10. Visit www.rrauction.com for details.

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