In June of 1978, Cynthia Lennon Twist released her first autobiography about her life with John Lennon. That same month, John read the News Of The World newspaper article about the book and immediately issued a High Court libel writ in an attempt to prevent further extracts from being published and alleging that Cynthia was in breach of marital confidence; he lost the case.

   

    Luckily for Ringo he had a girlfriend of true scouse stock back home in Liverpool. Although whilst in London he gallivanted around with one of the prominent models of her time, Vicky Hodge, when Maureen arrived in London, the smoke screen came down and they behaved like two little love birds. The beautiful occasional birds disappeared from view and Ringo got on with the serious business of courting his true love.

    I loved Maureen, she was down to earth, honest, and if she had known of Ringo's infidelities while she was in Liverpool, I wouldn't have reckoned much to the chances of the girl or girls in question if she had found out. She was madly in love with Ringo and would have fought tooth and nail with anyone who had the nerve to try and take him from her. Ringo knew this, of course, and must have been a panic many times in case of indiscreet gossip or thwarted lady friends telling all. As it happened, Ringo was lucky enough to get away with it in the face of incredible odd and loyal friends.    

    In the month of February 1965, Richard Starkey and Maureen Cox, Liverpool hairdresser, were quietly wed. Maureen was in the same condition as I on the day of my wedding, although the circumstances were much more settled for them. Their future seemed very secure and it was a very happy occasion for all concerned. The family was growing.   

    Two down, two to go. The fans, although sad at losing half of the Fab Four to the opposition, were very understanding and loyal. Fan letters arrived by their hundreds. In the main, they supported the family group, the rest ignored the fact that wives and children even existed.   

 

    On Christmas Eve, George, Pattie, Ringo, and Mo would descend on us at our home in Weybridge loading up with beautifully wrapped parcels. We would drink, talk, and listen to records until midnight when we would all go mad and open our respective gifts like silly little kids, oooing and aahing as each gift was impatiently unwrapped, kisses and hugs for everyone amidst shouts of Happy Christmas and Cheers.   

 

    George and Pattie decided to set up home together not far from Ringo, Mo, John, and I.   

 

    The years 1966-67 were tremendous years of mental and physical change for the Beatles. 1965 had been packed with success following success. Sell-out tours across the world. The highly successful film, "Help!" was premiered in London in the presence of Princess Margaret and was followed by a fantastic party where Maureen in her final days of pregnancy danced and gyrated the night through watched with great concerned by all. It would have been an incredible occasion if she had given birth in the presence of H.R.H. Maureen was enjoying herself more than anyone else; it was her first baby and she was making the most of life while she could.   

 

    The Beatles, their wives, and girlfriends were a very compatible group. There wasn't a single occasion when any of us fell out with each other, the fellers spend a great deal of time with each other, at work and play, and were always in harmony. The group was a marriage of four minds, three guitars and a drum, and the girls in the main tagged along and moved in whichever direction they were pointed by their men. The Beatles were very happy to have their women subervient in the background. It made life easier for them. The northern male chauvinism was quite strong within the group and independence was a bit of a dirty word, unless of course you happened to be in show business, or someone else's incredible talented and interesting wife, who just happened to lead an independent existence as well as cope with a marriage. I must admit that were were all to some extent conditioned in our roles, to be seen and not heard. Very Victorian and totally different to the lives they themselves led and the temptations they succumbed to whilst on tour. It was a question of 'don't do as I do, but do as I say', and we did.   

   

    Maureen was really incredible with Ringo, especially when the boys were recording until the early hours of the morning. Instead of going to bed, she would wait up until the morning. I, on the other hand, would spend all morning trying to keep the house quiet in order that John could sleep until the usual two o'clock in the afternoon. I would then creep upstairs and serve him breakfast in bed with tea and the newspapers. They really were cosseted at home.   

 

[Filming "How I Won the War" in Spain, 1966]   

    The so-called villa was owned by a baron somebody or other who charged exorbitant rent. The property was damp, tatty, and very depressing. It was only when Maureen and Ringo came out to join us for a holiday that we decided to find ourselves somewhere more comfortable, large enough to house us all for the remainder of the filming...The electricity kept going off and to top it all Maureen woke up one morning with her nightdress tied back to front in a knot. She had tied the ribbons in bows. She was adamant that Ringo was not the culprit.   

 

[Going to India for meditation with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, 1968]   

    Our small party consisted of George, Pattie, Jenny, Pattie's younger sister, John, and myself. Magic Alex also accompanied us. Paul, Jane, Ringo, and Maureen had decided to join us at a later date. It was, after all, only John and George out of the four who really felt the need for the meditation.   

 

    With the arrival of Paul, Jane, Ringo, and Maureen, we relaxed a little on the study and spent afternoon sunbathing on the banks of the Ganges.   

 

    Unfortunately, Maureen and Ringo stayed only for a short time, Maureen just couldn't stand the flies and insects, or the food. Ringo's stomach was weak from many operations as a child.