| 16 February - 12 April 1968 - John and Cynthia head
to Rishikesh, India along with George Harrison and his wife Patty for
further meditation with the Maharishi. (Ringo and Maureen and Paul and Jane
Asher arrived four days later.) While in India, Cynthia and John had
mentioned to the Maharishi that their son, Julian, was back in London
staying with his Grandma Lillian Powell. As a token of his friendship, the
Maharishi had an elaborate Indian outfit especially made for Julian as a
present for his upcoming fifth birthday. Shortly after, John told Cynthia he
had cheated on her more times than he could remember and Cynthia came home
one day to find John and Yoko in bathrobes.
30 May - 17 October 1968 - The White Album is
recorded with recording of Good Night starting on 11 June in
EMI. Good Night was written by John for Julian but was sung only by
Ringo accompanied by a 30 piece orchestra and choir of 4 girls and 4 boys.
22 August 1968 - Cynthia officially sues John for divorce on
grounds of adultery with Yoko Ono Cox..
26 August 1968 - Hey Jude, the Beatles' best selling
single, is released. Paul remembers, "I was driving out to
see Cynthia and Julian. Cyn and John had just separated and they were still
friends. I was singing 'Hey Jules,' and I got this idea-'don't make it
bad'-you know, this situation. Take a sad song, make it better. Eventually,
I thought Jules didn't sound quite right, and Jude just sounded
better."
November 1968 - Cynthia takes Julian to Presario, Italy to escape
the impending divorce. Here she meets her future second husband, Roberto
Bassanini, and was served with the divorce papers from John.
8 November 1968 - The divorce settlement is signed and includes
£100,000 for Cynthia, £2,400 annually for the care of Julian and a
£100,000 trust fund for Julian to receive on his 25th birthday provided
John doesn't have anymore children... if he does Julian's trust reduces to
£50,000. The divorce also gives Cynthia custody of Julian and they end up
living in Cheshire.
10 December 1968 - Kenwood is put up for sale
11 December 1968 - Julian attends the television taping of the
Rolling Stone's Rock and Roll Circus with John and Yoko at Wembley TV
studios. |
