BEATLES - BEATLES' ELEANOR TRACK 'INSPIRATION' AUCTIONED FOR $177,000

BEATLES' ELEANOR TRACK 'INSPIRATION' AUCTIONED FOR $177,000

A payslip dating from 1911 which reportedly inspired the BEATLES hit ELEANOR RIGBY has fetched $177,000 (GBP115,000) at an auction in the legendary band's hometown of Liverpool, England on Thursday (27Nov08).
The signed document under the hammer was the wage slip of a household maid named E. Rigby from Liverpool dating back 97 years.
An advocate for disabled children was allegedly sent the document after she appealed to Beatles legend Sir Paul MCCartney to donate money to a children's charity.
And seller Annie Mawson believes MCCartney sent the document to her so she could raise funds for the Sunbeams Music Trust, announcing she will donate the full amount to the good cause.
However, despite the payslip bringing in high bids from interested buyers, MCCartney refutes the claims the document inspired his famous sombre tune - insisting he made the title character up.
He says, "Eleanor Rigby is a totally fictitious character that I made up. If someone wants to spend money buying a document to prove a fictitious character exists, that's fine with me."