Hunter Davies Q&A

Stansgran

I've long been an admirer of Hunter Davies' writing from Sunday Times early days and read about his investments in recent copies. I am also a tremendous fan of Margaret Forster. I've read all her books and I no doubt have helped his investment portfolio by buying her books. I also used to call DD1 Flossie Teacake and bought her those books. Simple question first . Have you bought any pensioner bonds and if so what do think of the process? I thought it a fiasco. If you didn't why not?
Also any tips for being penny pinching and frugal living?

Yes I bought Pension Bonds - the full lot, £40k for me and my dear. I missed their launch being away on holiday and was dead furious to come back thinking I'd missed it after reading a story about poor old pensioners hanging on for days…. but when I got round to it, I rang and got straight through. Very good interest rates. Go for it… Re my wife - every time I go places I get the same old comment. "Oh it was really your wife I wanted to meet…"

Derek100

Hello Hunter
Why do you describe yourself, amongst other things, as a "Beatles Autobiographer"?

Of course I don’t call myself that. Beatles biographer …. that’s it.

TriciaF

Hello Hunter - my question is, do you manage to see much of your grandchildren? This is a common topic on here.
BTW - I was at Durham the same time as you, but we never met .

I see all my grandchildren every week at least once - fortunately they all live pretty local these days. The younger two come every Mon afternoon after school for two hours - which I love. But am always knackered afterwards. Why ever did I tell myself I was the fun figure in the family…

Gagagran

I have enjoyed reading your newspaper columns over the years and am always amused when you describe your latest money-saving wheeze. Are you really as frugal as you pretend or is it just journalistic licence?
(I can't believe your wife would allow you to be really so penny-pinching!)

Oh yes, very mean, always going for cheap stuff and bargains even if I have to scrape the mold off. All true - but I am also very generous on bigger things, such as donating a large sum to the Cumbria Community Foundation, oh yes…

KatyK

Hello Hunter

How friendly were you with the Beatles and which one of them did you like most?

Beatles - I like to think I was friendly with them all. My fave? The one I was with last.
I pinched that answer from their roadies who were asked that same old question all day long…. as I was when I was with them.

GrandmaKT

Hi Hunter,
I always enjoy reading your articles when you write in the Sunday Times.
What do you think of property prices in London? Do you think they will continue to rise or will there be a crash? Have you helped your children or grand children get on the property ladder?

House prices - obscene, I have expected them to go down for years, but so far not in London. Yes, I have helped all my kids with deposits to get them on the property ladder - oh god, if only our parents had helped us. We were so jealous of those who did get help. Not fair I know, but they didn't ask to be born and brought up in London.

Shelovesme

Hello Gransnet

I wanted to ask Hunter - was there anything you weren't allowed to put in your Beatles biography back then that you would probably have been able to include today (with the more broad-minded and open culture?) do you think? I can only imagine what they were all up to in 1968!

And which one was your favorite (sorry, are we allowed to ask two questions? If not - please answer whichever you prefer).

Many thanks

In the first edition of my Beatles biog I did not mention the groupies, in hotel rooms and dressing rooms- they were all happily married or engaged at the time, so why embarrass their partners. But even in 1968 most people knew about groupies and pop stars. I also did not state clearly that Brian Epstein was homosexual - it had been against the law - but I did say he was a gay bachelor, though most people did use that phrase then.

flippy

Hello Hunter is it true that your wife threatened to divorce you for accepting your OBE?

Yes my wife did say that.

oxtail

I believe you were the only authorised biographer of the Beatles ever. Is this true and if so why you (not meant to be rude just curious!)

I am the only Beatles authorised biog - when I met Brian in 1966 he offered a clause saying he would not give access to the Beatles for two years after my book came out. It came out in 1968, they broke up in 1970 - so my book became the only ever authorised biog, though I did not know that at the time I was writing it…