Gorgeous George with his gorgeous new E-type Jag, photographed for Beatles Monthly outside Whaddon House, London on 11th July, 1964. 

Dear Astrid,[...]

I bought you all the records I told you about years ago, and they are still at home covered in dust, so if you have decided where about's you are living lately, then let me know and I will send them to you.[...]

Fat Betty has seen all the Happy holiday Photo's, hasn't she? but I haven't, oh no - you won't show them to me will you! Actually if she had not come to England with King Size, then I would still be wondering which part of the world you where in.[...]

I bought a Jaguar (car) last month, and I think you would like it. I will send you a photograph of it, with the records as soon as I get back to Liverpool.[...]

Could you look through your photographs and find some - or all of the photos that have The Beatles either all together or separately, or that have any of us with other people in them, in fact any photographs at all that may be of interest and then if you felt in a HAPPY ASTRID MOOD, do you think you could either give or lend them to me.[...]

You know that Paul and John are going to be very rich soon, when they collect the money they have made by writing all those songs, and I don't think that you would like to see me poor and hungry, so I have decided to make a book. It won't be a DA SADE type book, but a daft story about the BEATLES, with some photographs in it, and then I hope to sell it to all the nice people and then I can buy food with the money... Can't I? I would like to have some pictures that the people haven't already seen in all the other books, so that is why I am asking you. It would be very nice of you, even if the pictures were old at the Indra and Kaiserkeller and Top Ten.[...]

I have been ill all week, feeling tired all the time. The doctor gave me a tonic which is like liquid preludin. My balls have been aching too, and banging around on stage! We will be in Paris for three week in January. 

I will write again with the records cheerio and love from Georgie (your friend who wants the photos)

Excerpts from a letter written by George to Astrid during The Beatles' six-night residency at the Gaumont Cinema, Bournemouth, 19th-24th August 1963. George was feeling unwell and was advised to stay in his hotel room at the Palace Court Hotel, Bournemouth. This gave him the time to write his first song, Don't Bother Me - perhaps just to save him from being poor and hungry! It was also in the hotel that Robert Freeman took the iconic 'shadow' photograph for that forthcoming With The Beatles record cover.

I can’t decide if he intends the irony of complaining that he might be “poor and hungry” once the Beatle bubble has burst, right after he says he bought a Jag last week!

A rare 37 year old black Porsche 928 S Coupe previously owned by George is coming up for auction soon. The car was ‘discovered’ in 2003 when it’s current owner, Raj Sedha, from Leeds bought it to use for spare parts, unaware of it’s previous owner. 

"Once I got it on the drive [in 2003], I began to figure which parts I wanted to take off. My partner ran out with the book and said, 'stop dismantling it, it belongs to George Harrison'. I said, 'who's George Harrison?'"

“It didn’t click with me. [...] I said, ‘That’s who the man who I bought it off said. Who is he?’

“She said, ‘He’s the Beatle. You can’t take the car apart for spares.”’

[Raj Sedha]

The car was bought by George in 1980 and he owned it for around 4 years. The car is considered to be rare - for a reason other than belonging to a Beatle - because of it’s ‘base’ black colour with black stitching on its leather interior instead of the usual black/red or black/cream combination.

There aren’t any photos of George with this car (that I know of or can find), but George seemed to be a fan of Porsche. He had several and he’s pictured with a 930 Porsche Turbo in the top photo who’s number plate was YOU 5. (Yous?!) The number plate of the Porsche is JUD 800W - I can’t figure out if that’s supposed to mean something? Also pictured is the car’s log book showing George’s previous registration info, showing the car was registered on 10th August 1980. The cars value is estimated at £20,000.