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| 1940 | Birth |  |
| 9th Oct Liverpool Birth of John Lennon in Liverpool |
| 1945 | Education | |
| Sep Liverpool John Lennon starts at Doverdale Primary School |
| 1952 | Education | |
| Sep Liverpool John Lennon starts at Liverpool College of Art where he meets Cynthia Powell, his future wife, & Stuart Sutcliffe |
| Sep Liverpool John Lennon starts at Quarry Bank High School |
| 1956 | Beatles, The | |
| Julia, John Lennon's mother, buys him his first guitar through a mail order ad, his incessant playing prompts John's Aunt Mimi to say, "The guitar's all very well as a hobby, John, but you'll never make a living out of it." |
| 1956 | Quarrymen, The | |
| John Lennon forms his first group, The Quarrymen |
| 1957 | Beatles, The | |
| 6th July John Lennon meets Paul McCartney at the Woolton Paris h Church in Liverpool during a performance by John's group the Quarrymen, impressed by Paul's ability to tune a guitar and by his knowledge of song lyrics, John asks him to join the group |
| 1957 | Quarrymen, The | |
| Liverpool John Lennon forms the Quarry Men skiffle group |
| 24th May Liverpool 1st public performance of the Quarry Men skiffle group, in Rosebery St carnival |
| 6th July Liverpool John Lennon meets Paul McCartney at the Woolton Paris h Church in Liverpool during a performance by John's group the Quarrymen, impressed by Paul's ability to tune a guitar and by his knowledge of song lyrics, John asks him to join the group |
| 1958 | Beatles, The | |
| 1st Feb Paul McCartney introduces George Harris on to the Quarrymen at a basement teen club called the Morgue, George joins the group |
| 1958 | Quarrymen, The | |
| 1st Feb Paul McCartney introduces George Harris on to the Quarrymen at a basement teen club called the Morgue, George joins the group |
| 1959 | Beatles, The | |
| Liverpool Founder Member of The Beatles |
| 29th Aug Liverpool Opening night of the Casbah club where the Quarry Men take up residency |
| 1959 | Quarry Men | |
| 15th Nov Liverpool The Quarry Men are renamed Johny & the Moondogs & fail an audition for "star-maker" Carroll Levis at Manchester Hippodrome |
| 1959 | Silver Beatles | |
| 5th May The Silver Beetles fail an audition to back Billy Fury & are chosen to back Johny Gentle on a Scottish tour |
| 1960 | Beatles, The | |
| 2nd June The Silver Beatles are renamed The Beatles for their 1st professional engagement at Neston Institute |
| 1st Aug Hamburg The Beatles make their debut in Hamburg, West Germany, with Stu Sutcliffe on bass and Pete Best on drums |
| 16th Aug Hamburg The Beatles open at the Indra night-club |
| 18th Aug Hamburg The Beatles make their debut at the Indra Club |
| 1960 | Cavern Club | |
| 21st Mar Liverpool The Beatles make their debut at the Cavern Club |
| 1960 | Education | |
| July Liverpool John Lennon leaves Liverpool College of Art |
| 1961 | Beatles, The | |
| June A single "My Bonnie" by Tony Sheridan & backing by The Beatles is released in Germany |
| 1st Nov Liverpool Local record store manager Brian Epstein is introduced to the Beatles , he signs a contract to manage them |
| 1962 | Audition Beatles, The | |
| London The Beatles are turned down by DECCA |
| 1962 | Beatles, The | |
| Jan London The Beatles fail an audition at Decca |
| 9th May The Beatles finally sign a record contract with Parlophone Records after having been turned down by many labels |
| 1st June The Beatles audition for George Martin at Parlophone/EMI Records, he agrees to sign the group, but insists that Pete Best be replaced, within months, Richard "Ringo" Starkey joins the group |
| 6th June The Beatles meet George Martin for 1st time, they record "Besame Mucho" |
| 6th June London The Beatles record their first sessions at EMI Studios in London, with George Martin as producer |
| 11th Sep Abbey Road The Beatles ' 1st recording session leads to their 1st single "Love Me Do" |
| 5th Oct "Love Me Do" is released featuring Lennon on harmonica and McCartney singing solo on the chorus line |
| 1962 | Death | |
| April Hamburg The Beatles return to Hamburg to play at the Star-Club, but they learn that Stuart Sutcliffe had died a few hours before they arrived, this was another shock for Lennon, after losing Uncle George and Julia |
| 1962 | Marriage | |
| 23rd Aug John Lennon marries Cynthia Powell |
| 1963 | Beatles, The | |
| 22nd Feb The Beatles ' "Please Please Me" tops the UK charts |
| 1963 | Birth | |
| 8th April Liverpool John Charles Julian Lennon is born to John and Cynthia Lennon at Sefton General Hospital in Liverpool |
| 1963 | Marriage | |
| 23rd Aug Liverpool John Lennon marries Cynthia Lennon at Mount Pleasant |
| 1963 | Royal Command Performance | |
| 4th Nov The Beatles appear on the Royal Command Performance |
| 1964 | Beatles, The | |
| 11th Feb The Beatles begin their first USAtour at the Coliseum in Washington, D.C |
| 26th June The Beatles release "A Hard Day's Night" album |
| 6th July London The world premiere of The Beatles ' 'A Hard Day's Night' takes place in London |
| 1964 | Publication | |
| 23rd Mar John Lennon's first book, 'In His Own Write,' is published and becomes an instant best-seller |
| 1965 | Beatles, The | |
| 12th June London The Beatles are awarded England's prestigious MBE (Members of the Order of the British Empire). John comments, "I thought you had to drive tanks and win wars to get the MBE" |
| 15th Aug New York The Beatles play in front of almost 60,000 fans at Shea Stadium in New York City |
| 1965 | Film Beatles, The | |
| The Beatles film "A Hard Days Night" |
| 1st April John Lennon composes "Help!" the title song for the Beatles ' second film. He later confides that the lyrics are a cry for help and a clue to the confusion and despondency he feels |
| 1965 | Publication | |
| 24th June John Lennon's second book, 'A Spaniard in the Works', is published. |
| 1965 | Quote Lennon | |
| 4th Mar "Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue with that; I'm right and I will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now. I don't know which will go first, rock 'n' roll or Chris tianity" |
| 1966 | Beatles, The | |
| 1st Mar London London's 'Evening Standard' publishes an interview with John Lennon in which he states that the Beatles are "more popular than Jesus now", the comment provokes several protests, including the burning of Beatles records. |
| 31st July London John Lennon's comments on the state of Chris tianity - made in March, but only lately picked up in the USAspark protests and record burnings on the eve of the Beatles ' 1966 American tour |
| 29th Aug San Francisco After their concert at San Francis co's Candlestick Park, the Beatles declare this to be their final concert tour |
| Sep John Lennon makes his first appearance away from the Beatles in the role of Private Gripweed in Richard Lester's film 'How I Won the War', he writes "Strawberry Fields Forever" during the filming |
| 9th Nov London Yoko Ono and John Lennon meet at a preview of her art show, Exhibition #2, at Indica Gallery in London |
| 1967 | Beatles, The | |
| 30th June London The Beatles release the album "Sargeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" |
| 1st Sep London John Lennon anonymously sponsors Yoko Ono's Half a Wind Show (subtitled Yoko Plus Me) at London's Lisson Gallery |
| 1st Sep London John Lennon writes "I Am the Walrus" while under the influence of LSD |
| 1967 | Film of Beatles, The | |
| 13th Sep George Harris on & John Lennon direct a scene in the, "Magical Mystery Tour" film |
| 1968 | Apple Corps Ltd | |
| 1st May London Apple Corps, Ltd. begins operating in London. It is the Beatles ' attempt to take control of their own creative and economic destiny |
| 1968 | Beatles, The | |
| May John Lennon and Yoko Ono exhibit their first official joint venture at the Arts Lab in London. Soon after, they plant acorns outside Coventry Cathedral as a conceptual "living arts sculpture" |
| 1st May London Apple Corps, Ltd. begins operating in London. It is the Beatles ' attempt to take control of their own creative and economic destiny |
| July John Lennon moves out of his house in Weybridge, he and Yoko Ono move into Ringo Starr's apartment in Montague Square |
| 1968 | Composition | |
| Lennon releases "Unfinished Music No 2 - Life With The Lions", one side consists of John Lennon and Yoko Ono calling out to each other during her stay in a London hospital while pregnant |
| Lennon's solo career begins with Unfinished Music No 1 - Two Virgins, the sleeve depicts him and Ono standing naked |
| 1968 | Film Beatles, The | |
| 17th July London Beatle's animated film "Yellow Submarine" premieres in London |
| 1968 | Rock and Roll Circus | |
| The Rolling Stones film the 'Rock and Roll Circus', with guests Eric Clapton, John Lennon, Jethro Tull and the Who |
| 1969 | Beatles, The | |
| Aug Abbey Road The Beatles release the album "Abbey Road" |
| 1969 | Composition | |
| Toronto John Lennon's first 'solo' album of popular music is "Live Peace", recorded prior to the breakup of the Beatles , at the Rock 'n' Roll Festival in Toronto with The Plastic Ono Band |
| 16th Dec "War Is Over! If You Want It!" billboards go up in 11 cities around the world, as a Chris tmas message from John Lennon and Yoko Ono |
| 1969 | Demonstrations | |
| 21st Mar Amsterdam Lennon & Yoko Ono stage their "Beds in Peace" at the Amsterdam Hilton on honeymoon |
| 1969 | Marriage | |
| John Lennon marries Yoko Ono |
| 1969 | MBE Lennon | |
| 1st Sep John Lennon returns his MBE, he says it is to protest the British government's involvement in Biafra, its support of the USAin Vietnam and the poor chart performance of his latest single, "Cold Turkey" |
| 1969 | Resignation | |
| Sep John Lennon is the 1st member of The Beatles to quit the band |
| 1969 | Toronto Rock 'n' Roll Revival Concert | |
| 12th Sep Toronto John Lennon appears at the Toronto Rock 'n' Roll Revival concert, accompanied by Eric Clapton, Klaus Voormann, Alan White and Yoko |
| Dec Toronto 'The Plastic Ono Band - Live Peace in Toronto' is released |
| 1970 | Composition | |
| 5th April "Instant Karma (We All Shine On)," credited to John Ono Lennon and produced by Phil Spector is released and becomes a huge hit |
| 26th Dec 'John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band,' Lennon's debut album as a solo artist, enters the album charts |
| 1970 | Dissolution Beatles, The | |
| 31st Dec Paul McCartney files a suit to dissolve the Beatles |
| 1970 | Marriage | |
| Nov Amsterdam Yoko Ono and John Lennon celebrate their honeymoon by staging a "bed-in" for peace in Amsterdam |
| 1970 | Plastic Ono Band | |
| Following the Beatles ' split in 1970, Lennon releases the Plastic Ono Band album, a raw, honest record, heavily influenced by Arthur Janov's Primal therapy, which Lennon had undergone previously |
| 1971 | Attica Prison | |
| 1st Nov Attica Prison John Lennon appears at a benefit concert at the Apollo Theater for the families of inmates at Attica Prison |
| 1971 | Composition | |
| London Releases the single & album, "Imagine" |
| 6th June John Lennon & Yoko Ono jam with Frank Zappa at the Fillmore East in New York City, recorded for subsequent release on the Plastic Ono Band album 'Sometime in New York City' |
| 1st July John Lennon cuts 'Imagine' at his home studio, the anthemic title track is inspired by a message in Yoko Ono's book 'Grapefruit' |
| 1972 | Composition | |
| Lennon releases "Woman Is the Nigger of the World", which drew parallels between exploitation of women and discrimination against blacks |
| 12th June 'Some Time in New York City,' a double album by John Lennon backed by the New York rock group Elephant's Memory is released |
| 12th June "Some Time in New York City" is loud, raucous, and explicitly political, with songs about prison riots, racial and sexual relations, the British role in Northern Ireland, and his own problems in obtaining a USAGreen Card |
| 30th Aug Madison Square Garden John Lennon performs at Madison Square Garden, it will be his last concert as a headliner., the show will posthumously be released in 1986 as Live in New York City. |
| 1972 | Deportation | |
| Feb With the expiration of John Lennon's USAnon-immigrant visa, deportation proceedings begin. Lennon will wage a four-year battle with the federal government to remain in the USA |
| 4th Feb In a secret memo, Senator Strom Thurmond suggests to Attorney General John Mitchell that John Lennon, whom the government suspects of consorting with "known radicals," be deported |
| 1972 | Elephant's Memory | |
| 30th Aug New York Lennon and his backing band, Elephant's Memory, stage two benefit concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York |
| 1972 | US Senate Internal Security Subcommittee | |
| 1st Jan The staff of the USASenate Internal Security Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee prepares a memo about John Lennon's involvement with such radicals as Jerry Rubin, Abbie Hoffman and Rennie Davis |
| 4th Feb In a secret memo, Senator Strom Thurmond suggests to Attorney General John Mitchell that John Lennon, whom the government suspects of consorting with "known radicals," be deported |
| 1973 | Composition | |
| 1st Nov Lennon releases "Mind Games ", which is credited to "the Plastic U.F.Ono Band" |
| 1973 | Dakota, The | |
| 1st April New York John Lennon and Yoko Ono purchase an apartment at the Dakota on Central Park West and West 72nd Street in New York |
| 1973 | Marriage | |
| Sep John Lennon and Yoko Ono begin an 18-month separation, during which Lennon embarks on his infamous "lost weekend" in Los Angeles |
| 1974 | Composition | |
| Lennon releases " John Lennon - Rock 'n' Roll" |
| 1st Aug John Lennon records his 'Walls and Bridges ' album, he claims to have written ten of the songs in a single week |
| 1st Aug Lennon releases "Walls and Bridges ", a duet with Elton John on the #1 hit "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night", the album is released under the name "the Plastic Ono Nuclear Band" |
| 1974 | Concert of Lennon | |
| Nov John Lennon makes his last ever concert appearance when he appears onstage at Madison Square Garden with Elton John, that night Lennon is reunited with Ono and, in his words, "the separation failed" |
| 1974 | Expulsion Lennon | |
| 17th July John Lennon is ordered to leave the USAin 60 days |
| 1974 | Final Live Performance | |
| 28th Nov Madison Square Garden John Lennon performs three songs with Elton John at Madison Square Garden, it will turn out to be his last public performance |
| 1974 | Plastic Ono Nuclear Band | |
| Lennon releases "Walls and Bridges ", a duet with Elton John on the #1 hit "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night", the album is released under the name "the Plastic Ono Nuclear Band" |
| 1975 | Beatles, The | |
| 2nd Jan The Beatles ' final dissolution takes place |
| 1975 | Birth | |
| 9th Oct New York Sean Taro Ono Lennon is born at New York Hospital on father John Lennon's 35th birthday |
| 1975 | Composition | |
| 20th Sep "Fame," a song from David Bowie's 'Young Americans' album, tops the USAsingles charts, it is cowritten by Bowie, John Lennon and guitarist Carlos Aloma |
| 1975 | Green Card | |
| 5th Oct The USACourt of Appeal overturns the order to deport John and he is granted residency status, the authorities announce, "Lennon's four year battle to remain in our country is testimony to his faith in this American dream." |
| 1975 | Marriage | |
| 2nd Jan John and Yoko are reunited |
| 1976 | Green Card | |
| 26th July John Lennon's application to remain in the USAas a permanent resident is approved at a special hearing |
| 1980 | Assassination | |
| New York The Strawberry Fields Memorial was constructed across the street from the Dakota building in memory of Lennon |
| 8th Dec New York John Lennon is shot by deranged assailant, Mark Chapman as he and Yoko return to the Dakota after a recording session, he is pronounced dead at Roosevelt Hospital |
| 1980 | Composition | |
| 26th July John Lennon takes a cruise to Bermuda, where his songwriting muse is rekindled |
| 23rd Oct John Lennon's first new single in more than five years, "(Just Like) Starting Over," is released |
| 17th Nov John Lennon releases "Double Fantasy" with Yoko Ono |
| 1980 | Death | |
| 8th Dec New York Death of John Lennon, Lennon is shot dead by Mark David Chapman, in front of his apartment block in New York City |
| 1981 | Composition | |
| 24th Feb John Lennon and Yoko Ono's 'Double Fantasy' wins Album of the Year for 1981 at the 24th Annual Grammy Awards |
| 1981 | Grammy | |
| 24th Feb John Lennon and Yoko Ono's 'Double Fantasy' wins Album of the Year for 1981 at the 24th Annual Grammy Awards |
| 1982 | Album of the Year | |
| 24th Feb Yoko Ono recieves the "Album of the Year Award" for "Double Fantasy" at the 24th annual Grammys |
| 1984 | Death | |
| 21st Mar New York An opening ceremony is held for Strawberry Fields, an area in New York City's Central Park dedicated to John Lennon |
| 1984 | Strawberry Fields | |
| 21st Mar New York An opening ceremony is held for Strawberry Fields, an area in New York City's Central Park dedicated to John Lennon |
| 1990 | Death | |
| 9th Oct New York On what would have been John Lennon's 50th birthday, "Imagine" is broadcast simultaneously in 130 countries |
| 1992 | Grammy | |
| 25th Feb John Lennon is given the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 34th Annual Grammy Awards |
| 1992 | Rock and Roll Hall of Fame | |
| 19th Jan John Lennon is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the ninth annual induction dinner, Paul McCartney is his presenter, and Yoko Ono accepts the award on behalf of her late husband |
| 1994 | Rock and Roll Hall of Fame | |
| 19th Jan John Lennon is inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame by Paul McCartney |
| 1995 | Composition | |
| 19th Jan "Free as a Bird," the first new Beatles single in 25 years, is premiered on the televised Beatles Anthology, the song is a 1977 demo by John Lennon completed in 1995 by the three surviving Beatles |
| 1996 | Composition | |
| 23rd Mar "Real Love," a 1979 John Lennon demo finished in 1995 by the other Beatles , becomes the second new Beatles single to chart in less than three months. It is released as part of 'The Beatles Anthology' recordings and TV special |
| 1998 | Composition | |
| 3rd Nov 'John Lennon Anthology,' a four-CD box set of unreleased songs and performances, is released |
| 2002 | 100 Greatest Britons | |
| Lennon is included in the top 10 of the 2002 "100 Greatest Britons" poll sponsored by the BBC and voted for by the public |
