Bett Robbins

Bett Robins was a cousin of Paul McCartney.

My cousin Betty Danher […] was a big influence on me musically. She loved singing and introduced me to songs like ‘My Funny Valentine’ and ‘Till There Was You’, which I later performed with The Beatles. She was married to a guy called Mike Robbins. They brought their kids up surrounded by a lot of music.

Paul McCartney – From “The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present“, 2021

In August 1959, Paul McCartney and George Harrison set off on a hitchhiking trip from north-west England to the south-west during the summer holidays. At some point on their journey, they made their way to the Butlin’s holiday camp in Pwllheli, where Bett Robins and her husband Mike were staying. Although they managed to meet them, Paul and George were unable to stay at the camp, either because it was fully booked or because they could not afford the accommodation.

In April 1960, John Lennon and Paul made another hitchhiking trip, which brought them to Caversham. There, performing under the name the Nerk Twins, they played at the Fox and Hounds pub, which was managed by Bett and Mike Robins.

Later that year, Bett and Mike relocated to Ryde on the Isle of Wight, where they became the managers of the Bow Bars pub. On several occasions, Paul recalled hitchhiking to Ryde with John around 1960 or 1961, and said that The Beatles’ 1965 song “Ticket To Ride” was inspired by that journey. However, according to Mark Lewisohn in “Tune In: The Beatles: All These Years“, it is unlikely that Paul and John ever made such a trip, suggesting that the story may be a conflation of different memories.

There are no obvious spaces in Paul and John’s calendar for this trip to have happened except at the start of July 1961, but John never mentioned it, and a letter sent by Mike Robbins to Mike McCartney on July 6, 1961 (reproduced in Thank U Very Much, p76) doesn’t refer to Paul making any visits.

From “Tune In: The Beatles: All These Years” by Mark Lewisohn, 2013

John and I always liked wordplay. So, the phrase ‘She’s got a ticket to ride’ of course referred to riding on a bus or train, but – if you really want to know – it also referred to Ryde on the Isle of Wight, where my cousin Betty and her husband Mike were running a pub. That’s what they did; they ran pubs. He ended up as an entertainment manager at a Butlin’s holiday resort. Betty and Mike were very showbiz. It was great fun to visit them, so John and I hitchhiked down to Ryde, and when we wrote the song we were referring to the memory of this John and I always liked wordplay. So, the phrase ‘She’s got a ticket to ride’ of course referred to riding on a bus or train, but – if you really want to know – it also referred to Ryde on the Isle of Wight, where my cousin Betty and her husband Mike were running a pub. That’s what they did; they ran pubs. He ended up as an entertainment manager at a Butlin’s holiday resort. Betty and Mike were very showbiz. It was great fun to visit them, so John and I hitchhiked down to Ryde, and when we wrote the song we were referring to the memory of this trip. It’s very cute now to think of me and John in a little single bed, top and tail, and Betty and Mike coming to tuck us in.

Paul McCartney – From “The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present“, 2021

On April 7, 1963, after performing at the Savoy Ballroom in Southsea, The Beatles were due to cross to the Isle of Wight to visit Bett and Mike at the Bow Bars. However, by then, the group’s rapidly growing popularity had resulted in an increasingly demanding schedule. With television and radio appearances in London the following day, the visit had to be cancelled. To make amends, The Beatles signed the reverse of a Parlophone publicity card, which was sent to Diana, a young member of staff at the Bow Bars who had been eagerly anticipating their visit, together with an apology for being unable to make the crossing.

According to Mark Lewisohn in “Tune In: The Beatles: All These Years“, Paul McCartney did subsequently visit Bett and Mike Robins in Ryde later that month, in April 1963.

Ever the keen photographer, Mike operated the camera singlehandedly to take a fascinating photo of Paul on Filey beach with Bett Robbins and her infant son Ted. Paul is perched on Ted’s pushchair and playing the much-traveled Zenith. The photo could be the closest taken to the date he met John Lennon […].

From “Tune In: The Beatles: All These Years” by Mark Lewisohn, 2013

Family tree

Joseph McCartney1866–1937

Florence Clegg1874–1944

Bert Danher

Annie McCartney

Bett Danher1924–2008

Mike Robbins1928–2009

Kate Robbins1958

Ted Robbins1955