In January 1969, the Beatles gathered for their final public performance from the roof of the Apple Corps headquarters in London, leaving a legacy of music and memorabilia one Gainesville resident has collected and shown for years.
That extensive Beatles memorabilia collection was one of many collections at the Florida Museum of Natural History’s 36th Collectors Day. The event showcased eclectic items ranging from antique cars, guitars, stamps and even spatulas.
Saturday afternoon marked Miriam Welly Elliott’s 31st year showcasing her collection of a wide-ranging ensemble of Beatles photos, books, jewelry, pins, concert tickets, watches, dolls and the list goes on. Her obsession spans decades, starting even before she saw the band perform live at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville in 1964 when she was 13 years old.
“It is a joy to handle it every year and share it with the public,” Elliott said.
She wore a gray Paul McCartney shirt and a silver chain necklace on which hung a small brown booklet. As she opened the booklet, tiny black-and-white photos of the band members folded out. Elliott said she’s had the piece since she was a teenager. To this day, it is her personal favorite.
“I remember between classes in school, I could open it up and look at my boys,” she said.
She said she plans to keep bringing her collection to the show. The core of it is what she started collecting as a teenager, and her initial collection is only a fraction of what she has now.
“I think it’s amazing what people collect,” said Colby Lowe, one of the event organizers. “A lot of these (collections) must be worth quite a bit.”
Elliott owns all but one of the Beatles trading cards, which she had to negotiate in order to obtain. The cards are organized neatly in a binder and protected with a plastic cover. The card collection alone holds more than 360 pieces, not including duplicates.
A number of young children express particular interest in her collection. She lets them pick out a card and keep it.
“They walk away with that card in their hand like it’s a diamond,” Elliott said. “It reinforces that (the Beatles) are timeless. It’s like looking in the mirror to when I was a kid.”
[A version of this story ran on page 8 on 1/15/2015 under the headline “Beatles fan has ‘every little thing’"]
