<P> By 2012 (thirty - two years after his death), Lennon's solo album sales in the United States had exceeded 14 million units . He is responsible for 25 number - one singles on the US Hot 100 chart as a writer, co-writer, or performer . In 2002, Lennon was voted eighth in a BBC poll of the 100 Greatest Britons and in 2008, Rolling Stone ranked him the fifth - greatest singer of all time . In 1987, he was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame . Lennon was twice inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame--first in 1988 as a member of the Beatles and again in 1994 as a solo artist . </P> <P> Lennon was born in war - time England, on 9 October 1940, at Liverpool Maternity Hospital, to Julia (née Stanley) and Alfred Lennon . His father was a merchant seaman of Irish descent who was away at the time of his son's birth . His parents named him John Winston Lennon after his paternal grandfather, John "Jack" Lennon, and Prime Minister Winston Churchill . His father was often away from home but sent regular pay cheques to 9 Newcastle Road, Liverpool, where Lennon lived with his mother; the cheques stopped when he went absent without leave in February 1944 . When he eventually came home six months later, he offered to look after the family, but Julia--by then pregnant with another man's child--rejected the idea . After her sister Mimi complained to Liverpool's Social Services twice, Julia gave her custody of Lennon . In July 1946, Lennon's father visited her and took his son to Blackpool, secretly intending to emigrate to New Zealand with him . Julia followed them--with her partner at the time,' Bobby' Dykins--and after a heated argument his father forced the five - year - old to choose between them . Lennon twice chose his father, but as his mother walked away, he began to cry and followed her, although this has been disputed . According to author Mark Lewisohn, Lennon's parents agreed that Julia should take him and give him a home as Alf left again . A witness who was there that day, Billy Hall, has said the dramatic scene often portrayed with a young John Lennon having to make a decision between his parents never happened . It would be 20 years before he had contact with his father again . </P> <P> Throughout the rest of his childhood and adolescence, Lennon lived at Mendips, 251 Menlove Avenue, Woolton with Mimi and her husband George Toogood Smith, who had no children of their own . His aunt purchased volumes of short stories for him, and his uncle, a dairyman at his family's farm, bought him a mouth organ and engaged him in solving crossword puzzles . Julia visited Mendips on a regular basis, and when John was 11 years old he often visited her at 1 Blomfield Road, Liverpool, where she played him Elvis Presley records, taught him the banjo, and showed him how to play Ain't That a Shame by Fats Domino . In September 1980, Lennon commented about his family and his rebellious nature: </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td> "</Td> <Td> Part of me would like to be accepted by all facets of society and not be this loudmouthed lunatic poet / musician . But I cannot be what I am not...I was the one who all the other boys' parents--including Paul's father--would say,' Keep away from him'...The parents instinctively recognised I was a troublemaker, meaning I did not conform and I would influence their children, which I did . I did my best to disrupt every friend's home...Partly out of envy that I didn't have this so - called home...but I did...There were five women that were my family . Five strong, intelligent, beautiful women, five sisters . One happened to be my mother . (She) just couldn't deal with life . She was the youngest and she had a husband who ran away to sea and the war was on and she couldn't cope with me, and I ended up living with her elder sister . Now those women were fantastic...And that was my first feminist education...I would infiltrate the other boys' minds . I could say, "Parents are not gods because I don't live with mine and, therefore, I know .' </Td> <Td>" </Td> </Tr> </Table>

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