Dec 22, 1968: Mike McCartney's daughter is born, & Paul's reaction
"The McCartney clan grew on December 22, 1968, when Mike’s wife, Angela, gave birth to a 6-pound, 8-ounce daughter, Benna. Brother Paul, who was playing the father figure role to girlfriend Linda Eastman’s daughter, Heather, was now officially an uncle.
In an interview with the Daily Mirror published on December 27, the new father – who went by the stage name Mike McGear — explained the name. “We thought of Ben as a boy’s name. When it was a girl, my wife just added a couple letters and we got Benna.”
During the Get Back sessions, on January 10, 1969, publisher Dick James asked if Mike and their father, Jim, had received his telegram offering congratulations of “More gear to the McGear.”
“Mike had become a Benna-ficiary,” Paul replied with what seemed like a road-tested joke.
A DISC and Music Echo report from August said Mike had a children’s story called “Roger Bear” accepted for publication, with Scaffold bandmate Roger McGough illustrating. “Roger Bear” was ultimately published in 1971. (John Lennon was a fan – he had it sitting on his mantle)."
(full article on the They May Be Parted blog)
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I'm not too unhinged to speculate that the birth of his niece might have played a role in spurring Paul (and Linda?) into deciding to stop using birth control in the Winter of '68.
Complicated, complicated.
John having Mike's book in 1971...Roger Bear...
So much going on here: Mike's lingering hero worship, perhaps, in giving John the book. Mike as connection between Lennon & McCartney during a time when they weren't camp enough to meet and talk, etc. The McCartney brothers spurring each other into marriage. Jim on the Succession lawn.
