John Lennon's first wife Cynthia died today at her home in Spain, her family said.

A message on her son Julian's website said she died " following a short but brave battle with cancer".

It said: " Her son Julian Lennon was at her bedside throughout. The family are thankful for your prayers.

"Please respect their privacy at this difficult time."

Cynthia, who grew up in Hoylake, married John on August 23, 1962. at the Mount Pleasant register office in Liverpool. 

They married while he was still in art college, and she shared the frenzy and stardom the Beatles created.

Beatles George Harrison, Paul McCartney,and manager Brian Epstein - who was best man - all attended the wedding.

Globe columnist Peter Grant interviewed Cynthia many times: "She always spoke very highly of John, was always very supportive of him even though he treated her badly and as is well-known, left her for Yoko while they were still married.

"She was very approachable and down to earth.

"Cynthia was a very dignified woman and didn't really try to cash-in on the Beatles, unlike some."

 

Julian today tweeted a picture of his mother, who was 75, inside a heart with the message "In Loving Memory."                                       

Cynthia met Lennon in 1957 and the couple married just before Beatlemania transformed her husband from a jobbing musician into one of the most famous men in the world.

At the height of the Beatles' early success, she was kept so far in the background that many of Lennon's female fans were not even aware of her existence, and she stayed at home bringing up Julian while the Fab Four toured the world and topped the charts.

The couple divorced in 1968 after Cynthia discovered her husband's relationship with Japanese artist Yoko Ono.

Hunter Davies, who penned the only official biography of The Beatles in 1968, said Cynthia was "a lovely woman".

He said: "When I was writing the book I spent two years with them, visiting her home and spending time with her.

"She was totally different from John in that she was was quiet and reserved and calm.

"She was not a hippy at all.

"I think it was the attraction of opposites between them. When they got together at art school everyone was amazed - she was seen as refined and reserved and nobody thought they would last.

"John treated her appallingly. He slept with Yoko in their marital home and, as we discovered later, he also physically attacked her but she was loyal to him."

Lennon's former bandmate Ringo Starr tweeted: " Peace and love to Julian Lennon God bless Cynthia love Ringo and Barbara xx".

Yoko said in a statement: "I'm very saddened by Cynthia's death.

"She was a great person and a wonderful mother to Julian.

"She had such a strong zest for life and I felt proud how we two women stood firm in the Beatles family.

"Please join me in sending love and support to Julian at this very sad time. Love, yoko".

Sir Paul's brother, Mike McCartney, described Cynthia's passing as a 'great loss.

He told the Globe: "It's very sad, gone so young. We went back to our schooldays at Liverpool Institute.

"She was a part of my life.

"We followed the ups and downs of The Beatles career and attended all their film premieres.

"We were always weaved through life, as Paul's brother and John's wife, with The Beatles until Cynthia and John split. Even afterwards we attended functions.

"My ex-wife used to own a restaurant with Cynthia in Ruthin and I would go and collect my three girls from the restaurant at weekends.

"The last time I saw her was at Cirque du Soleil's Beatles Love show in Vegas.

"It was heartening to hear that Julian was with her at the end. It was so important that he was there.

"She's in good company, with mum and dad now."