10/04/2026
Stuart Fergusson Victor Sutcliffe, known as 'The Fifth Beatle', died on April 10, 1962, at the age of 21. He suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm and died in an ambulance on the way to the hospital.
Stuart was the original bassist of The Beatles and it was he, along with John Lennon, who came up with the band name 'The Beetles', as a play on 'The Crickets' as they were both fans of Buddy Holly and The Crickets.
John subsequently changed their name to The Beatles to include the word "beat."
Stuart played with the band when they were still a five-member group, and he was with them during their period of time spent in Hamburg. It was during this time that he first encountered the photographer Astrid Kirchherr, eventually leading to their engagement.
Stuart left the band nine months before his death to pursue a career in painting, which was his true passion.
He is buried in the churchyard of St Michael's, the parish church of Huyton.
