Editing Neil Aspinall (section)

==Early life==
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[[File:LIPA big.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The [[Liverpool Institute]], which Aspinall, McCartney and Harrison attended]]
Aspinall was born in [[Prestatyn]], [[North Wales]], after his mother had been evacuated from the family home in [[Liverpool]] because of the [[Liverpool Blitz|air-raids on Liverpool]] during the [[Second World War]], while Aspinall's father was away at sea with the [[Royal Navy]]. Aspinall and his mother returned to Liverpool later in 1942 after the bombing had subsided. Aspinall later attended [[West Derby]] School, where he passed his [[Eleven-Plus exam|11-Plus]] exams. When he was twelve years old, Aspinall gained a place at the [[Liverpool Institute]] in Mount Street, and was in the same class as Paul McCartney for English and Art lessons.<ref name="TheBeatlesAnthologyDVD">''The Beatles Anthology'' DVD 2003 (Episode 1 – 0:19:07) Aspinall talking about being at school with McCartney.</ref><ref name="MerseyBeatNeilAspinall">[http://triumphpc.com/mersey-beat/beatles/neilaspinall.shtml Neil Aspinall Biography – Mersey Beat] triumphpc.com – Retrieved 11 February 2007</ref>

Aspinall later commented about his first meeting with George Harrison, who also attended the Liverpool Institute: "My first encounter with George was behind the school's [[air-raid shelter]]s. This great mass of shaggy hair loomed up and an out-of-breath voice requested a quick drag of my [[Woodbine (Cigarette brand)|Woodbine]]. It was one of the first cigarettes either of us had smoked. We spluttered our way through it bravely but gleefully. After that the three of us did lots of ridiculous things together....  By the time we were ready to take the [[General Certificate of Education|GCE]] exams we added [[John Lennon]] to our 'Mad Lad' gang. He was doing his first term at [[Liverpool College of Art]] which overlooks the [[Liverpool Institute]] playground and we all got together in a students coffee bar at lunchtime."<ref name="Beat">[http://triumphpc.com/mersey-beat/beatles/neilaspinall.shtml First meeting with George Harrison – Merseybeat] triumphpc.com – Retrieved 11 February 2007</ref><ref>[https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Beatles-Monthly/Beatles-Monthly-03-OCR.pdf The Beatles Book No.3, October 1963] – Retrieved 3 May 2024</ref> Aspinall took nine GCEs at the Institute and passed eight of them, failing French. Aspinall left school in July 1959 to study [[accountancy]].<ref name="AMG">Unterberger, R., "Neil Aspinall biography" [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p52804/biography|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic link] allmusic.com – Retrieved 8 October 2006</ref> Aspinall worked for a Liverpool company for two years, receiving a wage of [[pound sterling|£]]2-10s–0d. (£2.50 decimal equivalent) per week as a trainee accountant.<ref name="Beat"/>