When Ringo was growing up, he showed no interest in music nor did he learn any instruments. When he started working as an apprentice fitter, he helped form a group called the Eddie Clayton Skiffle. His first set of drums was bought by his father for him.
His mother was a little worried about the band taking too much of his time because he was supposedto be taking classes at Riverdale Technical College. Harry, his stepfather, loved the idea of the skiffle group. Eddie Miles was the leader of the group, but he changed his name to Clayton, just as John, Paul, and George had done when they went to Scotland.
Ringo then joined Rory Storme's group. When they were offered a season at Butlin's, Ringo had to decide whether to leave work. He decided to leave even though he had only over a year left on his apprenticeship. Everyone told him not to, but he did anyway. Rory's at the time was the leading band in Liverpool and they were doing quite well. Their big break was a thirteen-week season offer at Butlin's. They then decided to change their names.
Ringo's popularity as the drummer started around his twenty-first birthday. At the time, he didn't know the Beatles. Ringo's thirteen-week season at Butlin's led to other engangements. They did a tour of the United States and in France, but Ringo didn't lik France. The group was doing so well, they couldn't take the offer to Hamburg. They went there later.
Rory Storme's band joined the Beatles at Kaiserkeller, where Ringo met them for the first time. He had seen them before in Liverpool. He would do a couple of performances with the Beatles in Hamburg, and he talked with them on breaks. Ringo then decided to go back to Liverpool with Rory, but returned to Hamburg, with Tony Sheridan, and considered staying there for good. He changed his mind, and returned back to Liverpool and did another season at Butlin's with Rory Storme. It was at the time he was asked to join the Beatles.
Ringo then dealt with a lot of hostility from the Pete Best fans. Brian didn't really want Ringo in the band because he thought he had no personality. It was the money that Ringo made. When Ringo was trying to fit it with his personality and as a drummer, the Beatles had made it to the top band in Liverpool. They were now waiting to hear from George Martin about a recording session. While they waited, other things in Liverpool started happening. Brian had decided to give up working at the Whitechapel store because it had gotten too much for him. He concentrated on Nems Enterprises.
Paul and Brian got into a fight, but it wasn't serious. Paul and John continued to write songs. Mimi still didn't think this was all that serious.
In the summer of 1962, Cynthia, John's girlfriend, found out she was pregnant. The two of them decided to get married. They were married on August 23, 1962, in Liverpool. No parents attended the wedding. Cynthia and John tried to keep the marriage a secret from Beatle fans, but somehow everyone found out. John thought it would ruin the group, and they would lose fans.
Maureen Cox was a fan of the Beatles. One time her and a friend chased Ringo to his car. She got his autograph, and wrote down his car number. Today, Maureen is Ringo's wife. When her and Ringo would go out, Maureen would get harrassed and threatened.