The Beatles' Actual Penny Lane Might Be Renamed over Possible Slavery Ties

A mystery vigilante has vandalized every one of the road's signs
The Beatles' Actual Penny Lane Might Be Renamed over Possible Slavery Ties
By Allie Gregory
Published Jun 15, 2020
Penny Lane — a Liverpool road made famous by the Beatles' song of the same name — has recently become the subject of controversy and vandalism as some believe it was named after an English slave trader named James Penny.

According to a report by the BBC, every road sign on Penny Lane was vandalized overnight on June 12 following a global movement to rename and remove racist monuments, with some of the street's signs completely blacked out with spray paint, while others were tagged "racist."

While city officials are ready and willing to change the street's name if claims about its ties to slavery are true, some remain skeptical about the road's history, including Liverpool's Mayor Steve Rotherham.

"If it is as a direct consequence of that road being called Penny Lane because of James Penny, then that needs to be investigated," Rotherham told Sky News. "Something needs to happen and I would say that sign and that road may well be in danger of being renamed."

Additionally, the International Slavery Museum also has its doubts about the road's history.

"There is some debate about whether Penny Lane was named after James Penny, but the evidence is no conclusive," reads a recent tweet from the museum. "We are actively carrying out research on this particular question and will re-evaluate our display on Liverpool street names and change if required."

Meanwhile, a local tour guide named Jackie Spencer told the BBC that Penny Lane "has nothing to do with slavery."

She added: "James Penny was a slave trader, but he had nothing to do with the Penny Lane area."

See photos of the vandalized street signs below.