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At Litherland Town Hall in 1957, Ringo Starr met a dark-haired upholstress called "Gerry" who worked in a Liverpool factory. She soon became the replacement for his first steady girlfriend, Patricia Davies.

In 1960 they became engaged, and Ringo's grandfather presented him with his gold wedding ring ready for the occasion. Ringo adored his grandfather, and despite never marrying Gerry he always wore it, and that's why you can see pre-1965 pictures of Ringo wearing a wedding Ring. By March 1961 the final arrangements were being made for the wedding. The reception hall was reserved and wedding cars booked, but there was one thing missing from the perfect plan - a happy couple.

Geraldine wasn't as fanatical about music as her fiance and whined that "Rich's drums were his most precious possession". She was appalled that he hadn't settled himself in at the job of trainee joiner that his stepfather Harry had got him at Henry Hunt and Sons, and she forcefully repeated her parents' words to him about having a proper, stable job. He had just received news that his band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, had been offered a season at Butlin's holiday camp, and was so excited with the idea of being a "professional musician" that he couldn't bear to commit himself to the sensible job that Geraldine and his mum wanted him to have. This really ruined the relationship.

"When he went off to Butlins I told him I didn't want him to go. We talked it over - there was no shouting or slanging. But that was the end."

Even if she had disagreed with her parents' view of marrying a man with a "proper" job, Geraldine would always be upset about the way that

"[Ringo's] music always came first. He was playing most nights and if I wanted to see him I had to trail along with him to a dance. We were never able to have much time together."

Ringo was upset and thought about leaving his career as a drummer and fulfilling his other dream of moving to America to please Geraldine. But after being informed by Rory that Butlins would be filled with other girls that he could have the pick of, he gave up and quit his four year apprenticeship and happily packed his bags.

Geraldine explained his leaving simply, "He went and I said that was it. Well, we both agreed really that it couldn't go on." The couple parted and Gerry returned her ring, which Ringo gave to his mother to look after. Years later when he married Maureen he wanted her to have a ring especially for her, and so Elsie continued to wear Geraldine's ring throughout her life.

Gerry went off to live with relations in America after the heartache of the split, but by 1964 she was back in Liverpool and despite their past troubles she still spoke of him fondly. Even when she told people about their decision to split up she always made it clear that he was a good man and had never really done anything to hurt her.

"He doesn't like to hurt people because he doesn't like to be hurt himself. I don't think I ever heard him make fun of anyone."

She would give small interviews to the more reliable British fan magazines just to tell them about Richie's early days when he was beginning to form his career as a drummer. "Richie was shy in a way, but he was determined to be famous. He wasn't at all flamboyant - his humour was quiet and witty without being offensive or cynical."

After Maureen Cox was introduced to the world as Ringo's girlfriend, interest in Geraldine disappeared and nothing is really known of what happened to her.

She Loves You's Geraldine McGovern biography was written by Sentimentalist at sentstarr@hotmail.com , edited by the webmaster.