Rare artefacts from the Merseybeat era – including newly-discovered song lyrics from Gerry Marsden – are on show in an exhibition at Liverpool Central Library.

The lyrics of the unfinished number, A Girl Like You, were discovered after his wife Pauline offered several loans to curators of the Liverpool 1963 – How Did We Do It? show.

The free exhibition, being staged in the historic Hornby Library, also includes a telegram from John Lennon apologising to Cavern DJ Bob Wooler for infamously breaking his nose at Paul McCartney’s 21st birthday. Wooler saw a specialist to determine the compensation and the specialist’s report is also on show.

The 13 cabinets of artefacts – include one dedicated to The Searchers – also include previously unseen records, contracts, flyers and posters, clothing and photographs, many of them loaned by Merseybeat musicians or their families.

The year 1963 was a key one for bands who emerged from the Liverpool scene including The Beatles, Billy J Kramer and The Dakotas, Gerry and The Pacemakers, and The Searchers who all dominated the UK charts – together spending an astounding 36 weeks at number one. Other stars to emerge included Cilla Black, The Swinging Blue Jeans, The Fourmost and The Big Three.

The chart-topping songs from Merseybeat artists included Sweets for my Sweet, Bad to Me, She Loves You, I Want to Hold Your Hand and You’ll Never Walk Alone – the latter anthem the last of a hat-trick of number ones for Gerry and the Pacemakers.