Rex Makin – one of Liverpool’s best-known personalities – has died. The 91-year-old lawyer passed away in the last 24 hours. Mr Makin, who was known for his philanthropy, had been increasingly frail in recent years. Confirming the news on Twitter, Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson said today: “Sorry to hear of the death of colourful character and Freeman of the City, Rex Makin. “The flags will at half mast.”
This morning staff at his office in Whitechapel declined to comment.
A source close to Mr Makin said everybody who knew the solicitor was “devastated” by his death. Robin Makin, his son and a lawyer at his dad’s firm, said he was unable to comment. Mr Makin, whose first name was actually Elkan, for many years wrote a weekly column for the ECHO. He practised law for more than 60 years and was involved with the Beatles’ early career and also the Hillsborough and Heysel disasters.

Mr Makin was the family solicitor to Brian Epstein, who in 1963 sought his advice on setting up a perpetually binding contract between himself and the Beatles. He was also credited with creating the term Beatlemania.

He was also involved in the Knowsley Hall murder case – in which Lady Derby was shot – the Walton sextuplets, and successfully appealing the conviction of George Kelly, a young Liverpool labourer hung at Walton jail in 1950.

Mr Main also provided legal advice to a variety of celebrities and sports personalities including John Lennon, Gerry Marsden, Bill Shankly, Anne Robinson, Ken Dodd and Carla Lane.
In 2003 he was appointed a Freeman of the City of Liverpool, the first solicitor to receive that honour.
At that time, he said: “The ordinary people of Liverpool and I have had a long love affair. I’ve been there in all their disasters and most of their triumphs.”