In July 1946, Alf visited Mimi's house at 251 Menlove Avenue and took his son to Blackpool for a long 'holiday' — but secretly intending to emigrate to New Zealand with him. Julia and Dykins found out and followed them to Blackpool, and after a heated argument Alf made the five-year-old boy choose between Julia or him. John chose Alf (twice) and then Julia walked away, but in the end John, crying, followed her. Alf lost contact with the family until Beatlemania, when he and John met again.