Lee Curtis and the All-Stars group's drummer. They also occasionally performed with singer Beryl Marsden. By the end of 1962, the group were one of the most successful in the area, and placed second in the "Mersey Beat" annual poll, behind the Beatles but ahead of Gerry and the Pacemakers, the Searchers, and other groups who later became nationally and internationally renowned. Lee Curtis and the All-Stars were signed by Decca Records, and released two singles in early 1963, "Little Girl" and "Let's Stomp". However, neither made the charts, and in mid 1963 the rest of the band decided to split from Curtis to form
Kate Marsden "immorality with women". Francis wrote that he planned to publish material alleging fraud by Marsden in order that this might be seen as the worst of her failings. This led to an investigation in Russia that cleared Marsden and a letter was written by British and American diplomats to "The Times" to clear her name in August 1894. Marsden considered claiming libel damages against Francis but at the same time as this investigation there was a libel trial launched by Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of Queensbury concerning Wilde's disputed homosexuality; Wilde lost. In Marsden's case there was a difference