Australia Australia - Marion Barter, 51, missing after trip to UK, Jun 1997 #4

[TootsieFootsie]

The Lady Vanishes Episode 23. The Inquest Part 4

23. The Inquest: Part 4

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Please give people a chance to listen to the latest episode before you tell us everything new.

For those of us here in Australia, it's not even 5am yet.

 

[Lord Peter Flimsy]

Please give people a chance to listen to the latest episode before you tell us everything new.

For those of us here in Australia, it's not even 5am yet.

Sorry Tootsie. I always naturally assumed you would hear it first in Australia. I’ll shut up now.

 

[SaintGertrude]

The Lady Vanishes Episode 23. The Inquest Part 4

23. The Inquest: Part 4

Now given some more clues on the podcast I have found a reference to Old Farm and an Oast House near the village of Matfield which is grid reference TQ6539. The postcode I think would be within TN12 7 postcode area. With Photo credit to N Chadwick - geograph.org.uk

 

[KiwiNZ]

From Holiday cottages UK website :

What is an oast house?

Easily recognisable by their roundels with white tops, you will find some oast houses have just one single kiln and some have multiple kilns. The first oasts were introduced to this country in the early 16th century, firstly rectangular in shape, progressing to square and then early in the 19th century, round oasts appeared which are the ones we tend to think of when we hear the term 'oast house'.

They are the perfect place to stay when visiting the glorious counties of Kent and Sussex

 

[Meligator]

I’m confused about something mentioned in the newest podcast. They mention not being able to verify a trip Marion possibly took over Christmas (1995 I think) with her then partner. Who is claiming that Marion went on this trip? Also, it wasn’t clear to me if records weren’t available because that particular type of travel record isn’t retained this long—or if a record of that trip should be available, but just couldn’t be found. I don’t recall anything about this supposed trip and how it relates to anything.

 

[SaintGertrude]

Or an Oast House as a venue for that special wedding reception Leasam Farm Oast, Rye, East Sussex on TigerLocal.co.uk

 

[SaintGertrude]

I did have copies of both Yellow Pages & Thomson Local Directory for 1997. I took some images but not all.

Great work Lord Flimsy. Hopefully you can get out the yellow pages on load again sometime soon.

 

[KiwiNZ]

I’m confused about something mentioned in the newest podcast. They mention not being able to verify a trip Marion possibly took over Christmas (1995 I think) with her then partner. Who is claiming that Marion went on this trip? Also, it wasn’t clear to me if records weren’t available because that particular type of travel record isn’t retained this long—or if a record of that trip should be available, but just couldn’t be found. I don’t recall anything about this supposed trip and how it relates to anything.

You would have thought they would have just asked him, If I remember correctly he is still alive.

I think they thought it may have been a trip to Norfolk Island as you didn't need a passport to travel there is 1995 from Australia but some official document may have been recorded for the trip.

 

[Itsapuzzle]

The other postcard to Sally where Marion says "love you heaps and don't worry about me. Very clearly has the word George at the top of the page.

It must be referencing this Tootsie .... h'mm, I haven't really noticed that before, good pick up. What's George's storage - is that a business or a person? Interesting.

 

[Itsapuzzle]

Image

Fabulous, Lord Peter Flimsy

 

[SaintGertrude]

It must be referencing this Tootsie .... h'mm, I haven't really noticed that before, good pick up. What's George's storage - is that a business or a person? Interesting.
View attachment 303514

Excellent sleuthing Tootsie. Could George be the name member of Sally's husbands family where some storage was left. On the otherhand we could look at shipping companies. St Georges European is the one I found but the companies house registration in the UK looks later than 1997.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

No, sorry Lord Peter. It was just my flu talking, I think. Please forgive me.

Please don't shut up, you're giving us all sorts of new leads and helping to keep this thread interesting.

Sorry Tootsie. I always naturally assumed you would hear it first in Australia. I’ll shut up now.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Thanks Itsapuzzle!

I tried to enlarge the pic of the letter but it just went weird and blocky. I don't remember seeing this letter before.

It does seem to say George Storage.

It must be referencing this Tootsie .... h'mm, I haven't really noticed that before, good pick up. What's George's storage - is that a business or a person? Interesting.

 

[Itsapuzzle]

Excellent sleuthing Tootsie. Could George be the name member of Sally's husbands family where some storage was left. On the otherhand we could look at shipping companies. St Georges European is the one I found but the companies house registration in the UK looks later than 1997.

Bingo, that'd be it, Sally's husband's family. Yep, good on ya Gertie

 

[Mjjj14]

Hanging baskets are everywhere in the UK in summer. Really common to see them hanging outside pubs and shops, as well as homes. Marion's postcard doesn't seem to mention the hanging baskets in connection with any particular place. I do think though that as she's talking about rabbits she was staying rurally. We often get squirrels in town parks but not rabbits as much.

Australians tend to get a bit excited when we see a squirrel abroad. We don’t have them here. I remember seeing one for the first time and stopping to take a photo of it (the novelty has work off now haha).

We do have wild rabbits here though and I think they move differently to squirrels.

 

[KiwiNZ]

does anyone else find it odd that the name Remakel was spelt incorrectly (Remekel) 3 times, against 3 different entries ?

from the National Archives website

 

[Meligator]

Another question from today’s podcast. I thought it was mentioned earlier that her artwork were prints, but sounds like now they were described as originals. Would certainly be more informative to find an original than one of many prints.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

If they were originals, would there be an ownership trail, like you see on that tv show Fake or Fortune.

Another question from today’s podcast. I thought it was mentioned earlier that her artwork were prints, but sounds like now they were described as originals. Would certainly be more informative to find an original than one of many prints.

 

[Mjjj14]

One initial point I wanted to raise was that Deirdre and Sally have two very different recollections of the relationship between the sisters.

Sally says that Deirdre and Marion were the closest of the siblings and that Lee was seen as a younger sister whereas Deirdre was seen as a friend.

Deirdre says that she really wasn't very close to Marion and that Lee (the youngest sister and the recipient of the newly acquired postcards) and Marion were very close. Deirdre says that Lee was the most distressed after Marion's disappearance and doesn't like to talk about it because she is most upset by it (source: earliest episodes of TLV). I will be interested to hear the evidence of Bronwyn and Lee, given that I imagine Deirdre will say similar to what she's said to the podcast before.

It is so very sad for Sally that she doesn't have a good relationship with her aunties, hopefully these relationships could be mended after the inquest is over.

Am I dreaming this or did I read that Greg Edwards (groundskeeper/Marions boyfriend) give evidence on one of the final days of the inquest? Hopefully he was asked more about Norfolk Island then. Didn't they attend a wedding there?

I understand why people are being critical for the NSW police barrister for challenging some of the smaller inconsistencies with statements and the like, but I myself admit that I sometimes get caught up by these little details being wrong too. I fully and 100% understand that Sally is a victim here (and empathise with her a great deal), I just have noticed a loooot of heat towards this barrister on the FB page.