Australia Australia - Marion Barter, 51, missing after trip to UK, Jun 1997 #5

[KiwiNZ]

what would be the point of splitting your possessions - why would you store some stuffs at the grandparents house and the rest in a container - If you had no plan of returning then you would be permanently leaving the stuff at the grandparents.

I wonder exactly what was left at the grandparents

 

[Itsapuzzle]

Random from Trove early 1998 re RACQ - could Marion have used them for her holiday?
"All RACQ offices are able to issue international driver's permits on the spot."
27 May 1998 - RACQ - Travel Bookings - Archived Website - Trove

 

[Itsapuzzle]

what would be the point of splitting your possessions - why would you store some stuffs at the grandparents house and the rest in a container - If you had no plan of returning then you would be permanently leaving the stuff at the grandparents.

I wonder exactly what was left at the grandparents

I think it was just all the school things, mattress, sheets, towels, things like that.

 

[KiwiNZ]

I think it was just all the school things, mattress, sheets, towels, things like that.

The kind of things you would be happy to leave behind and not take forward with your new life ? I find it a bit odd that you would store some things and not others, and there must have been qu

I think it was just all the school things, mattress, sheets, towels, things like that.

If you wanted to start a new life would you possible sort what you want to take with you into your new one and things you want left in your past - I don't know I feel like if I was packaging up my house it would all go into the container or in the bin. Sally hasn't given an explanation if there was a rational reason for the split which would be good to know if there was one.

 

[Meligator]

what would be the point of splitting your possessions - why would you store some stuffs at the grandparents house and the rest in a container - If you had no plan of returning then you would be permanently leaving the stuff at the grandparents.

I wonder exactly what was left at the grandparents

This is an interesting question. I’ve wondered things like tax/bank records etc & She didn’t leave a copy of her will. Those don’t seem like things you would take with you if you didn’t want to be found—but seem like things most people would have paper copies of in 1997. Also curious about things like photo albums/family pictures—were those kinds of things put in shipping container or left at grandparents I wonder.

 

[SaintGertrude]

I remember now the place where I used to go for afternoon tea and scones in Tunbridge Wells in the 1990's
It was very popular with little old ladies.
I think it has since been taken over by a new proprietor and modernised. The entrance hall and lounge looked quite old fashioned back then and there was a lovely log fire in the Winter. I was wondering the name of this place for a while and found it on google maps this evening.

 

[KiwiNZ]

This is an interesting question. I’ve wondered things like tax/bank records etc & She didn’t leave a copy of her will. Those don’t seem like things you would take with you if you didn’t want to be found—but seem like things most people would have paper copies of in 1997. Also curious about things like photo albums/family pictures—were those kinds of things put in shipping container or left at grandparents I wonder.

I think Sally tracked down the will (lawyer whom held it), and although she couldn't view it ( as Marion is not officially dead) I think she was given an indication that the will had not been changed in many years (?).

In saying that if you were going on holiday for a year would you not make sure your will was in order, that someone knew who it was lodged with etc.... My parents travel they make sure I know where all the important documents are in case something happens

Or if you are planning on disappearing, why would it matter, you were dissolving any assets you had and taking everything with you to the new life that didn't include anyone left in the will... so the will is a none issue as far as Marion would be concerned ?

 

[TootsieFootsie]

I think that the majority of people going off on a holiday don't think of getting their will in order before they go.

Many people only think of it when faced with their own upcoming death, from cancer or something else that might be terminal.

In saying that if you were going on holiday for a year would you not make sure your will was in order, that someone knew who it was lodged with etc.... My parents travel they make sure I know where all the important documents are in case something happens

 

[Itsapuzzle]

Random musings. I wonder why Marion didn't close her bank accounts - they seem to have been left open accumulating fees. Maybe she was waiting for the car money to go in, or didn't want Sally to find out it was closed when she went to put money in? Not sure. There were other accounts that weren't closed, so that's interesting - what does that indicate?
Also wonder why the mysterious tall dark man was a passenger in Marion's car when he had apparently invited her out, was taking her out to say goodbye - did she have to pick him up, fill her car up and take him out? Was he from another country without a car/licence and walked to her house? End of today's musings.

 

[Itsapuzzle]

This is an interesting question. I’ve wondered things like tax/bank records etc & She didn’t leave a copy of her will. Those don’t seem like things you would take with you if you didn’t want to be found—but seem like things most people would have paper copies of in 1997. Also curious about things like photo albums/family pictures—were those kinds of things put in shipping container or left at grandparents I wonder.

She probably left things at the grandparents that she wouldn't want sent overseas in the shipping container. You wouldn't want a mattress, towels, sheets and stuff like that shipped over, but yes, it would be very interesting to know if she left behind her photo albums and documents.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Maybe because she wasn't certain that she wasn't going to come back here to live, at some point.

Random musings. I wonder why Marion didn't close her bank accounts - they seem to have been left open accumulating fees. Maybe she was waiting for the car money to go in, or didn't want Sally to find out it was closed when she went to put money in

 

[Lord Peter Flimsy]

Was Marion’s car ever traced? I’m sure many would have used it subsequently but would DNA evidence still be retained many years after from the passenger side of the vehicle?

 

[Meligator]

Maybe because she wasn't certain that she wasn't going to come back here to live, at some point.

I wonder if Sally contacting police was the trigger for Marion stopping all further bank/medicare etc. type contact. I think Marion closed one of her bank accounts on October 15 (just days b/c Sally went to police). Perhaps Marion was alerted to the fact that Sally was looking for her (and not just in UK as Marion might have hoped) & she felt it too risky to continue using Marion/Florabella identity any longer --she'd gotten most of her money out of the bank and whatever was left maybe wasn't worth the risk.

 

[KiwiNZ]

I wonder if Sally contacting police was the trigger for Marion stopping all further bank/medicare etc. type contact. I think Marion closed one of her bank accounts on October 15 (just days b/c Sally went to police). Perhaps Marion was alerted to the fact that Sally was looking for her (and not just in UK as Marion might have hoped) & she felt it too risky to continue using Marion/Florabella identity any longer --she'd gotten most of her money out of the bank and whatever was left maybe wasn't worth the risk.

If your intention was to start a new life and you had gone to the effort of changing your name, flew back on a passport in the new name, it must have come as a shock that she was so easily traceable and that private information about her bank account had been shared with the people she was trying to remove herself from. If I were Marion I would be thinking at this stage, a name change wasn’t enough. For her not to touch the money again she must have been totally committed to removing herself from her old life.

Another thought, if there was a person with bad intentions with her maybe they thought it was to risky to continue the plan and have her take anymore money out since the police had become involved and her family where looking for her, at that point did he killed her.

 

[KiwiNZ]

Delete

 

[Itsapuzzle]

I wonder if Sally contacting police was the trigger for Marion stopping all further bank/medicare etc. type contact. I think Marion closed one of her bank accounts on October 15 (just days b/c Sally went to police). Perhaps Marion was alerted to the fact that Sally was looking for her (and not just in UK as Marion might have hoped) & she felt it too risky to continue using Marion/Florabella identity any longer --she'd gotten most of her money out of the bank and whatever was left maybe wasn't worth the risk.

H'mm, I could be wrong Meligator, but I think Marion just withdrew the balance of the money from Ashmore, I don't remember a mention of it being closed ... accounts were closed years later due to fees accumulating and inactivity. Today I'm gonna type up what I can find on bank info and put it together ... been a bit lazy, was going to do that a few weeks back ... will pop it up here later.

 

[Itsapuzzle]

If anyone's interested, transcription of inquest banking evidence, day one.

 

[KiwiNZ]

If anyone's interested, transcription of inquest banking evidence, day one.

Thanks so much for doing this Itsapuzzle !!!

I am going to save this one to my computer as I spent all morning looking for the other one you did .. still cant find it ... I wish you could attached files and photo in a separate folder for the threads

 

[Itsapuzzle]

Thanks so much for doing this Itsapuzzle !!!

I am going to save this one to my computer as I spent all morning looking for the other one you did .. still cant find it ... I wish you could attached files and photo in a separate folder for the threads

No worries, and I'll see what else I can find to type up about the banking. There's a trick I use to find stuff quick .... in the Google bar type Marion Barter websleuths then add a word you're looking for .... I just did it and found the files - I typed in Google bar marion barter websleuths inquestevidence and it comes up at top of list, p.22 #421 and #430. Have just been doing that to find some old posts on Attrill. Cheers

 

[KiwiNZ]

is anyone else thinking there were 2 phone calls too Marion by the police / bank ? ( if we believe what we are told at the inquest)

1. when Sally originally contacted the police
2. when Sally's Grandfather contacted the SA, as the information about the car is added but not mentioned by Sally in the original call.