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

[Meligator]

Oh I wish we could see those police notes. I wonder if Sally has them. Those police notes seem like the key to uncovering what was happening at that time.

Also, I've been wondering--- it sounds like local police were in contact with federal investigators (probably b/c inquiry involved banking) at that time of Marion's disappearance--I don't know that we have heard if there are any notes kept by federal investigators.

 

[Itsapuzzle]

I will have to read it again, I missed that about the "telegraphic transfer of money overseas on 28 August " !

And taking such a risk to go to the Ashmore branch were see could have been seen by someone she knew, all mind boggling stuff.

I cant think why someone with murder in mind would even risk having Marion in places she could be recognised and threaten the plan ?

I wonder if Marion had to go to her home branch to do that final transaction. The manager at the Ashmore branch said he knew Marion and it was only a small branch and they got to know their customers. So, whoever served Marion on that day must have known her ..... "conditions apply" (unless of course there was a relief staff member working on the day) and/or the regular manager, Mr Martin, was away that day. But then again you'd think she would have been recognised and verified by someone there, so you'd have to think it was Marion in the bank on 15 October 1997. The inquest has solved the puzzle of the $5000 daily withdrawals over three weeks - it was the daily limit you could withdraw on the high interest account she had opened in June '97.

 

[JLZ]

The notes in the police book about a telegraphic transfer of money overseas on 28 August is pretty interesting isn't it. That's not something a police member would make up in his notes. The notes included the name of the bank manager at Colonial State Bank in Ashmore, so they had the right bank back then and the right branch manager's name. The 28th would coincide with the end of the $5000 a day withdrawals over a three week period. What was Marion doing with these withdrawals .... taking them "home" and putting them in a biscuit tin till the 28th? And why transfer money overseas if your passport never leaves the country again? That's definitely sus. Unless Marion was joining something where you had to send your money to the leader/company overseas, a cult, group/business venture thing. Then we have Marion at the Ashmore branch on October 15 taking out the balance of the account - so she hasn't met with foul play then, nearly a month and a half later.

I suggest she put the $5000 withdrawals into another Colonial account which didn't have a daily withdrawal limit, and then made a single telegraphic transfer for the whole sum.

 

[SaintGertrude]

I was listening too some of the podcasts again and I am sure that Ray Barter mentioned that Marion had told him she would rather be "making love in a field of daisies". I wonder if she has found her field of daisies. Tasmania looks like an inviting place. Australia Tasmania Daisy Field High Resolution Stock Photography and Images - Alamy

 

[SaintGertrude]

I have written a few more observations on the private chat 'How to disappear' but cannot get it out of my head now about the daisy field. I found this on youtube which shows a daisy field just how I would imagine Marion would have appreciated. "Northern Tasmania and Ballarat areas supply daisies for half the world’s pyrethrum.

 

[SaintGertrude]

Another reference to a 'Florabella' in literature
FLORABELLA; Or THE MISSING HEIR, SIR RODERIC TOUGHBONES. - CHAPTER I. - The Telegraph, St Kilda, Prahran and South Yarra Guardian (Vic. : 1864 - 1888) - 23 May 1874
A great name to choose

 

[Itsapuzzle]

Calendar from August 1997 - speculation on the transactions at Colonial State Bank

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Marion, rather a staid looking person, with a romantic and adventurous soul which was largely hidden from others.

I can really see her going off solo on the Orient Express. Perhaps falling for some European from an exotic country, prior to this actually happening.

Maybe wanting to find someone who combined features, like being from an exotic country, but who had a background in sport like Johnny Warren.
My feeling is that she fell for a fraudster.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

"Toughbones"

FLORABELLA; Or THE MISSING HEIR, SIR RODERIC TOUGHBONES. - CHAPTER I. - The Telegraph, St Kilda, Prahran and South Yarra Guardian (Vic. : 1864 - 1888) - 23 May 1874

 

[SaintGertrude]

 

[SaintGertrude]

A commune in Tasmania (Marion was interested in alternative living)
The commune is back ... the rise of intentional communities in Tasmania

 

[Itsapuzzle]

Speaking of Florabella, I hadn't seen this before, but maybe this is where Florabella came from. Marion loved her antiques and fine china - found a series called Florabella from the 1920s and 19303 called Thomas Bavarian Florabella.
I wonder what the plate was that Mr Edwards found the replacement for on Chinafinders?
Wonder if Marion had anything from this Florabella series? I've seen the Villeroy & Boch Flora Bella reference before, but haven't seen this one before. H'mm.

 

[Itsapuzzle]

Another reference to a 'Florabella' in literature
FLORABELLA; Or THE MISSING HEIR, SIR RODERIC TOUGHBONES. - CHAPTER I. - The Telegraph, St Kilda, Prahran and South Yarra Guardian (Vic. : 1864 - 1888) - 23 May 1874
A great name to choose

That's a good one

 

[SaintGertrude]

H'mm, good point sunnynz, she may still have left the country on another passport - or yes, maybe travelled to a nearby island that didn't require a passport.

It is a strange that I just woke from a dream with the words 'Glen Noir' then googled and found this:-
Glen Ayr Pinot Noir - Tasmania, Australia
I know dreams can sometimes have a meaning so thought I would share on here for people to do a bit of research in case Marion is living somewhere nearby. I guess anything is possible.

 

[SaintGertrude]

Calendar from August 1997 - speculation on the transactions at Colonial State Bank

Great observations Itsa puzzle and the calendar you compiled as well. It is strange the same amount she sold her house for cheaper than it was worth. Taking into account any solicitors fees it seems like Marion had a figure in mind she needed but the big question is why?

 

[Itsapuzzle]

Great observations Itsa puzzle and the calendar you compiled as well. It is strange the same amount she sold her house for cheaper than it was worth. Taking into account any solicitors fees it seems like Marion had a figure in mind she needed but the big question is why?

Yes, you'd have to allow for the high interest accumulation and fees - it was only there short-term. Now I'm confused about the 15 October transaction at Ashmore bank. Did that really occur, or was it just the August 28 telegraphic transfer, or both? The 15 October one is mentioned in the Salvation Army letter. Can anyone enlighten, I'm losing the financial plot again.
Just noticed the number 15 comes up a lot for Marion. Marion lived at No.15, changed her name on the 15th of May, was going to travel on the Orient Express on the 15th of July, her last appearance seems to be on the 15th of October. Wonder if there's more?

 

[SaintGertrude]

Yes, you'd have to allow for the high interest accumulation and fees - it was only there short-term. Now I'm confused about the 15 October transaction at Ashmore bank. Did that really occur, or was it just the August 28 telegraphic transfer, or both? The 15 October one is mentioned in the Salvation Army letter. Can anyone enlighten, I'm losing the financial plot again.
Just noticed the number 15 comes up a lot for Marion. Marion lived at No.15, changed her name on the 15th of May, was going to travel on the Orient Express on the 15th of July, her last appearance seems to be on the 15th of October. Wonder if there's more?

August 1997: $5,000 had been withdrawn from Ms Barton's bank account everyday for three-and-a-half consecutive weeks in Byron Bay.
Marion Barter $250,000 reward for information on Australian mother's disappearance | Daily Mail Online

The letter sent to Marions dad described her withdrawing the balance of her account from the Colonial bank in Ashmore on Oct 15 1997.
Marion then closed the Colonial account.
The CBA bank was put on hold due to Sallys visit to Byron on 22 Oct 1997

Here is the thread from 2019 on websleuths discussing the bank transactions if that helps.
Australia - Australia - Marion Barter, 51, missing after trip to UK, Jun 1997

 

[SaintGertrude]

Speaking of Florabella, I hadn't seen this before, but maybe this is where Florabella came from. Marion loved her antiques and fine china - found a series called Florabella from the 1920s and 19303 called Thomas Bavarian Florabella.
I wonder what the plate was that Mr Edwards found the replacement for on Chinafinders?
Wonder if Marion had anything from this Florabella series? I've seen the Villeroy & Boch Flora Bella reference before, but haven't seen this one before. H'mm.

Another literature reference to "Florabella"
Jamesian Irony and the American Sense of Mission
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Jamesian Irony and the American Sense of Mission
CHRISTOPH K. LOHMANN

Texas Studies in Literature and Language, Vol. 16, No. 2 (Summer 1974), pp. 329-347
...Chapter XII. There, the beautiful Florabella , who "had suffered terri- bly" goes off with her handsome husband "to live with him in the Land of the Pink Sky" where "she was so happy that she forgot all her troubles, and went out to drive every day of her life in...

 

[SaintGertrude]

Speaking of Florabella, I hadn't seen this before, but maybe this is where Florabella came from. Marion loved her antiques and fine china - found a series called Florabella from the 1920s and 19303 called Thomas Bavarian Florabella.
I wonder what the plate was that Mr Edwards found the replacement for on Chinafinders?
Wonder if Marion had anything from this Florabella series? I've seen the Villeroy & Boch Flora Bella reference before, but haven't seen this one before. H'mm.

Another literature reference to "Florabella"
Jamesian Irony and the American Sense of Mission
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Jamesian Irony and the American Sense of Mission
CHRISTOPH K. LOHMANN

Texas Studies in Literature and Language, Vol. 16, No. 2 (Summer 1974), pp. 329-347
...Chapter XII. There, the beautiful Florabella , who "had suffered terri- bly" goes off with her handsome husband "to live with him in the Land of the Pink Sky" where "she was so happy that she forgot all her troubles, and went out to drive every day of her life in...

 

[sunnynz]

[QUOTE="SaintGertrude, post: 17094254goes off with her handsome husband "to live with him in the Land of the Pink Sky" where "she was so happy that she forgot all her troubles, and went out to drive every day of her life in...[/QUOTE]

that’s a bit of a spooky coincidence!