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

[K8g]

Hi everyone! I've only recently stumbled across this discussion as an avid follower of this case.
I'm just wondering whether anybody knows whether Marion was/is right or left-handed?

 

[Itsapuzzle]

Hi everyone! I've only recently stumbled across this discussion as an avid follower of this case.
I'm just wondering whether anybody knows whether Marion was/is right or left-handed?

Welcome K8g, it looks like Marion was right handed. At 3.31 on the video you can see Marion using her right hand, on The Lady Vanishes podcast facebook page: The Lady Vanishes

 

[Meligator]

Hi! Wagga Wagga was mentioned in episode one, about 8 mins in. Says that she studies at the now defunct Wagga Wagga college.

In 2013, an article ran where it stated that she studied in Armidale: Searching for clues to find missing mum

She may well have studied at both- but my question was deleted so I don't know. If she did study in Armidale, then that may point to a reason why she may have ended up back in the town, potentially meeting with foul play. The most that I can find about the search following the crimestoppers tip is that it was near une- which is not where the teachers college was- it was in town, with the university on the outskirts. A lot of training teachers lived in une accommodation at Smith House, but not all- some ended up boarding privately, or renting their own accommodation. Many had part time jobs- if we knew where she studied, it might be another area to sleuth.

I cant find a site for the Armidale grad ceremony programmes, but I have sent an email to the archivist to find out where they are- possibly in the archives at the une library, in which case I will have a look and take pics to share. I don't know when she graduated- on the Wagga site I looked at 15 years of programmes, to try and cover the times.

I could have sworn I read someplace that she did go to both schools, but I can’t remember the source now.

 

[K8g]

Welcome K8g, it looks like Marion was right handed. At 3.31 on the video you can see Marion using her right hand, on The Lady Vanishes podcast facebook page: The Lady Vanishes

Ah, yes. Thanks for that. I saw her turning a book page, but had missed the pointing!
I saw a photo of an older lady with similar features who seemed to be from the Tyalgum area (where Hermes is) but she looked to be left handed.

 

[Itsapuzzle]

Ah, yes. Thanks for that. I saw her turning a book page, but had missed the pointing!
I saw a photo of an older lady with similar features who seemed to be from the Tyalgum area (where Hermes is) but she looked to be left handed.

But wait, there’s always the possibility Marion was ambidextrous ... if it looks like her from Tyalgum area that’s pretty interesting

 

[K8g]

if it looks like her from Tyalgum area that’s pretty interesting

My husband thinks she has very similar features (taking age into account), but a friend I discussed it with doesn't see any similarity. I would love to post here for others' opinions, but I don't feel it's right to post a photo sourced from social media of someone who could be a totally random, unrelated person.

 

[Itsapuzzle]

My husband thinks she has very similar features (taking age into account), but a friend I discussed it with doesn't see any similarity. I would love to post here for others' opinions, but I don't feel it's right to post a photo sourced from social media of someone who could be a totally random, unrelated person.

Why not send the photo off in an email to: [email protected]
they would be most interested to see it and would be able to privately identify if it's Marion. Cheers

 

[sunnynz]

Why not send the photo off in an email to: [email protected]
they would be most interested to see it and would be able to privately identify if it's Marion. Cheers

Yes agree, please don’t post it on here but good to get it checked out.

 

[Jellbell]

Ah ha! Completely brilliant Mel1303. Well spotted, hey, I'd never noticed that and I've played episode one quite a few times, just had a listen .... oh boy, and there it is .... it is interesting though, podcast saying "now defunct Wagga Wagga Teachers College", and print media are saying "now defunct Armidale Teachers College". H'mm. Completely interesting.
"Wagga Wagga Teachers' College was established in 1947 to provide a two year course for the training of infant and primary school teachers .. "

Teachers colleges closed and replaced with university degrees. Many teachers did further study to keep up with the changes.

 

[Intriguedbyintrigue]

These deed poll name change documents that can’t be accessed for 100 years or whatever it was, can’t be viewed by the public ..... can the police gain access to them? The reason for name change and the name of the witness will be there, and that witness would be able to explain a lot, one would think. Just curious.

Possibly. It's also possible that the witness didnt know Marion.

I changed my name via deed poll because I was married overseas. Its a really simple process: fill in a form, provide certified copies of identification and pay a fee. Done.

It was either the JP who certified my docs or the person who served me at BD&M who witnessed my change of name document. It was a long time ago but I'm pretty sure it was the person at BD&M who was witness, I remember being stressed at how I had to wait because I was on my lunch break. Either way the witness to my change of name didnt know me personally.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Can you help find Marion Barter? - Brighton Journal

 

[Itsapuzzle]

Possibly. It's also possible that the witness didnt know Marion.

I changed my name via deed poll because I was married overseas. Its a really simple process: fill in a form, provide certified copies of identification and pay a fee. Done.

It was either the JP who certified my docs or the person who served me at BD&M who witnessed my change of name document. It was a long time ago but I'm pretty sure it was the person at BD&M who was witness, I remember being stressed at how I had to wait because I was on my lunch break. Either way the witness to my change of name didnt know me personally.

Thanks Intrigued .... so this deed poll name change doc may not lead to much at all then - might just be useful to check the handwriting - reason for name change and some other info contained therein could be of interest I guess. Not sure.

 

[Eloise]

Depending on when she did it, in NSW in 1998 (I changed my name in 1998 just in a minor way to change my name from its formal type to how I used my name everyday) it wasn't a "deed poll" it was just a change of name application at the registry. And yeah agreed, it was an extremely simple process and you might not get much info from the paperwork. Different states have had different dates when they got rid of the old deed poll system. It was in the 80s in Victoria and in 2000 in Tasmania but I'm not sure when the date was in NSW.

 

[Meligator]

Depending on when she did it, in NSW in 1998 (I changed my name in 1998 just in a minor way to change my name from its formal type to how I used my name everyday) it wasn't a "deed poll" it was just a change of name application at the registry. And yeah agreed, it was an extremely simple process and you might not get much info from the paperwork. Different states have had different dates when they got rid of the old deed poll system. It was in the 80s in Victoria and in 2000 in Tasmania but I'm not sure when the date was in NSW.

Interesting info. Do you happen to know if Marion would have had be there in person to change her name, or could someone with access to her documents apply on her behalf? Also, wonder if she obtained a passport with name Florabella, would she have had to relinquish passport with M Barter? Or might she physically have both.

 

[Eloise]

Interesting info. Do you happen to know if Marion would have had be there in person to change her name, or could someone with access to her documents apply on her behalf? Also, wonder if she obtained a passport with name Florabella, would she have had to relinquish passport with M Barter? Or might she physically have both.

You apply in person or you apply by post with documents certified by a JP... so I guess technically, it would be possible to do a change of name fraudulently.

 

[Mel 1303]

Teachers colleges closed and replaced with university degrees. Many teachers did further study to keep up with the changes.

Yes, but they had to go to teachers college for primary teaching first. So she would have graduated from teachers college, prior to Sallys birth in 73. The podcast says she went to college at Wagga Wagga. Early 70's saw the change to university training.

 

[Garyb]

The more i hear about this the more suspicious i become. Interesting that nothing has been heard since they admitted they had been checking about the wrong bank.
I think there may be some attention seeking going on, and the podcasters have just realised.

 

[tempcoops]

Has anyone verified that the passport she returned with was an Australian passport? There was mention of her coming over on a visa—which makes no sense. Although, I don’t know how she could have possibly gotten a passport for another country.

I understood it to just be the customs card you complete when entering Australia - not a visa.

 

[tempcoops]

The more i hear about this the more suspicious i become. Interesting that nothing has been heard since they admitted they had been checking about the wrong bank.
I think there may be some attention seeking going on, and the podcasters have just realised.

I've been following this for a while, and always had similar suspicions Gary. So much doesn't add up. I get that time has passed and memories fade - but I'd be thinking something like the bank would be etched. What's the term for reverse munchausen?

 

[Eloise]

Sounds like others have the same impression I have but wasn't going to mention...