Australia Australia - Marion Barter, 51, missing after trip to UK, June 1997 #11

[ruby925]

This is the transcript (sorry a few misspellings) of the letter to Sally. I’ve removed the final paragraph as there is some personal info on there.

Marion did send more postcards to other family members & friends but sadly these were destroyed before it became apparent she was missing.

I had not picked up on this before, but this letter makes it clear that MB did not just transit in Seoul/Tokyo as she said 'a most interesting visit to the east', which def suggests a longer stay..although odd that she did not elaborate. Also the fact that she mentioned manhandling her luggage, which, if she had a through ticket, could have been checked to her final destination.
Not proven obvs, but links nicely to RB using JAL imo.
Thank you for the transcripts as my eyesight isn't what it was...

 

[gymtonic]

The transcript to the Alfriston postcard

It maybe nothing in the context of a hurried postcard, but I am always interested in the words that people use. So reading "Thinking of you as I explore the quaint little shop on my tour to the historic village of Alfriston..." I was suddenly struck by the thought of whether this was an organised bus tour? It just that this is what I would write if it was part of a tour I was taking and if I was independently driving around I might be more inclined to say "my tour of the historical village..." As a fellow teacher I know we can be very pedantic about language and syntax!

 

[gymtonic]

I started working for CBA in 1999, in phone banking. There was no way to transfer to an account with another bank or in another name over the phone, unless you had an authority and the other persons account was linked to your keycard.

What about the Colonial State Bank?

 

[gymtonic]

I started working for CBA in 1999, in phone banking. There was no way to transfer to an account with another bank or in another name over the phone, unless you had an authority and the other persons account was linked to your keycard.

According to a Comm Bank manager (Brian - podcast Episode 13), when asked how money could be transferred in 1997: he said that NetBank (digital platform?) was launched in 1997, so is this not possible to use to transfer money?

 

[gymtonic]

Thank you for the 'real' squirrel. I always thought it was real rather than 'red'. But moreover, it seems she was in the country at the oasts - with rabbits and the 'farm oast, with a lovely family', doesn't seem like a stranger village-based B&B, then? Seems to me more like she's staying with a family of. What are your thoughts on this?

I think it was Manor Farm Oast Bed and Breakfast Rye -Rye B&B Accommodation in Iclesham near Rye, East Sussex.

 

[Eyespywithmylittleeye]

Sorry I was just quoting what the lawyer put to DDH on the last day of her evidence, he only said your husband has told police the last time he saw MB was when she dropped tea chests at your home in wallanbah nsw, but he told you the last time he saw MB was in Queensland, can you see the issue the police have with this ?

He didn't elaborate and mention the pilot / man in uniform when he said this to her ... I think he was just trying to put some doubt in DHH mind, that maybe her husband does lie lol

However on day one - yes they did say he claimed she dropped the tea chests / boxes off at his wallanbah nsw with a man in uniform.

I can't remember if they questioned RB himself on the stand re this, or if that will come at the next inquest ?

I remember something about him saying she picked them up with a pilot about a week later.. maybe I’m confused.. which is possible… every time I imagine him saying pilot in uniform I get cranky

 

[Eyespywithmylittleeye]

Ok so… the kitchen scales…. Umm is it odd to anyone else that majority of letter is about those scales and the school? There seems to be a heck of a lot of importance in these scales.
Reasons why they were removed from class.
Reasons why they weren’t returned including Sally using them for baking? Not to elaborate.
I just find it really odd.
May be perfectly normal for Marion I don’t know.. but it reads like it matters a bit more than scales should matter to a woman supposedly having a ball living her best life travelling. JMO

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Way back in the thread there was an explanation found for the importance of the scales.

Maybe someone else can remember the details.

I didn't find anything odd about it, and could see why Marion would have wanted to return anything belonging to the school.

 

[Jay_Tec]

I just realised something... really sinister...

If Wonka had stored Marion's boxes AT HIS HOME, if she took them there together with him and knew where they were located and what he looked like,

She was never ever intended to return to Aus or survive to tell the tale to anyone, least of all show the property and describe Wonka.

He set up the story of the pilot to give an explanation of why she had subsequently disappeared (flown off with a pilot) and a man who was the last to be seen with her, creating reasonable doubt that there were other men involved.

That would make this not only most likely a murder case but a very premeditated indeed murder case.

 

[gymtonic]

Ok so… the kitchen scales…. Umm is it odd to anyone else that majority of letter is about those scales and the school? There seems to be a heck of a lot of importance in these scales.
Reasons why they were removed from class.
Reasons why they weren’t returned including Sally using them for baking? Not to elaborate.
I just find it really odd.
May be perfectly normal for Marion I don’t know.. but it reads like it matters a bit more than scales should matter to a woman supposedly having a ball living her best life travelling. JMO

Or to someone who intends disappearing? Why would it matter if you were starting a whole new life. All the postcards and correspondence reads that way to me. Either MB was very practiced in Spy-craft to be able to write that way at the same time "knowing" you did not want to have any further contact with your family, friends or previous life...OR...she did not intend disappearing. IMO MOO

 

[gymtonic]

I just realised something... really sinister...

If Wonka had stored Marion's boxes AT HIS HOME, if she took them there together with him and knew where they were located and what he looked like,

She was never ever intended to return to Aus or survive to tell the tale to anyone, least of all show the property and describe Wonka.

He set up the story of the pilot to give an explanation of why she had subsequently disappeared (flown off with a pilot) and a man who was the last to be seen with her, creating reasonable doubt that there were other men involved.

That would make this not only most likely a murder case but a very premeditated indeed murder case.

Or were the tea chests never there anyway but had been sent to some other location (connected with RB) that is now difficult to trace? And the pilot story is a merger of info gained from the podast and woven into another one of those miraculous recall of details that is designed as sleight of hand to deceive and make investigators wade through mud to sift out which bits happened and which bits didn't. If RB really wanted to convince investigators that this happened and if DdH is an accomplice then why would she not verify this particular story?

 

[Jay_Tec]

Or were the tea chests never there anyway but had been sent to some other location (connected with RB) that is now difficult to trace? And the pilot story is a merger of info gained from the podast and woven into another one of those miraculous recall of details that is designed as sleight of hand to deceive and make investigators wade through mud to sift out which bits happened and which bits didn't. If RB really wanted to convince investigators that this happened and if DdH is an accomplice then why would she not verify this particular story?

Indeed. I imagine that it would extremely remiss of Wonka to facilitate Marion to store tea chests at his home. For many reasons, it would be a terrible move on his part.

However, the boxes not ever having been at his home would be a thing in and of itself as it means his wife now has to lie to cover up something that didn't happen. A sort of reverse dishonesty. Hence her 'memory problem' with it's own wiki page ...

 

[Jay_Tec]

Ok so… the kitchen scales…. Umm is it odd to anyone else that majority of letter is about those scales and the school? There seems to be a heck of a lot of importance in these scales.
Reasons why they were removed from class.
Reasons why they weren’t returned including Sally using them for baking? Not to elaborate.
I just find it really odd.
May be perfectly normal for Marion I don’t know.. but it reads like it matters a bit more than scales should matter to a woman supposedly having a ball living her best life travelling. JMO

I imagine, having left her job under a cloud (allegation of 'touching' the boys) and being out of favour with the management, it would be extremely important for a teacher to ensure they hadn't taken a single item from the school as that could be mentioned in a future reference (failed to return school property).

Also, I imagine the school may have had some thefts once it became on the radar of a thief and liar like Wonka.

Plus, the scales may have been valuable, the old fashioned sort with individual measuring weights, or of sentimental value to the school ?

 

[Estelle]

I had not picked up on this before, but this letter makes it clear that MB did not just transit in Seoul/Tokyo as she said 'a most interesting visit to the east', which def suggests a longer stay..although odd that she did not elaborate. Also the fact that she mentioned manhandling her luggage, which, if she had a through ticket, could have been checked to her final destination.
Not proven obvs, but links nicely to RB using JAL imo.
Thank you for the transcripts as my eyesight isn't what it was...

POSSIBLE TIMELINE

June 22 9.38pm Marion departs Australia on a Korean Airlines flight to South Korea. We assume she got off in Seoul, flew a different airline to Narita, spent at least one night in a hotel, and then flew from Narita to Heathrow Airport.

June 23 Arrived in Seoul then flies to Tokyo either same or next day and meets up with RB at Narita Hotel.

June 24 Seoul or Tokyo

June 25 Tokyo

June 26 Tokyo

June 27 Tokyo

June 28 MB and RB depart Tokyo

June 29 MB arrives at Heathrow with RB, places case with winter clothes and documents in storage then catches train to TW. RB has the paper work or key to access it or both have as he put his bag there with hers. RB then tells MB he has to go to Belgium to see his family or do urgent business so he lures her with the idea that they will meet again in Amsterdam and later go on the Orient Express. He tells her to hire a car in TW and stay at xxxx where she has booked in advance.

June 30: Marion sends Sally a letter on Narita Hotel stationery postmarked Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England.

Perhaps Marion did not elaborate on her trip to the East was she was with RB then.

 

[Estelle]

Ok so… the kitchen scales…. Umm is it odd to anyone else that majority of letter is about those scales and the school? There seems to be a heck of a lot of importance in these scales.
Reasons why they were removed from class.
Reasons why they weren’t returned including Sally using them for baking? Not to elaborate.
I just find it really odd.
May be perfectly normal for Marion I don’t know.. but it reads like it matters a bit more than scales should matter to a woman supposedly having a ball living her best life travelling. JMO

IMO it was as if Marion felt very guilty. Did she use petty cash to buy them? If she used her own money, there was no need to return them.

 

[brjakj]

POSSIBLE TIMELINE

June 22 9.38pm Marion departs Australia on a Korean Airlines flight to South Korea. We assume she got off in Seoul, flew a different airline to Narita, spent at least one night in a hotel, and then flew from Narita to Heathrow Airport.

June 23 Arrived in Seoul then flies to Tokyo either same or next day and meets up with RB at Narita Hotel.

June 24 Seoul or Tokyo

June 25 Tokyo

June 26 Tokyo

June 27 Tokyo

June 28 MB and RB depart Tokyo

June 29 MB arrives at Heathrow with RB, places case with winter clothes and documents in storage then catches train to TW. RB has the paper work or key to access it or both have as he put his bag there with hers. RB then tells MB he has to go to Belgium to see his family or do urgent business so he lures her with the idea that they will meet again in Amsterdam and later go on the Orient Express. He tells her to hire a car in TW and stay at xxxx where she has booked in advance.

June 30: Marion sends Sally a letter on Narita Hotel stationery postmarked Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England.

She did mention that she travelled on the tube and visited places in London like harrods. Where does that fit in the timeline?

 

[Estelle]

She did mention that she travelled on the tube and visited places in London like harrods. Where does that fit in the timeline?

From the postcards, I didn't get the impression Marion went to London first. She said she took a train to Tunbridge Wells from Heathrow. No accommodation in London is mentioned so I guess MB took a train very early one day to go to London to go to Harrods, etc. using the tube to get around after a few days in TW and returned that night as she wouldn't have driven there.

The train trip from Tunbridge Wells to London takes 45 minutes:

Google Maps

This is the train trip from Heathrow airport to Tunbridge Wells which takes up to two hours:

Google Maps

 

[MrsEmmaPeel]

humm, something to ponder - thanks

She did say the trip was to Europe with her parents

Forgive me but everytime I read about DdH, her family, Europe, and Wonka, I think unwanted pregnancy. In fact, it screams at me. Parents whisking daughter far away to have baby in secret and give up for adoption. That's how it was. There I've said it.

 

[gymtonic]

POSSIBLE TIMELINE

June 22 9.38pm Marion departs Australia on a Korean Airlines flight to South Korea. We assume she got off in Seoul, flew a different airline to Narita, spent at least one night in a hotel, and then flew from Narita to Heathrow Airport.

June 23 Arrived in Seoul then flies to Tokyo either same or next day and meets up with RB at Narita Hotel.

June 24 Seoul or Tokyo

June 25 Tokyo

June 26 Tokyo

June 27 Tokyo

June 28 MB and RB depart Tokyo

June 29 MB arrives at Heathrow with RB, places case with winter clothes and documents in storage then catches train to TW. RB has the paper work or key to access it or both have as he put his bag there with hers. RB then tells MB he has to go to Belgium to see his family or do urgent business so he lures her with the idea that they will meet again in Amsterdam and later go on the Orient Express. He tells her to hire a car in TW and stay at xxxx where she has booked in advance.

June 30: Marion sends Sally a letter on Narita Hotel stationery postmarked Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England.

I agree that the transcript of the letter (which I had not seen before in its entirety) shifts the kaleidoscope for me. If we assume it is what it is, then MB has not taken a direct route to the UK and has had a stop-over somewhere, either Seoul or Tokyo. I really hope that international investigations can clear that up because it is a nagging loose end. IMO It is still possible that MB's route and stop-over and RB's route and stop-over do not intersect at this point, and that the arrangement is to meet up in Amsterdam at a later time and after MB's UK tripping around? I agree that he has either arranged the accommodation in advance for MB or heavily influenced her where to book. I would love to rule out whether the Manor Farm Oast was advertised in the RACQ Magazine or even the Queensland Teachers Union Magazine around that time as well as the hire car.

Your June 29 scenario for MB is very likely IMO. I only question whether RB travels with to London as he does like to travel separately. I may have missed previously the evidence or reasoning for why RB has checked luggage into Heathrow as well? There is the weird mistake in the letter of catching a train north from Heathrow to TW, but maybe innocent mistake or UK geography not a strong point? It is clearer from the writing that the luggage was checked in at a counter rather than a locker (which was debated sometime ago).

EDIT: I just realised an internal logic fault. The letter was on Narita letterhead so either MB went via Tokyo or if she got the paper from RB then she met up with him prior to writing the letter. Unless she found the letterhead in one of the accommodations and it was left by someone else? I've come across letter head in hotels not from that hotel and left by previous guests a number of times.

 

[Lord Peter Flimsy]

The postcards and letter are fascinating. These are the only times we really get an insight into Marion’s thinking at that time and apart from her final phone call to Sally these are her final words. They become even more intriguing following on from the inquest. One day light will be shed on her European ‘adventure’ and how these postcards fit in.