One Incontrovertible, Unequivocal, Undeniable Fact Which Refutes the Diary

[caz]

In all seriousness, anyone who contacts me via PM on here is more than welcome to come and have a pint with me if they ever visit Liverpool, I've mentioned this before...

Hi Mike,

If you recall, you told everyone you were going to attend the 2017 Liverpool Conference and put some difficult questions to Keith Skinner and set him right about the diary. I can't remember the excuse you gave for not staying to the end, but Keith didn't even know you had been there and I doubt that you chickened out because he was too intimidating.

Anyway, I don't suppose there is much point in anyone accepting your invitation for a pint if you are going to skedaddle before they can engage you in conversation.

Love,

Caz
X

[caz]

Putting the band back together!



PS I'm still on triangle, by the way - but strangely there wasn't a smiley for that.

Where's me washboard? 'Ave you seen it?

[Iconoclast]

Where's me washboard? 'Ave you seen it?

It's behind the counter in 'The Philharmonic'. I can see a whole new rendering of 'Hey Jude' coming on. Oh, and global fame with a bit of luck ...

[caz]

It's behind the counter in 'The Philharmonic'.

I wondered why the barman gave me a funny look last time I was in there. I thought it was because I nipped to the gents to admire the view.

I can see a whole new rendering of 'Hey Jude' coming on. Oh, and global fame with a bit of luck ...

But we don't all sing from the same song sheet, do we? So you do 'Imagine' and I'll give 'Lily the Pink' a go.

'Let it Be' is forbidden by Sir Jim's law.

[Iconoclast]

Hi Ike – in regards to your "ethical" objections in Post #5028.
Many years ago, long before you posted on these boards, I suggested a scenario where Barrett may have scammed his own wife into helping him create the Diary. A simple plot, really. She’s under the impression they are creating a novella—a piece of fiction, so naturally she helps him. (“I wanted Mike to write a story,” she later laments). Alas, Mike then takes the typescript,--behind her back, and probably with the cooperation of someone else—buys the scrapbook, creates the artifact, and peddles it as the “Real McCoy.” By the time Anne figures it out, she’s in too deep.

I was reading through Ripper Diary looking for the section for Observer where Bongo and Anne go all sumo in front of the fire as she attempts to put the scrapbook into the flames and he - thinking she's reaching for his bottle of Bells - attempts to stop her (Observer, check out Chapter 5 (p121), 'I just wanted to burn the diary' and page 128 which briefly mentions the fight - I'm still searching for a wider description for you) when I came across (p133) an interesting section:

On 2 August 1994, just three days after presenting Paul Feldman with his 'evidence' of forgery, Barrett wrote a letter to Harrison, giving a very different account of the Diary. The letter reveals the extent of his alcoholism during this period and the emotional impact of the family separation, particularly from Caroline. Written in a shaky hand (Barrett says that without the help of a bottle of Sicilian wine, it would be totally unreadable [Ed: It is hard to imagine how anyone would be able to tell the difference]), and with appallingly bad spelling, he expresses contrition over the damage he has done: 'I never ment to hurt you, Anne, Caroline, my family and Doreen and all. I owe every one a big appoje (God my spelling is terrible). Funny thing I always whonted to be a writer, but I never had it in me. It was allways Anne who ended up writing articals, that had my name on (and there were very few). Anne was the one who allways had the idears (she did not however write the Diary). Tony relly give me it.'

Was this another of Bongo's confessions, or was it the truth of the matter? Was it both? If it was the truth of the matter, then Anne must have created the Victorian scrapbook (at very least the text of it). But she was also the one who gave up the maroon diary so easily after Bongo's first (of many) confession, thereby putting her young daughter Caroline in the hands of capricious, evil Fate (when Bongo and Anne went down for a ten-stretch).

Maybe Barrett's letter shows us that he wasn't a writer (derr - like we really had to work that one out), that any published 'artcials' got there due to Anne's literacy, and that the Victorian scrapbook is not a hoax at all?

It's an interesting thought …

Ike

[Graham]

Yes Ike, that passage you quote has been posted here before, and guess what? It was rejected out of hand by those who still to this day claim that Mike Barrett was up there with Byron, Churchill, Fitzgerald and a few others including Enid Blyton probably. And here it is, out of his own mouth! Still, you know as well as I do what their reaction was, and will be: oh, he was pissed as a cricket all the time, didn't know his wotsit from his thingie. Sloshed out of hus brains when he wrote that letter to Harrison. Of course he was a writer, it was just that he could never remember what he wrote, bless him, ad infintum, ad nauseam. And here he also confirming that it was Tony Devereux as wot relly give it him. But of course, he was pissed, wasn't he?

Graham

[Observer]

I was reading through Ripper Diary looking for the section for Observer where Bongo and Anne go all sumo in front of the fire as she attempts to put the scrapbook into the flames and he - thinking she's reaching for his bottle of Bells - attempts to stop her (Observer, check out Chapter 5 (p121), 'I just wanted to burn the diary' and page 128 which briefly mentions the fight - I'm still searching for a wider description for you) when I came across (p133) an interesting section:

On 2 August 1994, just three days after presenting Paul Feldman with his 'evidence' of forgery, Barrett wrote a letter to Harrison, giving a very different account of the Diary. The letter reveals the extent of his alcoholism during this period and the emotional impact of the family separation, particularly from Caroline. Written in a shaky hand (Barrett says that without the help of a bottle of Sicilian wine, it would be totally unreadable [Ed: It is hard to imagine how anyone would be able to tell the difference]), and with appallingly bad spelling, he expresses contrition over the damage he has done: 'I never ment to hurt you, Anne, Caroline, my family and Doreen and all. I owe every one a big appoje (God my spelling is terrible). Funny thing I always whonted to be a writer, but I never had it in me. It was allways Anne who ended up writing articals, that had my name on (and there were very few). Anne was the one who allways had the idears (she did not however write the Diary). Tony relly give me it.'

Was this another of Bongo's confessions, or was it the truth of the matter? Was it both? If it was the truth of the matter, then Anne must have created the Victorian scrapbook (at very least the text of it). But she was also the one who gave up the maroon diary so easily after Bongo's first (of many) confession, thereby putting her young daughter Caroline in the hands of capricious, evil Fate (when Bongo and Anne went down for a ten-stretch).

Maybe Barrett's letter shows us that he wasn't a writer (derr - like we really had to work that one out), that any published 'artcials' got there due to Anne's literacy, and that the Victorian scrapbook is not a hoax at all?

It's an interesting thought …

Ike

Another of Bongo's confessions? It seems to me the wily Barrett passing the buck onto to his estranged wife for the authorship of the Diary. Even though he "admits" Tony rely giv it me.

Take a look at Barrett's confessions Ike, there are spelling mistakes but they're not as glaring as when he's trying to appear illiterate. As I said dodgy lot those scrap metal dealers.

Also, the imagination knows not it is is atroshus at spelling. Barrett was a Walter Mitty, poor speller yes, but a vivid imagination. The Diary is no masterpiece of litrature, Barrett was capable with the help of his wife of dreaming it up.

[Graham]

So are you saying, Mr Observer, that both Mike and Anne conceived and executed the Diary, but at some point Anne got cold feet realising that there was a distinct possibility that both she and Mike could be had up for fraud? And so then she concocted the 'alternative' story of the Diary coming down to her through her family and ending up in the bedroom cupboard?

Graham

[Observer]

By the way Ike. Who was responsible for that description of Mike Barrett in Harrisons Ripper Diary book, the one where he's described as articulate and intelligent? It's got to be his wife surely?

[Observer]

So are you saying, Mr Observer, that both Mike and Anne conceived and executed the Diary, but at some point Anne got cold feet realising that there was a distinct possibility that both she and Mike could be had up for fraud? And so then she concocted the 'alternative' story of the Diary coming down to her through her family and ending up in the bedroom cupboard?

Graham

It's a distinct possibility. Of course Anne was being mentored by Paul Feldman, it's possible they wanted the cash cow to keep up it's supply of milk That story stinks to high heaven by the way.

[Observer]

Yes Ike, that passage you quote has been posted here before, and guess what? It was rejected out of hand by those who still to this day claim that Mike Barrett was up there with Byron, Churchill, Fitzgerald and a few others including Enid Blyton probably. And here it is, out of his own mouth! Still, you know as well as I do what their reaction was, and will be: oh, he was pissed as a cricket all the time, didn't know his wotsit from his thingie. Sloshed out of hus brains when he wrote that letter to Harrison. Of course he was a writer, it was just that he could never remember what he wrote, bless him, ad infintum, ad nauseam. And here he also confirming that it was Tony Devereux as wot relly give it him. But of course, he was pissed, wasn't he?

Graham

Come now Graham, Byron, Fitzgerald? Have you read the Diary lately? More like Dudley D Watkins, he of Biffo The Bear fame. Remember scrap metal dealers are a dodgy lot, as I said to Ike take a look at his written confessions, not a great speller, but not bad either.

[Graham]

It's a distinct possibility. Of course Anne was being mentored by Paul Feldman, it's possible they wanted the cash cow to keep up it's supply of milk That story stinks to high heaven by the way.

Yes, well, ole Feldy was certainly driving the car well past its design speed, that's for sure. If you mean the 'coming down to Anne via her family' story stinking to high heaven, I have to concede that it's somewhat unlikely, but not absolutely impossible. She stuck to it, never retracted it as far as I'm aware. And the problem is, if she ever does break her long silence - highly unlikely, unless someone on here knows different - would she be believed, regardless of what she might say?

Graham

[Graham]

Come now Graham, Byron, Fitzgerald? Have you read the Diary lately? More like Dudley D Watkins, he of Biffo The Bear fame. Remember scrap metal dealers are a dodgy lot, as I said to Ike take a look at his written confessions, not a great speller, but not bad either.

I'm not sure if Dudley Watkins actually wrote the dialogue for the strips he illustrated. So he has something in common with Mike Barrett, eh?

Graham

[Observer]

I'm not sure if Dudley Watkins actually wrote the dialogue for the strips he illustrated. So he has something in common with Mike Barrett, eh?

Graham

Haha possibly. Mike paints the scene Anne provides the dialogue.

[Observer]

I've got Feldy's book Graham. As far as I remember the tale goes that Anne's father was Flo Maybrick's grandson. Apparently the 16 year old Flo got knocked up by some Monkey Hanger and gave birth to Billy's father in Hartlepool. Though what a 16 year old Southern Belle from a wealthy American family was doing in Hartlepool is beyond me. Perhaps she had a penchant for Gregg's stotty cakes. Don't quote me though I'll have to have a look at Feldy's book.

Warning: All easily influenced browsers of this thread who have a limited knowledge of the Maybrick Saga disregard the above information until it can be verified

Thank you