How is Michael Barratt these days?

[cotty]

Is he still a nutcase?

[cotty]

Also, how's his wife? You never seem to hear nothing. Like an episode of Eastenders reading about them two, Christ all mighty.

[Supe]

Cotty,

Not the most gracious way of inquiring after someone's health, eh?

Don.

[cotty]

I suppose you're right. How is he, do you know?

[cotty]

Oi

have you gone? ah nevermind. i just wondered is all. Sorry if he's still ill and all that. I shouldn't have said it.

[Bailey]

Actually, without phrasing it quite so indelicately in all seriousness, does anyone know anything about the status of Mr B? I quite liked him in the Diary doco, and it's a bit sad how things turned out for him, especially if he was originally acting in good faith and had no actual knowledge of the book's origins (which I am aware is up for debate).

B.

[Maria]

Bailey,

He confessed to having written the diary. Last I heard about his health was that he had kidney problems and that he was very ill. Personally I think his wife wrote it and he only said he did it so that she would not be in trouble with the police. After all, Anne Graham went on to write a book about Florie, James Maybrick´s wife. So it is between Paul Feldman and Anne Graham where it all started.

Maria

[Graham]

Cotty, my friend,

Maria has spoken. You better believe her, otherwise she'll fly down your chimney on her broom-stick at night and put a live bat down your pyjamas while you sleep.

Just stay cool.

Dr Death

PS: joking aside, there is some truth in what Maria says. I leave it to you to try and discern precisely what.

PPS: whatever happened to that best of all threads on this website: On The Trail Of The Forgers? Where Steve Powell? Where Victoria?

[Maria]

Graham:



When I last spoke to Victoria, before she left for her holiday to South America and Antartica, she told me that Stephen Powell had finished his book. I hope that answers your question.

Cotty:

You asked a question and I was trying to help by answering. I hope I have helped. English is not my first language and so people who think they are superior are always making fun of my spelling, my grammar and anything else they can think of to feel superior in some strange way.

Maria

[Graham]

When I last spoke to Victoria, before she left for her holiday to South America and Antartica, she told me that Stephen Powell had finished his book. I hope that answers your question.

1] Really?

2] It's Antarctica, dear. Not Antartica.

Tut, tut. The ignorance one has to put up with these days...

Graham

[Maria]

Graham:

Thank you for the correction. But in Spanish is Antartica without the C.

Just like Iraq is spelled Irak in Spanish. Not with the Q I speak three languages, so with so many little variations it is difficult to get it right in all the languages. It is correct in Spanish. So I have taught you how to write it in Spanish in case you ever find yourself in Antartica.

Maria

[Graham]

Graham:

Thank you for the correction. But in Spanish is Antartica without the C.

Just like Iraq is spelled Irak in Spanish. Not with the Q I speak three languages, so with so many little variations it is difficult to get it right in all the languages. It is correct in Spanish. So I have taught you how to write it in Spanish in case you ever find yourself in Antartica.

Maria

Frankly, I couldn't give a monkey's what you think.

Blessings from the Planet Earth,

Graham

[Victoria]

Cotty, my friend,



PPS: whatever happened to that best of all threads on this website: On The Trail Of The Forgers? Where Steve Powell? Where Victoria?

Hi Graham,

Yes, I agree with you, it was the best of all threads ..
we had some good fun, but then again, eventually ..
"All things must pass".
Steve may or may not come back to tell us, the final chapter
on it all, I don't know.
I do believe though, that he is busy finalising his book, I really look
forward to reading it .. I know it will be good, and it's true.

cheers to you,
Victoria

[Chris Jones]

Mike Barrett

Is he still a nutcase?

A few months ago, I spent the afternoon chatting with Mike in his home in Merseyside. He invited me to his house as he wanted to explain why he had been unable to attend the Maybrick trial event that I organised in May 2007.

He was a perfect host, very polite and friendly and happy to talk about the Diary and the impact that it had on his life and family. He appeared to be in good health and was proud to show me his home and beautiful garden.

He told me that he did NOT forge the Diary and that he sincerely believes it to be genuine. He blamed his changing story on the immense pressures he had faced due to unbelievable media intrusion and personal issues.

Mike said that his original story was the true story of events, i.e. that he had been given the Diary in the Summer of 1991 by Tony Devereux, a drinking friend from the Saddle Inn, Kirkdale in Liverpool, who was housebound at the time. According to Mike, Devereux told him to: “Do something with it.” He totally dismissed the idea that his ex-wife had written the Diary or that it had somehow been in her family's possession.

I am aware that other people have had very different experiences when they have met Mike Barrett. However, on every occasion I have met him or spoken to him on the phone, he has been charming and helpful. Whether he told me the truth or not is a matter or opinion. I personally do not know what the real truth is, however, I am fairly positive about one thing, I do not believe that Mike Barrett wrote the Diary.

Best wishes, Chris Jones

[Steve Powell]

I'd like to 'do something with the diary'.

I have no doubt that Barrett is a nice guy
underneath all of the lies that have gone on.
However, the diary is not genuine and he knows it and I know it.
The reason he told the Devereux story is because
he didn't want Feldman to take control of the diary and themselves.
He tried to fight him to no avail and came out looking a chump
when Feldman succeeded in portraying him a fool.
The stupid 'do-something-with-it' story was a scramble for Barrett
to escape the clutches of Feldman, nothing else.
He took advantage of Devereux's death.
Simple as that.
As for Barrett's home and beautiful garden...
Where did he get the money for that?
The blessed diary no doubt.
Long live the diary!
Long live the hoax!
Long live the lie!