Inspiration for the Fake 'Diary'

[halomanuk]

Maybrick was the perfect 'foil' for the diary fakes.
The way it was originally discovered also left more questions that answers.

[Soothsayer]

I see. And it's "glisters" by the way.

Steve.

Origin All That Glitters is Not Gold
The original form of this phrase was 'all that glisters is not gold'. The 'glitters' version long ago superseded the original and is now almost universally used.

I see. And that's just a matter of perspective, by the way.

[caz]

Well his first sworn affadivit was pretty damming would you not agree

Hi Trevor,

I would agree - his spelling was even more shocking than yours, Trev.

Mike damned himself - and everything he ever claimed, for and against the diary - with all the lies he told, on oath and off.

He was never able to support a single claim he made with actual hard evidence. No evidence that Tony Devereux gave him the diary; no evidence that he wrote it himself; no evidence that Anne wrote it; no evidence that someone else wrote it with Mike's knowledge or input - nothing but lies, half-truths and baseless claims to be had from that particular source.

All his various (and contradictory) 'confession' statements were made in the wake of Anne leaving him and taking their only daughter with her. At the time he blamed Feldy for all the bad things that were happening in his life and his forgery claims had the desired effect of completely undermining Feldy's efforts to prove a direct family link from the Barretts back to the Maybricks. Mike was terrified that Feldy was going to claim his daughter was descended from Jack the Ripper. That's a powerful motive for trying to stop the rot.

Love,

Caz
X

[caz]

I'll ask this [again] as I do not know the answer:

1) Were the police in any way involved with investigating the 'Diary'?

See my post #65, Jonathan.

and,

2) Has anybody connected with the alleged provenance of the 'Diary' made claims to its authenticity under oath, or perhaps made a statuary declaration to that effect?

I don't believe anyone alive in the 1990s could realistically have made such a claim under oath, because how would they have been able to establish its 'authenticity' without any supporting documentary evidence to that effect? The diary itself doesn't count - obviously. And I don't think either of the Barretts ever claimed to know the diary was authentic. What they believe would be another matter entirely.

Love,

Caz
X

[PaulB]

Hi Trevor,

I would agree - his spelling was even more shocking than yours, Trev.

Mike damned himself - and everything he ever claimed, for and against the diary - with all the lies he told, on oath and off.

He was never able to support a single claim he made with actual hard evidence. No evidence that Tony Devereux gave him the diary; no evidence that he wrote it himself; no evidence that Anne wrote it; no evidence that someone else wrote it with Mike's knowledge or input - nothing but lies, half-truths and baseless claims to be had from that particular source.

All his various (and contradictory) 'confession' statements were made in the wake of Anne leaving him and taking their only daughter with her. At the time he blamed Feldy for all the bad things that were happening in his life and his forgery claims had the desired effect of completely undermining Feldy's efforts to prove a direct family link from the Barretts back to the Maybricks. Mike was terrified that Feldy was going to claim his daughter was descended from Jack the Ripper. That's a powerful motive for trying to stop the rot.

Love,

Caz
X

Trevor doesn't believe any of that, Caz. But it's good to know that your memory of these events is the same as mine.

[PaulB]

See my post #65, Jonathan.



I don't believe anyone alive in the 1990s could realistically have made such a claim under oath, because how would they have been able to establish its 'authenticity' without any supporting documentary evidence to that effect? The diary itself doesn't count - obviously. And I don't think either of the Barretts ever claimed to know the diary was authentic. What they believe would be another matter entirely.

Love,

Caz
X

It's difficult for people to understand the complex dynamics of what was going on at the time, Caz. One had to be there, and even then everything was none too clear! How is Mike these day? Do you know?
Paul

[caz]

3) The Diary subject should just be left as it is so that it doesnt cause a repeat of the venom spitting anger of the 1990's to rear up again. We have had enough of circular debate as it is without The Diary again. We are only left with guesswork anyway.

Why not apply that argument to the ripper subject too, Phil? There has been regular and frequent 'venom spitting anger' on many a suspect thread for years, even when all has been quiet on the diary front. All you have is circular debate and guesswork when you propose any kind of solution to either mystery on these boards, but it's not compulsory for you to join in and you can leave it 'as it is' if you like.

Love,

Caz
X

[caz]

It's difficult for people to understand the complex dynamics of what was going on at the time, Caz. One had to be there, and even then everything was none too clear! How is Mike these day? Do you know?
Paul

Yes, I can imagine! In many ways I'm glad to be a secondary source. Reading your foreword in Feldy's book was what started me off and made me want to know more about the people supposedly connected with this strange document. So I blame you.

My sources tell me that Mike is doing well and has been back to the old "Devereux gave it to me - I think it's genuine" story for many years now.

Love,

Caz
X

[Stephen Thomas]

A question, Caz

Who do you think decided that the diarist's deliberately left clue in Millers Court was the supposed 'FM' on the partition behind the bed.

[Phil Carter]

Hello Caroline,

" The Maybrick Diary" is, as far as I am aware, the cause of the most problems in Ripperology ever, including the Scotland Yard investigation into the whole business.
I believe I am cosrect in saying that it is regarded as such by many long in the tooth Ripperologists. I also suscribe to this viewpoint. My personal opinion, worth little, is that I see little positive in bringing all this up again unless the people who do know more than they can or will say open up. If not, let this sleeping dog lie.

Just an innocent personal viewpoint and observation. What other's thoughts are, likewise or nay, is up to them to comment upon.

Best wishes

Phil

[caz]

Hi Stephen,

You wrote:

"A question, Caz

Who do you think decided that the diarist's deliberately left clue in Millers Court was the supposed 'FM' on the partition behind the bed."

Not sure, Stephen. I believe it was Simon Wood who first mentioned the possibility of initials on the wall in 'that' photo, and I know Feldy and Shirley were impressed by whoever it was who first suggested the FM, and naturally enough they ran with it.

Of course, the diarist doesn't specify exactly where in the room James is meant to have left 'an initial here and an initial there' to signify 'the whoring mother', nor is it even clear that both initials are meant to be in the same room, never mind right next to each other. The London/Liverpool theme could suggest he was talking about one initial at the crime scene and t'other where he was back in Liverpool - in his watch for instance.

Love,

Caz
X

[Simon Wood]

Hi All,

After recently reading through all the various claims and counter claims about the fake Maybrick Diary I must admit to having come away with the vague notion that Mike Barrett's middle name may have been Patsy.

One thing which continues to intrigue me is what [or whom] prompted Scotland Yard to investigate the "Diary" for fraud.

Who was being defrauded, aside from a gullible reading public?

Regards,

Simon

[Trevor Marriott]

Yes, I can imagine! In many ways I'm glad to be a secondary source. Reading your foreword in Feldy's book was what started me off and made me want to know more about the people supposedly connected with this strange document. So I blame you.

My sources tell me that Mike is doing well and has been back to the old "Devereux gave it to me - I think it's genuine" story for many years now.

Love,

Caz
X

Is he up for an inteview then ?

[caz]

Hello Caroline,

" The Maybrick Diary" is, as far as I am aware, the cause of the most problems in Ripperology ever, including the Scotland Yard investigation into the whole business.
I believe I am cosrect in saying that it is regarded as such by many long in the tooth Ripperologists. I also suscribe to this viewpoint. My personal opinion, worth little, is that I see little positive in bringing all this up again unless the people who do know more than they can or will say open up. If not, let this sleeping dog lie.

Just an innocent personal viewpoint and observation. What other's thoughts are, likewise or nay, is up to them to comment upon.

Best wishes

Phil

Well I didn't bring 'all this up again', and the person who did is presumably not one of those who 'know more' but cannot or will not 'open up'.

We can still discuss the mystery of who could have created the diary and why. What I 'know' does not even begin to answer either question.

Love,

Caz
X

[lynn cates]

Patsy

Hello Simon. Actually, Patsy was King Arthur's page. (heh-heh)

Cheers.
LC