Barrett and the Diary.

[Graham]

Anything is possible, it's true .... but I doubt this 'Barrett theory' ...
I prefer the 'teenage liverpool lad' who was brought up in the 60's,
in Australia ..

But then, I'm not supposing .. as it's true.

Victoria

Hi Victoria.

The thing is, is it just the merest coincidence that Barrett had an anthology of poems in his possession (I can't remember the name of the book, but it was a Sphere publication) and never denied it, and the presence of a quote by an obscure poet in the Diary? What I was trying to suggest is that it is possible that Barrett conceived the Diary but lacked the skill to write it, and passed to whoever DID write it certain bits and pieces he wanted to be included. And if this is so, then who was the closest person to Barrett who genuinely possessed the skill to write the Diary???

For what it's worth - and it's a tired subject now - if the Diary isn't "Old" then in my view it was produced very shortly before it was 'discovered'. Until the insubstantial Stephen Park is actually located, then I can't think of any other scenario that fits the facts. The problem being that, even if Mike Barrett returned from his self-imposed obscurity, who on earth would believe a word he uttered about the Diary?

Cheers,

Graham

[Victoria]

It is possible - I mean, just possible - that Barrett is a person who is fairly well-read but without the ability to convey his thoughts, concepts and ideas to paper. It is possible - again, just possible - that Barret knew of Crashaw and the infamous quote, and decided it was worth using and passed it on to the person who actually wrote the Diary. Which kind of narrows matters down a bit, if there's any basis to this supposition. I think, if it is true, it may well rule out a teenage Australian as the author of the Diary.

But then, I'm only supposing....

Cheers,

Graham

Anything is possible, it's true .... but I doubt this 'Barrett theory' ...
I prefer the 'teenage liverpool lad' who was brought up in the 60's,
in Australia ..

But then, I'm not supposing .. as it's true.

Victoria

[Graham]

Is the cranshaw(??) quote, and the comment that one of Barrett's books fell open at that page an indication that he may have been involved? Or is this anecdote an invention?

It is possible - I mean, just possible - that Barrett is a person who is fairly well-read but without the ability to convey his thoughts, concepts and ideas to paper. It is possible - again, just possible - that Barret knew of Crashaw and the infamous quote, and decided it was worth using and passed it on to the person who actually wrote the Diary. Which kind of narrows matters down a bit, if there's any basis to this supposition. I think, if it is true, it may well rule out a teenage Australian as the author of the Diary.

But then, I'm only supposing....

Cheers,

Graham

[Victor]

Is the cranshaw(??) quote, and the comment that one of Barrett's books fell open at that page an indication that he may have been involved? Or is this anecdote an invention?

[Dan Norder]

Barrett isn't particularly bright, but then I also think people overestimate just how much brainpower is necessary to make a hoax, or at least this one. The content of the diary has always struck me as extremely amateurish, as some portions are quite clumsily lifted wholesale from other readily available sources and there's nothing added that would give it the ring of truth. It's like a bad romance novel version of what a Ripper diary would look like. No real thought or creativity went into it, in my opinion. The people finding deep meaning and so forth in it seem to be inventing it up themselves because they want it to be there -- the textual interpretation equivalent of seeing an "FM" in the blood splatters on the wall.

And I think it's safe to say Robert Smith had absolutely nothing to do with the creation of the diary, and I wasn't even aware that the possibility that he might have been was ever raised by anyone.

[Ally]

I can't speak for everyone but I'll give you what I *think* the general consensus probably is.

That Michael Barrett is a moron and too stupid to make toast. Therefore, as far as actually creating the diary, he would have been at most a stooge to his wife Anne. While he may have known it was fake, and helped in some small way, he did not "create" it.

I have no idea what the general consensus would be on Robert Smith because I don't think anyone has actually ever come out and said whether they think he is a colluder in the Diary saga other than owning the book and not testing it to destruction as many want.

[Magpie]

I forgot to ask:

Is the popular feeling that Robert Smith was involved in the creation of the Diary, or merely as a perpetuator of the hoax?

[Magpie]

I realize that this has probably been discussed on the old board, but can any of the proponants of the "modern forgery" tell me what the current thinking is concerning Barrett's involvement?

I gather few, if anyone, believes that he actually created the document, but what is the opinion regarding his involvement and/or knowledge of the forgery?

Is there any candidate for the actual forger? Any evidence for when and where it was forged?

Thanks.