DISAPPEARED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 266, 4 July 1932, Page 8

DISAPPEARED

ENGLISH BARONET REVEALS I IDENTITY AFTER 19 | YEARS. I WATCHED FAMILY FORTUNES. j LONDON, May 25. "Yes, I am Sir Francis Laurence I John Barrow, BartV With a laugh in j which there was sadne?s, Sir Francis | Barrow — "the inis-sing baronet" — a. | | nian who has been lost to his friends | and family for 19 years, revealed his | identity to a press rep'orter in London. In 1913 Sir Francis walked out of his house — and did not return. Since j that day his friends have searched ; ! for hina in vain. Last year when his g ! son was seriously ill, an S.O.S. was j j broadcast appealing to him to come | forward, but there was no response. ' 1 Lady Barrow died two months ago. g His whereabouts would still have i ; been unknown but for the fact .that « ! notice of the forthcoming marriage | of "Francis Laurence John Barrow, jj widower, aged 69, to Edith Towns- | hend, spinster, aged 62," was given | at the Henrietta Street, Strand, re- l gistry office. | In the West End hotel where he is staying, the baronet who has "come back to life," told why he "disappeared," and of his adventures as plain Mr Barrow. When Father and Son Passed. "First of all, let me make it clear that I did not disappear,' he said. "Lady Barrow, my solicitors and bankers all knew that I was alive. Whether that information was passed on to my son and other members of the family I do not know. "What happened was this: Twenty | years ago there were domestic dif- | ferences in the family, and I decided | to separate from my wifa. After | making over the bulk of my estate to | my wife and family I started a new | life as plain Mr. Barrow. For some while I continued my work as an architect. Then the war came. I was living at Hastings at the time and joined the East Anglia recruiting commission there. "During the war I read that my son Wilfred had been wounded and I wrote to the War Office asking where he was in hospital. The repty I received was: 'Ask his next of kin.' "Have I ever seen my son? Yes, on several occasions, but without his discovering my identity. Passed Each Other. "Once we passed each other in Haymarket a few years ago. Recognition seemed to dawn in my son's eyes, although he had not seen me since he was a boy of 12. He hesitated for a second and then, apparently coming to. the conclusion that he was mistaken, hurried on. As plain Mr. Barrow I have watched the fortunes of my family. .1 have seen my children grow up and have been informed of their engagements and marriages. "Why did I not- come forward when the wireless S.O.S. was broadcast last year appealing for me to come forward because my son was ill ? Because I read the following day my wife had stated in an interview that she knew nothing about the appeal. "The future? I shall just carry on as plain Mr. Francis Barrow." Captain Wilfred Barrow, son and heir of Sir Francis, is living with his wife and family in a Norfolk village. When told the news of his father, he said: "I have not spoken to him for nearly 20 years. Once I met him face to face in the street. I am sure it was he, but if he recognised me he gave no sign." Later, while Mr. Barrow was being interviewed at his hotel, the telephone bell rang. The reporter was asked to answer and a voice came through: "This is Captain Wilfred Barrow. I want to spcak to Mr. Barrow." Mr. Barrow was informed, and, showing signs of .great emotion, he went to the telephone and said: "Is that you, Wilfred? It is your father spealcing — after 20 years." A dramatic pause: "Well, tell me how you are, my boy. Is your wife down there ? " A meeting was arranged, and then Mr. Barrow said excitedly. "I am glad to hear your voice again, thopgh I ! can hardly recognise it. . . Goodbye, Wilfred — and God bless you." Sir Francis Barrow is the fourth baronet (the baron'etcy was created in 1835) and succeeded his father in 1920. The family motto is "Little Suffiees."