Mr. Stuart Marshall, the son of the present Mrs. Park, gave evidence. He told us also about the breakup of the marriage. He said it had been a difficult time. He had stayed with his father at first and his sister Jane had gone to live with their mother. Mr. Park had come on the scene when he, Stuart, was still living with his father. He said the situation which was difficult was made easier because his mother was happy with Mr. Park. He said he had always had a good relationship, that Gordon Park had given him support while he was at college and university. He was always there when he needed him. He was patient and would always listen.
There is one other matter that fits into this time frame, that is part of the evidence of Mr. Paul Shaw. You remember the gentleman who borrowed the ice axe. He said that he had borrowed the axe from Mr. Park between 1991 and 1994 when he had been doing a university course and had been at the mountaineering club, and he said he had come forward because he had read in the newspaper about the present trial and he said that he could not imagine Mr. Park having used that axe to kill his wife and he wanted to tell us about that.
We also heard from the clergyman, Mr. Christopher Jenkin, you remember who gave evidence fairly late in the trial for the defence. He had been rector of St. Paul's Church in Barrow. He had been asked to conduct Mr. Park's mother's funeral in 1993, and had got to know the Park family then. He said they were occasional worshippers at the church, and after Mr. Park's arrest, he had tried to visit him in prison, but because of limited visiting facilities he had not been able to do so. He said Mr. Park was not a close friend, but he did see him from time to time. He found him a gentle friendly person who was amusing and good company. He knew of Mr. Park's DIY skills and he had offered, Mr. Park that is, offered to do some tiling work for him and had done it at his retirement home in Penrith where he was about to move. He would not apparently accept payment for this job, but had asked him to make a contribution to a charity in which Mr. Park was interested. He had also done some tiling work for Mr. Jenkin's daughter. He said he may have met Mr. Park before the funeral, but he did not know him in 1976. He had had some minor social contact after the funeral, but not very much. Since Mr. Park's arrest, he had seen him on perhaps 20 or 30 occasions since.