White House Farm has many entrances.

[Matthew Wyse]

In my mind it seems close to impossible. Three grown ups and two children - it seems a LOT, so much could go wrong.

But abs  So much did go wrong it was far from the perfect crime.  The rifle was under powered.  Nev was able to fight back and nearly got to the kitchen phone.  One shot didn't kill sheila as it missed her brain.  He lost a glove in the struggle and had to clean up after him. There is lots more but you get the picture?

[Myster]

In my mind it seems close to impossible. Three grown ups and two children - it seems a LOT, so much could go wrong.

Bamber was a regular cannabis smoker... the two main side effects, relaxation and euphoria may have given him enough bravado to carry it out.

[ludwig]

In my mind it seems close to impossible. Three grown ups and two children - it seems a LOT, so much could go wrong.

Bamber was a regular cannabis smoker... the two main side effects, relaxation and euphoria may have given him enough bravado to carry it out.

That's a good point. Was he on something that night? Anne Eaton says in her statement that his pupils were dilated.

[Myster]

In my mind it seems close to impossible. Three grown ups and two children - it seems a LOT, so much could go wrong.

Bamber was a regular cannabis smoker... the two main side effects, relaxation and euphoria may have given him enough bravado to carry it out.

That's a good point. Was he on something that night? Anne Eaton says in her statement that his pupils were dilated.

I don't know as it's only guesswork on my part.... after spending all day on his tractor, he may have used it to wind down.

[abs]

In my mind it seems close to impossible. Three grown ups and two children - it seems a LOT, so much could go wrong.

But abs  So much did go wrong it was far from the perfect crime.  The rifle was under powered.  Nev was able to fight back and nearly got to the kitchen phone.  One shot didn't kill sheila as it missed her brain.  He lost a glove in the struggle and had to clean up after him. There is lots more but you get the picture?

I get the picture, sure - this would have taken time. Where was Sheila during all this time? Just quietly waiting in line to get killed?

[puglove]

In my mind it seems close to impossible. Three grown ups and two children - it seems a LOT, so much could go wrong.

But abs  So much did go wrong it was far from the perfect crime.  The rifle was under powered.  Nev was able to fight back and nearly got to the kitchen phone.  One shot didn't kill sheila as it missed her brain.  He lost a glove in the struggle and had to clean up after him. There is lots more but you get the picture?

I get the picture, sure - this would have taken time. Where was Sheila during all this time? Just quietly waiting in line to get killed?

Hallo, abs. I still wonder if Sheila had taken strong painkillers, I'm not sure if toxicology tested for these. She had an IUD and, in those days at least, they could cause heavy and painful periods. She had obviously bled heavily enough to have to soak some clothing in a bucket. It's possible that she took strong painkillers to help her sleep (is that why her handbag had been emptied on the bed?) and that was why she was drowsy and compliant when JB (or whoever) pulled her out of bed and into her parents' room.

[John]

In my mind it seems close to impossible. Three grown ups and two children - it seems a LOT, so much could go wrong.

But abs  So much did go wrong it was far from the perfect crime.  The rifle was under powered.  Nev was able to fight back and nearly got to the kitchen phone.  One shot didn't kill sheila as it missed her brain.  He lost a glove in the struggle and had to clean up after him. There is lots more but you get the picture?

I get the picture, sure - this would have taken time. Where was Sheila during all this time? Just quietly waiting in line to get killed?

Probably waiting patiently in her room while hero Jeremy chased away the intruder except there wasn't an intruder.  The rest is history.  Sheila probably never knew that Nevill and the twins were also dead but she probably saw June.

[Joanne]

I hope to God, Sheila didn't know her babies were dead, I can't imagine what if, if she did. That would be too awful.

[abs]

In my mind it seems close to impossible. Three grown ups and two children - it seems a LOT, so much could go wrong.

But abs  So much did go wrong it was far from the perfect crime.  The rifle was under powered.  Nev was able to fight back and nearly got to the kitchen phone.  One shot didn't kill sheila as it missed her brain.  He lost a glove in the struggle and had to clean up after him. There is lots more but you get the picture?

I get the picture, sure - this would have taken time. Where was Sheila during all this time? Just quietly waiting in line to get killed?

Hallo, abs. I still wonder if Sheila had taken strong painkillers, I'm not sure if toxicology tested for these. She had an IUD and, in those days at least, they could cause heavy and painful periods. She had obviously bled heavily enough to have to soak some clothing in a bucket. It's possible that she took strong painkillers to help her sleep (is that why her handbag had been emptied on the bed?) and that was why she was drowsy and compliant when JB (or whoever) pulled her out of bed and into her parents' room.

Hi shon, I don´t think she was on painkillers. The toxicology report doesn´t mention such in any case. Besides, they would have had to be some heavy duty ones to pacify her during THIS! Furthermore Sheila´s stomach contents show that she had been up at some point during the night earing - which contradicts deep sleep so close to being up. I am speculating - guess we all are more or less, we don´t know what happened.

[puglove]

In my mind it seems close to impossible. Three grown ups and two children - it seems a LOT, so much could go wrong.

But abs  So much did go wrong it was far from the perfect crime.  The rifle was under powered.  Nev was able to fight back and nearly got to the kitchen phone.  One shot didn't kill sheila as it missed her brain.  He lost a glove in the struggle and had to clean up after him. There is lots more but you get the picture?

I get the picture, sure - this would have taken time. Where was Sheila during all this time? Just quietly waiting in line to get killed?

Hallo, abs. I still wonder if Sheila had taken strong painkillers, I'm not sure if toxicology tested for these. She had an IUD and, in those days at least, they could cause heavy and painful periods. She had obviously bled heavily enough to have to soak some clothing in a bucket. It's possible that she took strong painkillers to help her sleep (is that why her handbag had been emptied on the bed?) and that was why she was drowsy and compliant when JB (or whoever) pulled her out of bed and into her parents' room.

Hi shon, I don´t think she was on painkillers. The toxicology report doesn´t mention such in any case. Besides, they would have had to be some heavy duty ones to pacify her during THIS! Furthermore Sheila´s stomach contents show that she had been up at some point during the night earing - which contradicts deep sleep so close to being up. I am speculating - guess we all are more or less, we don´t know what happened.

We certainly don't. I wish we had a doctor on here. I'm wondering, IF she took painkillers, would they have slowed down her digestion? Or did she eat before taking painkillers, to avoid them upsetting her stomach?

[Myster]

Thank you for taking the time to look at this Myster.  What I think brought this question to the surface was the mystery as to where the stairs to the 1st floor office originated?  You know the ones which can just be seen in the cubby hole in the downstairs office.

Do you think theses stairs are accessed by an external door on the north side of the house?

If you use imgur.com you can attach any jpeg irrespective of file size.

Short answer No..... you enter the dark-brown Back Door into a small hallway.., on the right a door to the kitchen with the Aga..., on the left a door to the Laundry although no door is drawn on Bamber's plan..., next to it on the left a door into Nevill's den/Back Office (this is the room where the photo looking back into the hallway was taken..., you can just make out a chair and coat rack on the back wall) and looking straight ahead in the hallway the bottom of the stairs which give access to the Upper Office. So access to this staircase is entirely internal.



The question I put in an earlier thread was whether there was open access to the bedroom passage from the Upper Office, or whether it was closed off to keep the two functions, residential and commercial separate.

Obviously if it was open then this staircase could have been used by the assailant to get to the first floor without disturbing the family or the dog, rather than having to use the main hall stair where risk of detection would be greater.

[John]

Is that a photo of the actual stairs Myster?   Where did you get that one from?

I will have a look at what you describe when I get back to the office.

Thanks for posting it.   

[Myster]

Is that a photo of the actual stairs Myster?   Where did you get that one from?

I will have a look at what you describe when I get back to the office.

Thanks for posting it.   

No, it's one off the internet, just amended by me but it depicts which way I think the stairs are built.

If you look at the large cubby-hole picture, you can just make out the winders turning down to the right.., I know its difficult to make out at first.

In Nevill's den picture you can see underside of the straight flight cutting through a small clerestory window, so the staircase must butt against an outside wall.

If it still isn't clear I'll redraw the plan and post it when finished.