Neville expecting Bamber may attempt to just kill him:

[adam]

 
It seems that Neville was expecting Bamber to attack him. Telling BW he was worried about dying in a shooting accident, and that he 'must never turn his back on that young man'. AE said Neville and Bamber had a blazing row just before the massacre.

Neville was not expecting Bamber to go after the entire family. Otherwise he would not have not have invited Sheila and the twins over. If Neville was expecting Bamber to do this, he would know his only opportunity would be a late night execution attempt,  when everyone was asleep. Neville would have taken precautions and  secured all doors and windows with bars and locks before Sheila's visit. 

What were the advantages of Bamber just killing Neville ?

He didn't like Neville.

He resented the way Neville treated him in comparison to Sheila.

Just killing Neville would be easier than killing five people. He would have more chance of succeeding and avoiding prosecution.

Killing just Neville, he could say it was a shooting accident. Although it would have to be a shooting accident with a shot gun. Shooting someone 8 times is no accident.

He didn't like June. Killing Neville would upset June.

He would not inherit all of the farm. However Sheila and June had no farm skills or interest and the twins were too young. He would be running the farm.

The twins were 6. So would not take any interest in WHF for at least ten years.

Bamber may have some morals. Just killing Neville means he would not have to live with himself knowing he had killed women and children.

He would be in charge of the day to day running of the farm. No longer a farm labourer and told what to do by Neville.

He owed Neville a lot of money. The debt would be cleared upon Neville's death.

He may have more of a share of the caravan site.

Neville would be dead before he could amend the wills to include the twins more. Something June was thinking about doing.

Sheila was too ill and disinterested to have any inpact on WHF. She may inherit half of Neville's will, but Bamber felt he could control her sufficiently.

Financially he may inherit a decent amount. Maybe even enough to live the life he wants.

Neville's will said Bamber had to continue working on the farm in order to inherit. If he inherited a good amount after killing Neville,  he may not have to do this.

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As it happened, Bamber went after everyone. And succeeded in killing them all. And nearly succeeded in getting away with it. Was Neville right to just expect Bamber to be interested in him ?

[John]

It seems that Neville was expecting Bamber to attack him. Telling BW he was worried about dying in a shooting accident, and that he 'must never turn his back on that young man'. AE said Neville and Bamber had a blazing row just before the massacre.

Neville was not expecting Bamber to go after the entire family. Otherwise he would not have not have invited Sheila and the twins over. If Neville was expecting Bamber to do this, he would know his only opportunity would be a late night execution attempt,  when everyone was asleep. Neville would have taken precautions and  secured all doors and windows with bars and locks before Sheila's visit. 

I wonder which events caused Nevill to realise that Jeremy Bamber was out to harm him?   Barbara Wilson was the farm secretary, she was in post for some six years and would have seen or heard just about everything which happened on the farm.  I have no doubt that Nevill depended heavily on Barbara and would confide in her.

It wasn't as if the voicing of some sort of threat against him to Barbara was an isolated event.  From memory, didn't he also express his concerns others as to his fears for his safety?  According to Barbara, Nevill and Jeremy had a blazing row a short time before the murders. What was at issue? 

Was it that Nevill and June wanted to bring Sheila and the twins back to the farm with Jeremy having to share the house in Goldhanger or even possibly have to give it up?  Whatever it was, it was the catalyst for murder.

[scipio_usmc]

For all anyone knows Jeremy fired a bullet that came close to Nevill while they were in the fields and said it was an accident.  That kind of thing would surely get him worried.

It could have been something even more mundane though about Jeremy's attitude in general which was described by several people including Ann Eaton as being him doing things to spite his father which demonstrated his hostility towards his father.

[Opal]

I don't believe all was well with Neville and Jeremy on the night of the murders either.  Jeremy went out with gun to supposedly shoot rabbits, before going back indoors, 9.00 pm Neville left kitchen soon after Jeremy   
Neville SEEN BY Phillip Wilson – near bullock shed. Jeremy states he went to check the barn was running.  Did they argue outside about the gun Jeremy had loaded before Jeremy goes back into house   Did argument continue between Neville and Jeremy as Barbara Wilson rings farm 9.30pm and Neville is short with her, Barbara also states, although she didn’t hear anything, something was happening at the house that night.

[Holly Goodhead]

If NB was really concerned about his personal safety in terms of a shooting incident by JB; or someone in connection with his duties as a magistrate; or any other person, surely he would not have left firearms and ammo readily accessible?

[scipio_usmc]

If NB was really concerned about his personal safety in terms of a shooting incident by JB; or someone in connection with his duties as a magistrate; or any other person, surely he would not have left firearms and ammo readily accessible?

He didn't expect Jeremy to "break in" and then use the firearms on him.  His concern was more or less worrying about being shot daytime when Jeremy could claim accident. Leaving them in a closet as you sleep in a locked house is not leaving ammo and guns "lying around".

[adam]

I wonder which events caused Nevill to realise that Jeremy Bamber was out to harm him?   Barbara Wilson was the farm secretary, she was in post for some six years and would have seen or heard just about everything which happened on the farm.  I have no doubt that Nevill depended heavily on Barbara and would confide in her.

It wasn't as if the voicing of some sort of threat against him to Barbara was an isolated event.  From memory, didn't he also express his concerns others as to his fears for his safety?  According to Barbara, Nevill and Jeremy had a blazing row a short time before the murders. What was at issue? 

Was it that Nevill and June wanted to bring Sheila and the twins back to the farm with Jeremy having to share the house in Goldhanger or even possibly have to give it up?  Whatever it was, it was the catalyst for murder.

Have you got a source of BW saying about Bamber and Neviĺle having an big argument just before the massacre ? AE's WS says they had a big argument just before the massacre. She didn't go into details. Just said it was at a caravan site business meeting and they nearly came to blows.

If there is more than one example of heated arguments just before the massacre, it highlights rage building up.

[John]

I don't believe all was well with Neville and Jeremy on the night of the murders either.  Jeremy went out with gun to supposedly shoot rabbits, before going back indoors, 9.00 pm Neville left kitchen soon after Jeremy   
Neville SEEN BY Phillip Wilson – near bullock shed. Jeremy states he went to check the barn was running.  Did they argue outside about the gun Jeremy had loaded before Jeremy goes back into house   Did argument continue between Neville and Jeremy as Barbara Wilson rings farm 9.30pm and Neville is short with her, Barbara also states, although she didn’t hear anything, something was happening at the house that night.

I agree, undoubtedly there was a lot that went on that we will never know about.  As a farmers son I can tell you that there are often disputes on a farm between parents and offspring.  I think poor Nevill had a lot to cope with in his life trying to keep the peace and balancing demands by both June and Jeremy.  I have no doubt Sheila added to his troubles but she didnt deserve to die, none of them did.