Opium Poppies Grown at WHF?

[Myster]

CAL Page 137:

"Her [AE] parents returned with June and Nevill to White House Farm afterwards.  The men went off to inspect the borage field while the two sisters strolled about the garden before sitting down for coffee.

Source: PB WS 16th Sep 85.

So no inspecting of the opium poppies  &%+((£

The 18th July might have been too early for opium poppies to be in flower. I know nothing about borage other than it's supposed to "be good for" PMS and hot flushes.

[Caroline]

The 18th July might have been too early for opium poppies to be in flower. I know nothing about borage other than it's supposed to "be good for" PMS and hot flushes.

http://www.woollygreen.com/2012/06/08/beautiful-borage/

[Opal]

Of course JB could have just picked the poppies in Remembrance of his family.....perhaps not!

The opium poppy and corn poppy are symbols, respectively, of sleep and death. In Great Britain, Canada, the United States, and Australia the corn poppy is worn in remembrance of World War I.

[Holly Goodhead]

The 18th July might have been too early for opium poppies to be in flower. I know nothing about borage other than it's supposed to "be good for" PMS and hot flushes.

I thought that was evening primrose?

Borage apparently is the little star flower used to garnish desserts and pimms.

[Holly Goodhead]

http://www.woollygreen.com/2012/06/08/beautiful-borage/

Looks like it covers the menopause too.  Quite versatile! 

[Myster]

Looks like it covers the menopause too.  Quite versatile!

... also cures coughs, colds, sore throats and pimples on your xxxxx xxxx.  I think most herbals are a big jimmick and money-spinners for quacks and mountebanks... like "Fennings Little Healers" were at one time.

[Holly Goodhead]

Of course JB could have just picked the poppies in Remembrance of his family.....perhaps not!

The opium poppy and corn poppy are symbols, respectively, of sleep and death. In Great Britain, Canada, the United States, and Australia the corn poppy is worn in remembrance of World War I.

Yes that's true but it still doesn't cover JB's claims of a "special licence for the pharmaceutical industry".

The most benign explanation I can come up with is that NB was known to like practical jokes/winding up.  JB strikes me as a bit on the dim side and a bit gullible/naive.  NB might have strung JB along with a tale involving a special licence. 

Alternatively if there was any wrongdoing JB might have been in on it or kept in the dark but had suspicions.  By claiming the farm had a "special licence for the pharmaceutical industry" he might have been attempting to pre-empt further questions.  At some stage from receiving the claimed call from NB to learning what had happened he might well have understood why NB didn't call the police.  Whether JB was in on it, or suspected, it might (lots of mights) be the reason JB dithered phoning the police. 

Off to sweat some more on a treadmill  . I look forward to the above being shot down in flames 

[Holly Goodhead]

... also cures coughs, colds, sore throats and pimples on your xxxxx xxxx.  I think most herbals are a big jimmick and money-spinners for quacks and mountebanks... like "Fennings Little Healers" were at one time.

Yes I agree not my thing.  I guess I'm lucky to have good health and rarely suffer any ailments.  But I guess for those that suffer with chronic conditions it might be worth looking into.

[Opal]

Yes that's true but it still doesn't cover JB's claims of a "special licence for the pharmaceutical industry".

The most benign explanation I can come up with is that NB was known to like practical jokes/winding up.  JB strikes me as a bit on the dim side and a bit gullible/naive.  NB might have strung JB along with a tale involving a special licence. 

Alternatively if there was any wrongdoing JB might have been in on it or kept in the dark but had suspicions.  By claiming the farm had a "special licence for the pharmaceutical industry" he might have been attempting to pre-empt further questions.  At some stage from receiving the claimed call from NB to learning what had happened he might well have understood why NB didn't call the police.  Whether JB was in on it, or suspected, it might (lots of mights) be the reason JB dithered phoning the police. 

In 1975 we joined the EU.....The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is the agricultural policy of the European Union. It implements a system of agricultural subsidies and other programmes. It was introduced in 1962 and has undergone several changes since then to reduce the cost (from 71% of the EU budget in 1984 to 39% in 2013) and to also consider rural development in its aims. Farmers like NB would have looked into receiving agricultural subsidies, in fact the current tenants still do benefit...nothing wrong with that! The thing is I think NB decided to grow new and  different plants/herbs such as opium poppies for medicinal purposes with the help of CAP through his own foresightedness. Nothing to do with anything underhand, NB was simply looking after his business as best he could.

[Holly Goodhead]

In 1975 we joined the EU.....The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is the agricultural policy of the European Union. It implements a system of agricultural subsidies and other programmes. It was introduced in 1962 and has undergone several changes since then to reduce the cost (from 71% of the EU budget in 1984 to 39% in 2013) and to also consider rural development in its aims. Farmers like NB would have looked into receiving agricultural subsidies, in fact the current tenants still do benefit...nothing wrong with that! The thing is I think NB decided to grow new and  different plants/herbs such as opium poppies for medicinal purposes with the help of CAP through his own foresightedness. Nothing to do with anything underhand, NB was simply looking after his business as best he could.

That's a blast from the past; I remember CAP from my business studies course.  But the above still doesn't explain JB's claims of a "special licence".    I posted a link to a UK gov list of banned substances for herbal remedies and opium poppy features on it.  Admittedly that's 2015. 

I've haven't seen any accounts for the farm to have any idea of profits.  NB had to take out a substantial loan to conver his mother's house into flats.  Sintro e's it can be advantageous to borrow for business to offset against tax but I can't see  that would apply in this instance.  So was the farm as profitable as we are led to believe? 

I learned  recently  JB  couldn't understand June donating to the church when the farm needed lots of money spent on it. I would have thought the trustees were responsible for the buildings etc so I'm not sire what was meant by this. 

It's difficult to imagine NB being involved in any sort of wrongdoing but:

- He had the means to grow the opium poppies

- He may have had the wherewithal from his military days of spending time in hosital when he crashed his plane eg morphine.  Maybe they had crude labs in the field .  Plus agricultural college.  It's not as simple as extracting the opium from the poppy and away you go.  The process is quite complicated and requires another chemical which might be difficult to procure.

- As a magistrate he had access to criminals and those involved with drugs.

I appreciate the above is a bit sensitive so if anyone is offended please say and I'll
Remove it. 

[rotti]

That's a blast from the past; I remember CAP from my business studies course.  But the above still doesn't explain JB's claims of a "special licence".    I posted a link to a UK gov list of banned substances for herbal remedies and opium poppy features on it.  Admittedly that's 2015. 

I've haven't seen any accounts for the farm to have any idea of profits.  NB had to take out a substantial loan to conver his mother's house into flats.  Sintro e's it can be advantageous to borrow for business to offset against tax but I can't see  that would apply in this instance.  So was the farm as profitable as we are led to believe? 

I learned  recently  JB  couldn't understand June donating to the church when the farm needed lots of money spent on it. I would have thought the trustees were responsible for the buildings etc so I'm not sire what was meant by this. 

It's difficult to imagine NB being involved in any sort of wrongdoing but:

- He had the means to grow the opium poppies

- He may have had the wherewithal from his military days of spending time in hosital when he crashed his plane eg morphine.  Maybe they had crude labs in the field .  Plus agricultural college.  It's not as simple as extracting the opium from the poppy and away you go.  The process is quite complicated and requires another chemical which might be difficult to procure.

- As a magistrate he had access to criminals and those involved with drugs.

I appreciate the above is a bit sensitive so if anyone is offended please say and I'll
Remove it.

i think the process is they cut vertical lines on the poppy head while it still growing ,than collect the sap oozing from the cuts and dry it &%+((£

[Holly Goodhead]

i think the process is they cut vertical lines on the poppy head while it still growing ,than collect the sap oozing from the cuts and dry it &%+((£

Yes that's phase 1.  I've found different methods on the web.  Here's one which outlines the steps and provides a couple of tables listing the equipment and chemicals required.  Apparently acetic anhydride is difficult to obtain.  Right off to the kitchen for a spot of cooking 

http://opiophilia.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/how-heroin-is-made.html

[Myster]

What ya makin'... poppydoms and seeded bagels?

[Holly Goodhead]

What ya makin'... poppydoms and seeded bagels?

I like the sound of poppy seed roll

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poppy_seed_roll

[Opal]

That's a blast from the past; I remember CAP from my business studies course.  But the above still doesn't explain JB's claims of a "special licence".    I posted a link to a UK gov list of banned substances for herbal remedies and opium poppy features on it.  Admittedly that's 2015.  The 'special licence' JB spoke of could have been to do with 'The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The only part of the poppy that had to be licensed under this act was the poppy straw, but I think you've covered that already. No other part of the poppy needed a license at this time. Schedule II (Part IV)of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971

I've haven't seen any accounts for the farm to have any idea of profits.  NB had to take out a substantial loan to conver his mother's house into flats.  Sintro e's it can be advantageous to borrow for business to offset against tax but I can't see  that would apply in this instance.  So was the farm as profitable as we are led to believe? 
The conversion of Clifton House into flats came about at the time of death of NB's mother 1981 The inheritance from the house was to include NB's sister's children Anthony Pargeter and Jackie Wood. NB was more than generous to both of them by not only giving them both 25% each instead of 25% between them but also lending them both money to cover there part of the conversion. On completion of the flats, NB wanted to lease out just 2 of the flats,( probably to pay back the bank loan) but in the end all 5 flats were sold on a 99 year So NB was not in financial difficulty at the time of the murders
I learned  recently  JB  couldn't understand June donating to the church when the farm needed lots of money spent on it. I would have thought the trustees were responsible for the buildings etc so I'm not sire what was meant by this.  Typical JB....why give money away when I can benefit from it, nothing to do with the farm. Instead of worrying about his mother donating money to the church JB could have helped by not robbing Osea Farm Shop

It's difficult to imagine NB being involved in any sort of wrongdoing but:

- He had the means to grow the opium poppies As did other farmers it was an experimental venture owing to too much cereal being produce

- He may have had the wherewithal from his military days of spending time in hosital when he crashed his plane eg morphine. I can't see that NB realised opium poppies produced morphine, and so then later thought he'd grow some as well. The farm was a business and profit could be made by trying out an experimental plant, this is why there was only a small field of poppies. Maybe they had crude labs in the field . And the police or farm workers didn't know or find out about this? Plus agricultural college.  It's not as simple as extracting the opium from the poppy and away you go.  The process is quite complicated and requires another chemical which might be difficult to procure. Once harvested, the pharmaceutical companies took over.

- As a magistrate he had access to criminals and those involved with drugs.Being a magistrate NB would keep well above the law, and he was known as a fair and upstanding person by all who knew him. 

I appreciate the above is a bit sensitive so if anyone is offended please say and I'll
Remove it.