Did JB own a bicycle of his own on 7th Aug '85?

[Holly Goodhead]

I recall in Wilkes' book he talked about JB cycling around the Norfolk countryside with school friends.  I've no idea if the bike was personally owned.

JB left Greshams during the summer of 1977.  He turned 16 earlier in the year.  He started his A levels Sep 1977 at Colchester college.  It's 11/12 miles to Colchester from WHF so maybe a bit far to cycle daily but he may have used a bike to get to a local bus stop or train station.  He turned 17 in Jan 1978 and so may well have had a bike to get around on until he could drive.

[Holly Goodhead]

Obviously if he had his own bike why would he need June's for anything other than the purpose he said it was for ie JM's use?

By the time he left WHF he was able to drive and had his own car so any personally owned bike may well have been stored at WHF in one of the out buildings.

 
 

[adam]

If he had his own bike Julie could use that to cycle to & leave at the pub, prior to getting the train home. So he didn't need June's bike.

Whether Bamber had one or two bikes, he would still have to either drive or walk to the pub to collect the bike. He couldn't use the second bike to collect the bike at the pub as he can't cycle two bikes simultaneously. 

[Holly Goodhead]

If he had his own bike Julie could use that to cycle to & leave at the pub, prior to getting the train home. So he didn't need June's bike.

Back in the 80's bikes tended to be for women or men.  I didn't like riding mens' bikes as they tended to have a bar from the seat to the handles that tended towards FGM if you straddled it!  Especially racing type bikes.  I think they were deemed a bit unladylike too as you had to swing your leg over the back to get off.  Whereas with a ladies bike the bar was set at an angle and there was no need for leg swinging as you could bring it across the front.   

Whether Bamber had one or two bikes, he would still have to either drive or walk to the pub to collect the bike. He couldn't use the second bike to collect the bike at the pub as he can't cycle two bikes simultaneously.

If he wanted a bike to get around on before he had a car he would simply ride to a bus stop, train station, pub, shop, party whatever and leave his back there ready for his return journey to WHF.

If he wanted a bike as his mode of transport to murder his family he could simply walk to work one morning and ride it back to his cottage. 

Why bother with June's sit up n beg type bike when he probably had his own bike?

[Holly Goodhead]

If JB had his own bike he may have kept it at his cottage.

If Pip Middleton was on a man's racing type bike she wouldn't be able to do this:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_14552_productId_1135992_langId_-1_categoryId_null&cm_re=mmcycling-_-Bikes-_-Womensbikes

Today a lot of bikes are unisex but 30 years that wasn't the case.  I doubt JM would have wanted to be riding round on a traditional mans bike.

[adam]

If Bamber had his own bike, his defence & the current OS would be all over it.

If Bamber had a racer, the prosecution still couldn't claim he took June's bike because it was more suited to the farm tracks  June's bike wasn't exactly a mountain bike.

[Holly Goodhead]

If Bamber had his own bike, his defence & the current OS would be all over it.

If Bamber had a racer, the prosecution still couldn't claim he took June's bike because it was more suited to the farm tracks  June's bike wasn't exactly a mountain bike.

You would hope/think so but it's probably best not to assume anything.

[adam]

If Bamber had his own bike, his defence & the current OS would be all over it.

If Bamber had a racer, the prosecution still couldn't claim he took June's bike because it was more suited to the farm tracks  June's bike wasn't exactly a mountain bike.

Now if June had a BMX....

[Holly Goodhead]

Now if June had a BMX....

Or a horse. 

I don't know why everyone is fixated on bikes when the geography lends itself to novel modes of transport such as a horse, windsurfer and kayak.  The river runs along the bottom of WHF.  JB may have gone to The Chequers for a few drinks after phoning JM.  Then instead of leaving for home went round the back of the pub onto/into a waiting horse, windsurfer or kayak.  He may have hidden a wetsuit complete with mask and boots so he was literally dressed to kill. 

[Holly Goodhead]

Sadly no Daily Mails at Waitrose today so I'm thumbing thru Pete's Guardian  A paper for intellectuals snobs":

"Imagine a person who never reads books.  Perhaps a person like the president of the United States".

I don't have to imagine such a person!   

Anyway it has a supplement about cycling which got me thinking about the type of bikes used in city cycling schemes:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=London+bike+hire+images&safe=strict&client=safari&hl=en-gb&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi-yML7sqnWAhVJLMAKHZGVDPcQsAQICw#mhpiv=1&spf=1505554367226

They are unisex and easy to hop on and off.  I wouldn't mind betting JB had his own bike either at WHF or Bourtree Cottage.  David perhaps you could write to JB for clarification? 

JB's former headmaster and housemaster both passed comment about their perceptions of JB so hopefully they will recall Wilkes' claims that JB was a regular cyclist at Greshams.  In which case what happened to his bike assuming it was personally owned?  When he left Greshams and returned to live at WHF he would surely want a bike to get around on until he was able to drive? 

[adam]

I can beleive June's bike was a unisex one in 1985. It was more like a mountain bike than a racer.

Most bikes are really unisex. Both men & women now cycle mountain bikes. More men cycle racers.

[Holly Goodhead]

I can beleive June's bike was a unisex one in 1985. It was more like a mountain bike than a racer.

Most bikes are really unisex. Both men & women now cycle mountain bikes. More men cycle racers.

I understand June's bike was sit up and beg style although I haven't seen any official confirmation of this.

When JB was interviewed under caution he was asked various questions about the bike such as when he took it and how he transported it but I can't recall him being asked if he acquired the bike to travel to and fro WHF to murder his family.

I don't have access to his evidence in chief to know how the bike played out in court.  Surely if he had his own bike he would have said?

[adam]

I understand June's bike was sit up and beg style although I haven't seen any official confirmation of this.

When JB was interviewed under caution he was asked various questions about the bike such as when he took it and how he transported it but I can't recall him being asked if he acquired the bike to travel to and fro WHF to murder his family.

I don't have access to his evidence in chief to know how the bike played out in court.  Surely if he had his own bike he would have said?

There is a picture of a bike on the OS. It has a bell on, which would be useful if lions, tigers, werewolves & owl poachers got in the way as he cycled along the farm tracks.

[Holly Goodhead]

There is a picture of a bike on the OS. It has a bell on, which would be useful if lions, tigers, werewolves & owl poachers got in the way as he cycled along the farm tracks.

Jurors should have been taken to the potential routes to see for themselves how such a journey would pan out. 

[adam]

Jurors should have been taken to the potential routes to see for themselves how such a journey would pan out.

To do that properly, that would mean the jurors walking around for 5 or 6 miles. Looking at the different route options.

Jurors are rarely taken off site & if they are it is just to see one static thing. Most objects can be brought into court.

The jurors in this case had already been taken off site once to check rifle noise.