A few more details about Jeremy and Sheila when Essex police were trying to build a case
Five weeks after the killings, Essex CID seemed unable to form a strong case against either suspect. Researching Sheila and Jeremy’s pasts didn’t break the deadlock; neither suspect had any obvious psychopathic traits or history of mindless violence.
Sheila’s natural mother was the daughter of Canon Eric Jay, a one-time senior chaplain to the then Archbishop of Canterbury; her father was a curate. Jeremy himself came from decent stock; his father being a former Comptroller of Stores at Buckingham Palace, his mother the daughter of a company director
Whatever family troubles there might have been in later life, both had enjoyed a secure, comfortable childhood. Aged eight, Jeremy was sent to board at Gresham’s Boys’ Public School in Norfolk; part of the grooming process for the future life his adoptive parents had in mind for him. The Bambers paid more than £5000 a year for such a privilege. Gresham was strictly run, famous for its Army Cadet Force and many sons of military families were sent to the school as the traditional first step to a career in the forces. It took Jeremy time to adapt; he said years later that he found life at Gartree prison easier than his early years at Gresham. Sheila, too, was sent away, and her pleas to come home were duly rejected. There’s no doubt that June was unable to deal with her daughter's sexual exploits. Ann Eaton maintains that June exploded because, being childless herself, the idea of her adopted daughter having to seek an abortion out of wedlock was a heinous atrocity. Ann also believed that June’s response to discovering Sheila performing a sexual act on the farm (and damning Sheila as ‘the Devil’s child’) was what triggered Sheila’s mental problems: ‘…that concept of being the Devil’s offspring lingered with her…’
For an adopted child, Jeremy was never insecure. Confident, arrogant perhaps, and definitely not subtle when it came to other people’s feelings, but never insecure. Even if Jeremy hadn’t given a fig about the horrors that had been perpetrated inside the family home - and there were plenty of independent statements to show he did - this still didn’t prove to the horde of Essex police officers suddenly turned against him that he was a killer. Jeremy’s morals weren’t under investigation. Most of the rumours and aspersions about the evil things Jeremy was supposed to have said came from people who benefited from his demise, or people who had come to believe he was guilty. All were unsubstantiated. The tabloids crucified him, particularly with the story that he had approached them with soft porn pictures of the semi-nude Sheila (‘Bambi’) from her modelling days for which he wanted tens of thousands of pounds. (The Sun Reporter who was offered the photographs of Sheila admitted later that Brett Collins had initiated the deal.) Stan Jones pointed out that Jeremy had pushed for the quick release of the bodies so they could be cremated and buried. Tom Jones responded by making it clear that the decision for release of the bodies rested solely with the police and the Coroners Officer.
Essex CID discovered that Jeremy had behaved himself during his adolescence; throughout his school days he was only caned twice, and one of these was a result of sneaking away to see a Suzi Quatro concert. His fellow escapee on that occasion, John Fielding, said many years later: ‘We had a choice; you could either be rusticated – stopped from leaving the grounds for half a term – or you could get beaten. Jeremy said he would take the beating.’
Jeremy didn’t drink, rarely smoked; but he liked drugs, marijuana in particular. He enjoyed the attentions of numerous girls but while at school ‘never went all the way.’ Sheila too indulged in drugs and had numerous flings with members of the opposite sex. Like her brother, she had no passion for academic life. She chose, for a time, modelling, while Jeremy made the decision to travel. It’s worth noting that Nevill didn’t turn his back on his son’s plans; perhaps Nevill recognized Jeremy’s suspicion that he had been adopted and raised for no other purpose than to farm his father’s land.
