The Krays

The Kray twins were notorious perpetrators of organised crime in

London’s east end during the 1950s and 1960s. They were known
as Reggie and Ronnie, but their full names were Reginald Kray
and Ronald Kray. They were responsible for several crimes in
their days including murder, torture, arson and armed robberies.
Even though they committed terrible atrocities they became
celebrities and were even interviewed on television by David
Bailey. They were arrested in 1968 and were convicted a year
later and both were sentenced to life imprisonment.

From an early age the twins were aware of breaking the law as their father Charlie went into hiding
when he was called up for the army during the Second World War. Charlie travelled the country as a
trader trying to avoid the law catching up with him. Later on, in life the twins were called up for
national services with the Royal Fusiliers, but they deserted several times. On one of the last
occasions, they assaulted a police officer who was trying to arrest them. This landed them Shepton
Mallet military prison. Interesting before they were sent to prison they were held at the Tower of
London and went down in history as being among the last prisoners ever to be kept there.

Before they were called up for national service the boys got into boxing. Their grandfather got them
into the sport. It is rumoured that they never lost one single fight before they became professional
aged 19. There criminal record and dishonourable discharge put a stop to their life as boxes and it
seems like a result of this turned to a life of crime. They started off by buying a snooker club and
started a protection racket. By the end of the 50’s they had been involved in many crimes including
hijacking, arson and armed robbery. Ronnie was sent to prison for 18 months in 1960 on charges
relating to the protection racket and a number or related threats.

As the swinging 60’s evolved they became celebrity nightclub owners and were part of the London
swinging scene. As their fame grew, they were pictured with famous socialites, and actors and
actresses from the world of show business. In Ronnies autobiography he stated “They were the best
years of our lives. They called them the swinging sixties. The Beatles and the Rolling Stones were
rulers of pop music, Carnaby Street ruled the fashion world… and me and my brother ruled London. We
were fucking untouchable…”

Throughout their life they were bullies and intimidating to people. Even as children at their first
school, people who knew them were too scared to say anything to them. Towards the end of their
criminal life, they were getting too big for their boots and their crimes were getting out of hand and
led to murder. Eventually in 1968 after a year of collecting evidence and talking to witnesses the
police arrested the Kray twins with 15 other members of their so called “firm”. This led to more
witnesses coming forward and the Krays and 14 others were convicted. The twins were both
sentenced to life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 30 years for the murders of Cornell and
McVitie. At that time, it was the longest sentences ever passed at the Central Criminal Court, London.

The twins were allowed out of prison to attend their mother’s funeral. But due to the amount of
publicity it created they didn’t attend their father’s funeral a few months later. Ronnie died in
Broadmore Hospital aged 61 on the 17th of March 1995 after a heart attack. During incarceration,
Reggie famously became a born again Christian and after serving more than 30 years was released
from prison in August 2000 on compassionate grounds due to having inoperable bladder cancer.  A few
weeks later he died aged 67.