The Kray Twins' Brutal Reign Over London's East End
Ronnie and Reggie Kray, identical twin brothers born in London's East End in 1933, established themselves as Britain's most notorious gangsters during a two-decade reign of terror. Inspired by Hollywood gangster films, they craved both notoriety and respect, operating with a sense of invincibility that would ultimately lead to their dramatic downfall.
A Criminal Empire Built on Violence
The Kray brothers controlled London's underworld through murder, armed robbery, arson, and protection rackets while cultivating relationships with A-list celebrities including Diana Dors, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, and Barbara Windsor. As Ronnie Kray once famously declared: "In the 60s, the Beatles and the Stones ruled the music world; Carnaby Street ruled the fashion world and me and Reg ruled London. We were f***ing untouchable."
Their criminal methods were particularly savage. According to James Morton's 2020 book Krays: The Final Word, the brothers employed razor blades sewn into their jacket lapels to cut anyone who grabbed them, alongside knuckledusters and shoes with protruding nails. This arsenal reflected their willingness to inflict maximum damage on opponents.
Horrific Murders That Shocked the Nation
The Krays' most brutal acts included the 1966 murder of George Cornell, a member of rival gang the Richardsons. Ronnie Kray brazenly approached Cornell inside the Blind Beggar pub in Whitechapel and shot him in the head at point-blank range. The Richardsons themselves were notorious for extracting teeth with pliers and severing toes using bolt cutters, indicating the extreme violence that characterized London's gangland during this period.
Even more disturbing was the 1967 killing of Jack 'the Hat' McVitie, a junior member of the Kray organization. After luring McVitie to a basement flat in Stoke Newington under false pretenses, an argument erupted over McVitie's failure to complete a £1,500 contract killing. When Reggie Kray's handgun misfired twice during the confrontation, the twins' cousin restrained McVitie while Reggie stabbed him to death with a carving knife. In a particularly gruesome act, Reggie then extracted McVitie's liver, which was reportedly disposed of down a toilet.
The Downfall and Imprisonment
Detective Chief Superintendent Leonard "Nipper" Read of Scotland Yard faced significant challenges investigating the Krays due to the East End's "wall of silence." However, by late 1967, he had accumulated sufficient evidence through witness statements to orchestrate their arrest in May 1968 alongside fifteen additional members of their criminal organization.
Despite attempts to have gang members take responsibility for their crimes, key witnesses came forward, including a pub barmaid who witnessed Ronnie shooting Cornell. In March 1969, the Kray twins received life sentences with a minimum thirty-year tariff for both murders—the longest terms ever handed down at the Old Bailey for such offences at that time.
Shocking Revelations from Behind Bars
While incarcerated, the brothers continued to generate headlines. Ronnie Kray formed a disturbing alliance with Ian Brady, the Moors murderer who, alongside Myra Hindley, killed five children during the 1960s. Brady later revealed in correspondence: "Ronnie Kray and I did the cooking at Durham A Level Security Wing, in the 1960s after three riots there."
Even more unsettling was the Krays' friendship with Ann Downey, whose ten-year-old daughter Lesley Ann was murdered by Brady and Hindley. Following Ann's death, her son Terry discovered correspondence between his mother and the Krays, remarking: "They are not the kind of letters you would expect from criminals like the Krays. Everyone knows how vicious the Krays could be. Maybe mum was trying to find out more about Brady in prison."
Perhaps the most shocking prison revelation came from Bradley Allardyce, a former cellmate and romantic partner of Reggie Kray. Allardyce claimed that Reggie confessed that his brother Ronnie was responsible for the death of Reggie's first wife, Frances Shea, who had officially been ruled a suicide in 1967 at age twenty-three. According to Allardyce, Reggie broke down during their conversation and revealed: "He put his head on my shoulder and told me Ron killed Frances. He told Reg what he had done two days after."
Prison Business and Unlikely Connections
Despite their incarceration, the Krays continued operating criminal enterprises. Authorities discovered business cards proving the twins were running Krayleigh Enterprises from different facilities—a "lucrative bodyguard and 'protection' business for Hollywood stars" that counted Frank Sinatra among its clients during his 1985 Wimbledon visit.
Reggie Kray also developed an unlikely bond with EastEnders star Shane Richie, who visited him during the 1990s. Richie recounted in his autobiography how he mentioned an agent who had withheld an £8,000 payment, after which the agent's office was mysteriously burned down. Richie reflected: "Was it a coincidence? I don't think so."
Final Years and Enduring Legacy
Ronnie Kray, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and declared legally insane, spent his final years at Broadmoor Hospital in Berkshire, where he married twice before dying of a heart attack in 1995 at age sixty-one. Reggie Kray, who claimed to have embraced Christianity, was released from prison on compassionate grounds in August 2000 after being diagnosed with terminal bladder cancer. He died peacefully in his sleep on October 1, 2000, at age sixty-six.
The twins' iconic status was evident at their funerals, where floral tributes arrived from notable figures including The Who's Roger Daltrey and musician Morrissey. One particularly striking wreath, believed to be from the American Mafia, featured a photograph of Manhattan with the message: "In deep respect, from your friends in New York."
Their cousin, Kim Peat, recalled the extraordinary public response: "I'd never seen anything like it. At Ronnie's in 1995, the streets were lined and kids climbed lampposts to get a better look." The Kray twins' legacy as Britain's most notorious gangsters remains firmly entrenched in criminal folklore, their brutal acts and dramatic downfall continuing to fascinate decades after their deaths.
