Inside the Kray Family

by Rita Smith

  Even myself and other good friends would find that almost overnight he’d turned into a “tapper”. “Got a twenty on you?” “Got a fifty?” This would then mean a trip to the toilet, where I would fold the note up as small as it would go, wrap it up in cigarette-packet foil, then return to the room, where Reg could place it in his mouth before going through the usual after-visit search. Every now and again some young ex-con would knock on my door saying that Reg had sent him and, trotting out various reasons for asking, would try and borrow money. Unsuccessfully, I might add, after the first few times.

  When a special friend was ghosted out of Maidstone Prison in the small hours, without even the chance of saying goodbye, Reg became distraught and his behaviour worsened. Then many of us would suffer early morning telephone calls, when he’d be drunk and incoherent or screaming abuse because some command had not been carried out to his liking.

  Too many people were telling me that he was becoming a f—g nuisance, and he lost a number of friends when they changed their telephone numbers to avoid him.

  Whatever he had become in those last years could never take away from the fact that against all the odds he had remained strong and intelligent for twenty-five or more years of his sentence. Perhaps because he never lost hope of being released one day.

  The fact that it was obvious to him that politics would keep him inside for the rest of his life must have knocked the heart out of him. A psychiatric report put together for his last appeal stated that he was devious, manipulative and would not conform to certain prison programmes. Regardless of Reg publicly denying that any of this was true, it was in fact quite accurate.

  Having said that, I personally felt that regardless of those facts they were pathetic reasons for denying him parole. He had more than fully paid his debt to society once he had served twenty years, so the fact that the Home Office kept him locked away until they were sure he would die within a short time, can only ever be classed as a miscarriage of justice.

  The government papers that will explain why he could not be freed will not be made public in my lifetime, but one day the political reasons behind this decision will be known.

  I have criticized Reg here, but as a final tribute I have to say that in the time I knew him he did me more good than otherwise. Without thought of profit or self-interest, he went out of his way to point my career in the right direction – and for that I can only thank him.

  5th Feb

  Peter

  Thanks for letter – Please use discretion.

  Do not talk about my

  choice of company I don't want problems.

  God bless

  Friend Reg.

  Say hello to young Peter for me.

  25 Sep

  Sunday

  4-40 am

  Dear Peter

  Would you bring half a bottle of vodka in

  Will give you a lot to work with

  Use plastic top on bottle because sometimes they

  use a metal detector

  Thanks

  God bless

  Friend

  Reg Kray

  Index

  Aish, James ref1

  Albert Hall ref1

  Aldgate ref1, ref2

  Alfie ref1

  Armstrong, Eliza ref1

  Baer, Max ref1

  Barnett, Samuel ref1

  Barratt, Fenian Michael ref1

  Bell, Tom ref1

  Bender, Ronnie ref1

  Berg, Jackie “Kid” ref1, ref2

  Bethnal Green Road ref1, ref2

  Bethnal Green Workhouse ref1

  Billingsgate Market ref1, ref2, ref3

  Blewitt, Mr ref1

  Blind Beggar pub ref1, ref2, ref3

  Blue Coat Boy pub, Bishopsgate ref1

  Blunderston Prison ref1

  Booth, Bramwell ref1

  Boothby, Lord Robert ref1

  Boxer, Johnny ref1

  boxing ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6

  Brabham, Jack ref1

  Brick Lane ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  Broadmoor ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  Broadribb, Ted ref1

  Brooks, The, Bildestone ref1, ref2, ref3

  Brown, Tommy ref1, ref2, ref3

  Bruce Castle Park ref1

  Bunhill Row ref1

  Cadover Road ref1

  Cartwright, Boy Boy ref1

  Cedra Court ref1, ref2

  celebrities ref1, ref2

  Chelmsford ref1

  Cheshire Street ref1

  Chingford Mount Cemetery ref1

  Church of St James ref1

  Club Row ref1

  Connolly, Pat ref1, ref2

  Corbett, Dickie ref1

  Cornell, George ref1, ref2, ref3

  Cornell, Mrs ref1

  Cornwall, Jimmy ref1

  Crossley, Jenny ref1, ref2

  Crystal Palace ref1

  Curtis, Ann (wife of Joe Lee) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7

  Dagenham ref1

  Daily Mirror (newspaper) ref1

  Dane Street School ref1

  David (vicar) ref1, ref2

  Davis, Mr ref1

  Devonshire Hall ref1, ref2

  Diamond, Ron ref1

  Dickens, Charles ref1, ref2

  Dimes, Alfred ref1

  Dolly (Charlie Kray’s wife) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  Dot ref1, ref2

  Double R Club ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7

  Doyle, Mrs ref1, ref2, ref3

  Dunlow Court ref1

  Durham ref1

  Elaine (Ronnie Kray’s first wife) ref1, ref2

  Elcot, Bill ref1

  Elizabeth (Queen Mother) ref1

  Esmerelda’s Barn ref1, ref2

  Farmer, Pedlar ref1

  Farr, Tommy ref1

  Filler, Albert ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10

  Filler, Rita (cousin) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6

  and Bobby Ramsey ref1, ref2

  childhood ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  employed as seamstress ref1

  marries Ritchie Smith ref1

  pets of ref1

  psychic experiences of ref1

  Reggie’s romantic attachment to ref1, ref2

  twins look after ref1, ref2, ref3

  First World War ref1, ref2, ref3

  Foreman, Freddie ref1

  France ref1

  gambling ref1

  Garland, Judy ref1

  Gerrard, Alfie ref1

  Gorsuch Street ref1, ref2, ref3

  grandparents see Houghton, Mary Ann; Kray, Jimmy; Lee, James Charles guns ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  Hackney Road ref1, ref2

  Hart, Ronnie ref1

  Haycox, Les ref1

  Hayes, Timmy ref1

  Hemming Street ref1

  Hetherington, Father ref1, ref2

  Hill, Billy ref1

  Home Office ref1, ref2, ref3

  Houghton family ref1, ref2, ref3

  Houghton, Helen (great-grandmother) ref1, ref2, ref3

  Houghton, Joe (great-uncle) ref1

  Houghton, John (great-grandfather) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  Houghton, John (great-uncle) ref1

  Houghton, Mary Ann (grandmother) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9

  appearance ref1

  brings up Billy Wiltshire ref1

  brings up young family ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10

  death ref1

  drinking ref1, ref2

  finds gun in her wash basket ref1

  and her grandchildren’s prison sentences ref1, ref2

  husband’s death ref1

  gains family inheritance ref1

  keeps family together ref1

  marries Jimmy Lee ref1

  moves to Cheshire Street ref1, ref2

  pets of ref1

  and Ronnie’s insanity ref1

  and Rose’s illness ref1

 
spirit of ref1, ref2

  caught stealing ref1

  and Violi’s marriage ref1, ref2

  Houghton, Till (great-aunt) ref1

  Howard, Kate (Ronnie Kray’s second wife) ref1, ref2, ref3

  Huggett, Air Ball ref1

  Ince, George ref1

  Isle of Wight ref1

  Jack the Ripper ref1

  Jack Straw’s Castle ref1

  John (vicar) ref1, ref2

  Jollie, Jim (great-uncle) ref1

  Jones, Alfred ref1

  Jones, Billy ref1

  Jones, Ron ref1

  Kemp brothers ref1

  Kentucky Club ref1, ref2

  Kidd, Captain ref1

  Kidder, Frances ref1

  Kingsland Road ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  Kingsland Road registry office ref1

  Kray, Alfie (uncle) ref1

  Kray, Bert (uncle) ref1

  Kray, Charlie (brother) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  affair with Barbara Windsor ref1

  appearance ref1

  birth ref1

  boxing ref1, ref2

  business potential ref1

  character ref1, ref2

  death ref1, ref2

  and the Double R Club ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  early years ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9

  and Esmerelda’s Barn ref1

  false accusations against ref1

  and his father ref1

  influence of the twins on ref1, ref2, ref3

  and Jack McVitie’s murder ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  and The Krays film ref1

  marriage ref1

  as money-getter ref1

  joins the navy ref1

  prison sentences of ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  and the Regal billiard hall ref1

  Rita’s relationship with ref1

  breaks Ronnie out of Long Grove ref1

  on Ronnie’s homosexuality ref1

  and Ronnie’s insanity ref1, ref2, ref3

  in World War II ref1, ref2

  writes book ref1

  Kray, Charlie (father) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  and boxing ref1

  death ref1

  discourages twins from “real” work ref1, ref2, ref3

  jealous nature of ref1

  marries Violi ref1

  and money ref1

  and the twin’s life sentences ref1

  violent streak ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9

  Kray, Gary (nephew) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  Kray, Jimmy (grandfather) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  Kray, Reggie ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  ancestry ref1

  and the Bildestone mansion ref1, ref2, ref3

  birth ref1, ref2

  and Bobby Ramsey ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  boxing ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7

  business potential of ref1

  mixes with celebrities ref1

  gets Charlie into trouble ref1

  childhood ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10

  childhood illnesses ref1

  cine film of ref1, ref2

  and Cornell’s murder ref1

  death ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  demanding money with menaces ref1, ref2

  as dominant twin ref1

  and the Double R Club ref1, ref2, ref3

  dreams of ref1

  and drinking ref1

  and drugs ref1

  early interest in violence ref1

  early trouble ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  effects of his behaviour on the family ref1, ref2

  and Esmerelda’s Barn ref1, ref2

  false accusations against ref1

  family holidays ref1

  relationship with his father ref1, ref2

  and his father’s death ref1

  and Frank Mitchell ref1, ref2

  charged with GBH ref1, ref2

  on getting out of the East End ref1

  ghosts of ref1

  illness of ref1, ref2

  jealous nature of ref1

  and Kate Howard ref1

  and The Krays film ref1, ref2

  language of ref1

  marriage and relationship with Frances Shea ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6

  marriage to Roberta ref1, ref2, ref3

  as money-getter ref1, ref2

  and his mother’s death ref1

  murders enemy of Ramsey’s ref1

  murders Jack McVitie ref1, ref2, ref3

  naming of ref1

  National Service ref1, ref2, ref3

  returns home after National Service ref1, ref2

  and Old Joe ref1

  and ordinary folk ref1

  and Peter Gerrard ref1, ref2, ref3

  prison sentences ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12

  protection rackets ref1, ref2, ref3

  psychiatric report on ref1

  and the Regal billiard hall ref1, ref2, ref3

  reputation ref1

  romantic attachment to Rita ref1, ref2

  bond with Ronnie ref1

  breaks Ronnie out of Long Grove ref1, ref2, ref3

  and Ronnie’s death ref1, ref2

  Ronnie’s influence on ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  and Ronnie’s insanity ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  and Ronnie’s three year sentence ref1, ref2, ref3

  sentenced to life imprisonment ref1

  sexuality of ref1, ref2, ref3

  and Tommy Brown ref1, ref2

  violent upbringing ref1, ref2

  and weapons ref1

  and women ref1, ref2, ref3

  and work ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  in World War II ref1

  Kray, Ronnie ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  ancestry ref1

  and aunt Rose ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  and the Bildestone mansion ref1, ref2, ref3

  birth ref1, ref2

  and Bobby Ramsey ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  and boxing ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  breaks out of Long Grove ref1, ref2

  mixes with celebrities ref1

  certified insane ref1

  gets Charlie into trouble ref1

  childhood ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10

  childhood illnesses ref1

  cine film of ref1, ref2

  cruel streak ref1

  death ref1, ref2

  death list of ref1, ref2

  and the Double R Club ref1

  dreams of ref1

  dress sense ref1

  drinking ref1

  early interest in violence ref1

  early trouble ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  effects of his behaviour on the family ref1, ref2

  and Esmerelda’s Barn ref1

  false accusations against ref1

  family holidays ref1

  and his relationship with his father ref1

  and his father’s death ref1

  and Frances Shea ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  and Frank Mitchell ref1, ref2

  and Freddie Foreman ref1

  charged with GBH ref1, ref2

  generosity of ref1

  and George Cornell ref1, ref2, ref3

  heroes of ref1

  illness of ref1

  and Jack McVitie’s murder ref1, ref2, ref3

  and The Krays film ref1

  language of ref1

  marriages and divorces of ref1, ref2

  mental health of ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7

  and his mother’s death ref1

  murders enemy of Ramsey’s ref1

  murders George Cornell ref1, ref2, ref3

  naming of ref1

  National Service ref1, ref2, ref3

  returns home after National Service ref1, ref2

  and Old Joe ref1

  and ordinary folk ref1

&nbs
p; meets Peter Gerrard ref1

  prison sentences of ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11, ref12, ref13, ref14, ref15

  protection rackets of ref1, ref2, ref3

  and the Regal billiard hall ref1, ref2, ref3

  bond with Reggie ref1

  influence on Reggie ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  Reggie assumes dominance over ref1

  reputation of ref1

  sense of humour ref1, ref2

  sentenced to life imprisonment ref1

  sexuality ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  shoots customer in Bethnal Green car dealers ref1, ref2, ref3

  and Tommy Brown ref1

  violent upbringing ref1

  weapons ref1, ref2, ref3

  and women ref1

  and work ref1, ref2, ref3

  in World War II ref1

  Kray, Violet (sister who died at birth) ref1

  Krays, The (film) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7

  Laburnham Street School ref1

  Lambrianou family ref1

  Lambrianou, Chrissie ref1

  Lambrianou, Tony ref1

  Lazar, Lew ref1

  Lee family ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  Lee, Connie (cousin) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5

  Lee, Chritcha (great-grandfather) ref1, ref2

  death ref1

  mental illness ref1, ref2

  trade of ref1

  Lee, Dewey (great-uncle) ref1

  Lee, James Charles (Jimmy) (grandfather) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11

  and boxing ref1, ref2, ref3

  and his daughters ref1, ref2, ref3

  death ref1

  on drinking ref1

  and gambling ref1

  and Gary Kray ref1

  and his grandchildren’s prison sentences ref1, ref2

  health fails ref1

  inheritance of ref1

  inventions of ref1

  jealous streak ref1

  keeps fit ref1

  marries Mary Ann Houghton ref1

  moves to Cheshire Street ref1, ref2

  musical ability of ref1

  nicknamed “Southpaw Cannonball” ref1

  raises young family ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8

  trades of ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6

  violent streak ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4

  Lee, Joe (cousin) ref1, ref2, ref3, ref4, ref5, ref6, ref7, ref8, ref9, ref10, ref11

  childhood ref1

  decides to stay straight ref1

  demobed ref1

  deserts the army ref1

  on his father, Old Joe ref1