Blind Krayzee

Hiya!

Troy and I are heading for London at the beginning of March and we’re arranging a meet-up for our Death Hag friends. We’re gathering on Sunday March 4 at 2pm at the Blind Beggar in Whitechapel. Why the Blind Beggar? So glad you asked! The Blind Beggar is a historical spot. First, this is where William Booth gave his first open air sermon. He later went on to found the Salvation Army and there’s a statue of him close to the pub, the Elephant Man lived and died across the street and Jack the Ripper's stomping grounds are nearby. BUT in The Beggar... this is the spot where Ronnie Kray shot George Cornell, who was a member of a rival gang. Cornell was sitting at the bar when Ronnie and “an associate” entered. The associate fired a couple of shots into the ceiling to warn the barmaid and some other customers (such a gent) and then Ronnie shot Cornell in the forehead. The bullet passed clean through his skull and he died a few HOURS later. One theory is that the murder was revenge for a Kray gang member’s murder. Another theory was Cornell calling Ronnie Kray a “fat poof.” That’s what happens when you’re not PC and you mess with the nuttier of the twins.

A lot of the East Enders revere the Kray Twins. They were good looking guys, dressed smart and, well, they only killed their own. Oh, and they loved their mum.

By the way, George Cornell had a couple of kids and his son recently gave his opinion on the Krays. (Spoiler: He’s not a fan.)

The Krays were rough from the start. When they were kids, the twins got into a fight and Reggie almost killed Ronnie, who sustained a head injury. They liked to beat people up, went AWOL from the military, went to jail, dumped a latrine on a guard’s head, assaulted a couple of other guards and, upon release, went into crime fulltime. It’s not like they were qualified to be, say, teachers or something. On the bright side, the Krays were pretty good at their job. Prolific actually. They bought a nightclub and hid behind it as a “legitimate” business. But they still made time to pursue their true passions in life, because work/life balance is important: crime, murder, witness intimidation, hijacking, protection racket, arson, armed robbery, drugs, torture. But it’s all ok because they wore suits and looked cool, so much so that famed fashion photographer David Bailey took their picture. Who else did David Bailey photograph? The Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Because the Kray twins became celebrities. Kids, let that be a lesson.

The Krays went to jail in the late 1960s because someone finally had some f’ing sense. They stayed in jail until they died. Oh, wait. Only Ronnie did. He died of a heart attack in Broadmoor Prison (aka looney bin prison and yes that is a medical term) in 1995. Reggie received a compassionate release before his death from cancer in 2000. You read that right. He got a compassionate release. But he accepted God in prison so he was probably really sorry. (Actually, he wasn’t. Toward the end of his life he said, “I have no regrets. My brother didn’t have any either … It doesn’t matter that I’m in prison, I now enjoy the little things in life. I’ve met people inside who have become part of my family—if I hadn’t done what I did I would never have met them. I feel I have been blessed. I would not change anything.”) Compassionate. Release. He died a few weeks later.

Just for shits and giggles, here are some Kray Fun Facts:

There was a third (older) brother, Charlie. He went to jail too. Well done, Mr. and Mrs. Kray. Great parenting skills.
There was a fourth Kray kid, a daughter who died in infancy. She got off easy.
There was also a cousin, Ronnie Hart, who was part of the gang. Hopefully this DNA has died out because there is something clearly wrong with this entire bloodline.
Both brothers were permitted to marry while in prison. One, why do prisons allow this? Two, who marries guys in jail?
Both brothers were likely bisexual. NOT gay, bisexual, as Ronnie specified in his book. (Because of course, he wrote a book.) Just to be clear. And whatever you do, don’t call him a “poof.”
The Kray twins are buried together.
Reggie’s first wife committed suicide in 1967. She. Could. Not. Deal.
Ronnie was schizophrenic.
The Krays were two of the last prisoners held in the Tower of London. Now it’s a tourist attraction, complete with McDonalds across the street.
Actor/dipsomaniac Richard Burton visited Ronnie in jail to prepare for a role in the movie Performance.
At least four movies have been made about the Krays.
Singer Morrissey was friends with Reggie Kray and wrote “The Last of the Famous International Playboys” about them. He also reportedly sent a wreath to Reggie’s funeral because he’s an asshole.

Here's a fun story about Reggie's funeral: When I lived in Bethnal Green, London for a few years. This was the neighborhood the Kray's came from. I loved reading each of their books and walking down the road to the market and passing the very locations they wrote about. I became friends with a local florist who stated with pride that she was the "Florest to the Firm." That was the Kray crew moniker. So on the day of Reggie's funeral I went to the florist and asked if I could take photographs of the flowers they were going to install on the hearse.

Side note: No one does a better funeral than the East End of London.

So, I snapped away. Then she asked if I wanted to go with them to the cemetery after the service. Uh... yeah.

So there I was in the florist van in the Kray funeral cortege, heading to Chingford Cemetery. The florist kept calling it a funeral "corsage" which made me crazy.

We passed the press who were kept a considerable distance. I got out with the other florist people and helped carry Reggie's flowers to the graveside. I think I can state with honesty that I took the last photograph of Reggie.

So, if you would like to relive some of this exciting history or just have a pint, consider this your invitation. Stop by and say hello! I'll tell you the story about how Mad Frankie Fraser ripped me off.

https://www.blindbeggarpub.com/

Oh, I went to Charlie's funeral too. Not nearly as grand as Reggie's, but Reggie was there. I won't lie, it was pretty cool to see a Kray. When Reggie exited the church, the crowd applauded.