About the Author
Colin Fry was born in Hillingdon, Middlesex, an identical twin like Ron and Reg Kray. He worked in the film and music industries, appearing in the Oscar-award-winning film Patton, before turning to writing. His other books include The Kray Files and The Krays: The Final Countdown, and he wrote Doing the Business in collaboration with Charlie Kray.
THE KRAYS: A VIOLENT BUSINESS
THE DEFINITIVE INSIDE STORY OF BRITAINS MOST NOTORIOUS BROTHERS IN CRIME
Colin Fry
This eBook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licenced or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the authors and publishers rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
Epub ISBN: 9781845968076
Version 1.0
www.mainstreampublishing.com
Copyright Colin Fry, 2011
All rights reserved
The moral right of the author has been asserted
First published in Great Britain in 2010 by
MAINSTREAM PUBLISHING COMPANY
(EDINBURGH) LTD
7 Albany Street
Edinburgh EH1 3UG
ISBN 9781845967741
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any other means without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for insertion in a magazine, newspaper or broadcast
The author has made every effort to clear all copyright permissions, but where this has not been possible and amendments are required, the publisher will be pleased to make any necessary arrangements at the earliest opportunity.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
George Burns once said I have written six books. Now thats not bad for a guy who has only read two! If you dont know who George Burns is or was, then check him out on the Internet or elsewhere, and if you dont then shame on you. Having the chance of writing a book is something that doesnt happen too often to too many people. I have been fortunate in that respect, since this is my fourth offering and it is once again all down to the patience of Bill Campbell at Mainstream Publishing in Edinburgh. The fact that I have only read a few books in my lifetime is neither here nor there.
My wife Eva has, as usual, kept me supplied with coffee and sustenance during the small hours, and my children, Alexander and Christian, have always been on hand to bring me back down to earth. Now, that is something that they really are good at, and anyone with children will know what I mean.
I would like to thank Rod, my twin brother, for reading through my chapter on twins some time ago. I know it was a pain, but his efforts were much appreciated. Likewise, my mother has always encouraged me with my work. My brother and my mother are now no longer with us, but their memory lingers on, just as my memories of the Krays have not faded through the years. With so much in the press and on television almost every day, it is not easy to escape my past in any way.
Friends, too, have been supportive of my new profession. Lalit Bagai in Denmark and Charles Rosenblatt in Florida in the USA have always given me the best pragmatic advice based on their long years in business. Thanks to you both.
Newspapers have always been an invaluable source of information, although not exactly reliable for investigative endeavours, and the Internet is proving itself a tremendous source of all kinds and types of useful knowledge. These two sources in particular, coupled with my own intimate knowledge of the Krays, have helped me greatly in the early stages of my investigations. Sifting through the inaccurate and sometimes misleading stories becomes simply a habit, but then this is the stuff of legends and make believe plays its part in creating the imagery of the celebrity.
But we must not forget the academics who gave this book a new interpretation on the Krays. Some time ago, I contacted Professor Chris Jenks at Goldsmiths College in London, where he is head of the sociology department. He has written a paper entitled The Kray Fascination, and I have regularly referred to this work within my own text. Also, Tim Trimble, who previously lectured in psychology at King Alfreds College, Winchester, was invaluable in the psychological analysis of the background material. Without their guiding framework, this investigative work would have been almost impossible. Other academics include Dr Dick Hobbs, previously of Durham University, now at LSE, with whom I share a book title, Doing the Business, and Audrey Sandbank, a family psychiatrist with TAMBA, the twins society. Thanks for the help; it was outstanding and led me in all directions, enabling me to build up the big picture that I was aiming at.
Thank you all for helping to ensure that The Krays: A Violent Business is a well-balanced and in-depth analysis of the Krays.
In memory of my twin brother, Rod
EPILOGUE
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them,
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Caesar.
Julius Caesar (Act III, scene ii)
These words from Mark Anthony, written by Shakespeare in the sixteenth century, appear to ring true for Ron Kray, some 400 years later. The greatest danger is to believe the hype and the myth that the Krays have tried to project and evoke. The truth is out there and history must interpret these events in an unbiased and logical way; emotion can play no part in our judgements. The truth must be told time, time and time again, lest we forget.
Reg Kray, a prisoner for more than 30 years, left 210,000 in his will, although much more had already been passed on. And they say that crime does not pay. His wife, Roberta, 41 when Reg died back in 2000, inherited most of it, around 80 per cent, but some of his old cellmates and lovers also took their share of the pile. Bradley Allardyce and Paul Henry both received money, mainly for their friendship behind bars, and they were told not to tell about their experiences with Reg in prison, otherwise all the money would go back to Roberta. So there were no strings attached there.
But Roberta didnt only receive money she inherited his books, his film rights and his merchandising contracts, together with some gold jewellery and other personal effects. And she inherited his contacts, for whatever they are worth. So she can expect a good income for some years to come. Even now, in 2011, she is still writing Kray books, not telling all, but telling enough to keep the Kray name alive.
Both Ron and Reg made a lot of money behind bars from everything from books to T-shirts, from films to interviews, and from any firm that wanted the name of Kray on its letterhead. And, of course, there was the old business of extortion, blackmail, long-firm frauds, money laundering, paedophilia and such.
Some years ago, Rons wife, Kate, said that companies used to queue up to get them involved in their scams, their protection rackets, their many and varied ways of conning people out of their well-earned money. The Krays were never out of business; they were in it up to their necks.
