• Complain

Tony Lambrianou - Inside the Firm. The Untold Story of the Krays Reign of Terror

Here you can read online Tony Lambrianou - Inside the Firm. The Untold Story of the Krays Reign of Terror full text of the book (entire story) in english for free. Download pdf and epub, get meaning, cover and reviews about this ebook. year: 2009, publisher: Perseus Books Group;John Blake Publishing;John Blake, genre: Detective and thriller. Description of the work, (preface) as well as reviews are available. Best literature library LitArk.com created for fans of good reading and offers a wide selection of genres:

Romance novel Science fiction Adventure Detective Science History Home and family Prose Art Politics Computer Non-fiction Religion Business Children Humor

Choose a favorite category and find really read worthwhile books. Enjoy immersion in the world of imagination, feel the emotions of the characters or learn something new for yourself, make an fascinating discovery.

Tony Lambrianou Inside the Firm. The Untold Story of the Krays Reign of Terror
  • Book:
    Inside the Firm. The Untold Story of the Krays Reign of Terror
  • Author:
  • Publisher:
    Perseus Books Group;John Blake Publishing;John Blake
  • Genre:
  • Year:
    2009
  • Rating:
    3 / 5
  • Favourites:
    Add to favourites
  • Your mark:
    • 60
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
    • 5

Inside the Firm. The Untold Story of the Krays Reign of Terror: summary, description and annotation

We offer to read an annotation, description, summary or preface (depends on what the author of the book "Inside the Firm. The Untold Story of the Krays Reign of Terror" wrote himself). If you haven't found the necessary information about the book — write in the comments, we will try to find it.

Throughout the 1960s, Tony Lambrianou was a trusted member of the Kray Gang. He had a unique insight into the workings of a criminal organisation whose reputation in the underworld remains to this day. But he was not just an observer and his role in the Kray story ultimately led to him serving 15 years in prison. Inside the Firm tells, with searing honesty, his violent history with the Krays - and the horrors of his subsequent imprisonment in top security institutions. In exorcising his ghosts, he reveals an account that is more impartial and more terrifying than Ronnie and Reggie ever could have written. From the murder of Jack The Hat McVitie - and the mystery of his undiscovered body - to the role of the Kray legacy in Britains prisons today, Inside the Firm is the last confession of a gangster determined to turn his back on his brutal past.

Tony Lambrianou: author's other books


Who wrote Inside the Firm. The Untold Story of the Krays Reign of Terror? Find out the surname, the name of the author of the book and a list of all author's works by series.

Inside the Firm. The Untold Story of the Krays Reign of Terror — read online for free the complete book (whole text) full work

Below is the text of the book, divided by pages. System saving the place of the last page read, allows you to conveniently read the book "Inside the Firm. The Untold Story of the Krays Reign of Terror" online for free, without having to search again every time where you left off. Put a bookmark, and you can go to the page where you finished reading at any time.

Light

Font size:

Reset

Interval:

Bookmark:

Make

This book is dedicated to Mum and Dad,
Chris, Leon, Jimmy, Nicky and David Lambrianou,
Wendy Mason-Lambrianou, and Prince.

I would like to thank the following people for their help and inspiration in the writing of this book: Carol Clerk for her dedication; Robert Smith for the opportunity, and his continuing encouragement; Wendy Mason-Lambrianou for putting up with me; Bryn, Lorenza and Leonard Thomas for their friendship; Matt Smith and Allan Jones of Melody Maker for their kindness to Carol; the management and staff of the Harrison Arms; and the Kray brothers, Reg, Ron and Charlie, for being the men they were.

CONTENTS

I ll only ever tell this story once, and when its done Im going to walk away from it for the rest of my life. I dont want to dwell in the past any more, but to be free of it I must confess it.

I once made a promise to a remarkable woman, my probation officer Mrs Jean Heath, that I would some day write of my experiences as a professional criminal and a member of the Kray twins notorious firm. Mrs Heath has since died, and I owe it to her, my loved ones and myself to offer this true account of a career which grew out of violence, flourished on fear, culminated in murder and ended in prison.

So much has been said and written about the Kray gang that we have now become the stuff of legend. But at the heart of that legend there are real live people, and if I hope to achieve anything, its to present them through the facts and not the fantasy of the way we lived.

Up until the time that Reggie Kray admitted his part in the murder of Jack The Hat McVitie, every loyal one of us held our silence over the events of a unique era in British crime. Now perhaps its time for a member of the firm to have a say. For years weve been hearing what everybody else has had to say about us, in courtrooms, books and newspapers, and the twins have taken their chance to reply in print.

I intend, with this book, to set the record straight for all of us who stood together in the dock and went to prison for our crimes.

O n Wednesday, 5 March 1969 my brother Chris and I were sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a villain called Jack The Hat McVitie. The Old Bailey judge, Mr Justice Melford Stevenson, recommended that we each serve at least fifteen years. Eight other men received prison sentences in what was one of the most famous trials of the century.

Ronnie Kray was given life imprisonment, with a recommendation that he should serve thirty years, for the murders of McVitie and another villain, George Cornell. Reggie Kray received the same sentence and recommendation as his twin brother for the McVitie murder. He was also sentenced to ten years, to run concurrently, for being an accessory to the Cornell killing.

Ronnie Bender and Ian Barrie were each sentenced to life imprisonment with a twenty-year recommendation, Ronnie for the murder of McVitie and Ian for the murder of Cornell. Charlie Kray and Freddie Foreman, charged as accessories to the McVitie murder, were sent to prison for ten years each. Connie Whitehead received seven years for the same offence and Albert Donaghue, the only man to plead guilty, went to prison for two years, another accessory to the murder of Jack The Hat.

R onnie, youre wanted.

Ronnie Kray turned round to face the screw, a principal officer, who had just walked in behind us. Only a minute earlier, we had been escorted out to the toilet from the cell at the Old Bailey where we were waiting to be called up for sentence.

He was in the prime of his life, Ronnie, a striking figure with his jet-black hair and usual immaculate dress: a blue suit, crisp white shirt, blue tie and black shoes. He took a drag on his fag, always a Player, threw it on the floor, stamped on it and said, Here I go, Tony. The first man ever to get a forty-year recommendation.

As I looked back, he was walking away, out of the toilet. His feet were clipping the floor as though he was marching. I went back to the cell and told the others, Theyve just taken Ron up. It was beginning.

If Reggie Kray was on edge, he was trying not to show it. He said, Sit down, Tony, Ill give you a massage. Its an old boxing trick. To have your neck and shoulders massaged helps to ease tension.

I remember Charlie Kray lighting a cigarette while my brother Chris stood quietly in thought and Ronnie Bender, the joker of the pack, just smiled. Even under pressure like this, he did his best to keep everyones spirits up.

I was thinking, Well, look, Im twenty-six, Im the youngest. If anyones going to survive, Im going to be the one. At least Ive got half a chance. I thought of my daughter, and wondered how old she would be when I got out. How old would my son be? Could my marriage survive? Would I ever see my father again in freedom?

In the back of my mind I kept hoping for the best, but I knew in my heart what we were up against. During the trial itself, in reply to questions from our QCs, the judge had frequently said, No doubt these men will be taken to a higher court where the matter can be dealt with. What he meant was, In my eyes youre already convicted, so the Court of Appeal can sort this out. I knew I was going down.

We heard Ronnie marching back and Ian Barries name being called out. Ian, a big, thick-set Scotsman with short, fair hair, punched his fist into his hand and walked out of the cell door as Ronnie walked in.

For a moment no one uttered a word. Then Reggie and Charlie said together: Well, what did you get?

Oh, only a thirty, Ronnie replied. Im glad all thats over. And he carried on smoking a fag as if nothing had happened. Ian Barrie came back as Reggies name was called. Ian leaned stiffly against a wall and closed his eyes: Twenty recommendation.

Back came Reggie, who seemed more concerned about his concurrent sentence than the main term. I thought, God almighty, hes got thirty years and hes worrying about the ten. By now I was a bit edgy because Chris had gone up and his sentence would probably indicate what I could expect.

When he returned, he said, Life and a fifteen rec. He added: Youre going to get a twenty here, Tony, watch it.

I said, Thanks thanks for that. With his words ringing in my ears, I was called into court and went up the stairs to the dock. It was like walking down a V-shaped funnel with a chair at the end, and eight screws on either side of it who absolutely dwarfed me. I was told to sit in the chair. There was dead silence.

I was trying to look around the court but at the same time appear inconspicuous. Its nothing to do with. me.

The room was crowded: it was like being in the middle of a circus. There were celebrities and high-ranking coppers and politicians galore. Nipper Read, John du Rose, Frank Cater and Harry Mooney, the officers in charge of the investigation leading to our arrests, were sitting in the well of the court beside the prosecuting counsel, listening to the judge but looking at me. Sir George Younger, the Assistant Chief Commissioner for Crime at Scotland Yard, was there too. Glancing to my right, I saw my brother Jimmy, my father, my wife and old Charlie Kray, the twins dad, leaning over. I saw Micky Duff, the boxing promoter, who smiled slightly, actors Charlton Heston and Richard Greene, and a lot of people who looked as though they were titled. On my left, the press area was jam-packed. I remember my eyes resting on John Pearson, who later wrote A Profession of Violence, the best-selling book about the Kray gang. A couple of people were drawing.

My QC, James Ross, jumped up and tried to urge the judge not to give me a recommendation because of the ages of my kids and my father. He said, This man has a wife and two children, one of whom was born on remand.

Next page
Light

Font size:

Reset

Interval:

Bookmark:

Make

Similar books «Inside the Firm. The Untold Story of the Krays Reign of Terror»

Look at similar books to Inside the Firm. The Untold Story of the Krays Reign of Terror. We have selected literature similar in name and meaning in the hope of providing readers with more options to find new, interesting, not yet read works.


Reviews about «Inside the Firm. The Untold Story of the Krays Reign of Terror»

Discussion, reviews of the book Inside the Firm. The Untold Story of the Krays Reign of Terror and just readers' own opinions. Leave your comments, write what you think about the work, its meaning or the main characters. Specify what exactly you liked and what you didn't like, and why you think so.