The Kray Twins : Englands most well-known gangsters #1
If you’re not from the UK you probably won't know who these people are.
Ronald (Ronnie) (the one with glasses) and Reginald (Reggie) were born on October 24th 1933 in East London (October 24th is my birthday, yes it's why this is my first true crime post)
The twins were influenced by their maternal grandfather Jimmy "Cannonball" Lee, who got them into amateur boxing. However, due to prior criminal records (crimes like assault) and both being dishonourably discharged, their boxing careers were over. This is the turning point in their lives when they turned to crime full-time.
some personal information on both of them:
- Ronnie Kray was bisexual
- Ronnie was also a paranoid schizophrenic
- Reggie’s first wife, Frances Shea committed suicide at age 23. Frances was said to be a pampered doll, controlled by a possessive Reggie Kray.
- Their mother, Violet Kray was famously adored by the twins, she was an important figure in both of their lives.
"Mum you are like a rose. When God picked you, you were the best mum he could have chose. You kept us warm when it was cold with your arms around us you did fold. For us, you sold your rings of gold. When you died, I like a baby cried, when I think of you it is with pride, so go to sleep mum I know that you are tired." - Ronnie Kray's poem to his mother in his autobiography My Story, 1993
next part will be about their criminal lives, the part after that will be about what happened to them after crime and any loose ends I need to tie :)
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