London’s criminal history is among the most infamous in the world, with stories that have resonated far beyond the capital. For centuries, various law enforcement agencies have maintained a semblance of order, even in the heart of a major global power. Yet, crime persists in the modern age. Looking back, the sheer cunning and sophistication of past criminals remain striking—from high-profile art fraud and elaborate financial scams to the legendary rise of the Kray twins. Here is a closer look at their legacy on londonski.
Growing Up in the Uncertain Shadows of War
The Krays’ story is a complex web of cause and effect, starting with their family roots. Several generations of the Kray family lived in London, often on the brink of poverty as they struggled to survive. Their grandfather, Jimmy, despite his middle-class aspirations, struggled to find steady work and eventually turned to dealing in second-hand goods. To support his large family, he sometimes resorted to blackmail and intimidation, coercing grieving relatives into selling him the belongings of the deceased for next to nothing. This local dominance suggested a ruthless streak that may have been inherited by the twins. The trade was later passed down to their father, who led a nomadic life as a rag-and-bone man, prone to heavy drinking and often absent from his children’s upbringing.
Ronald and Reginald Kray were born on 24 October 1933 in East London. Raised primarily by their mother, Violet (alongside their older brother Charlie), the twins moved between several schools and were evacuated to the countryside during the Second World War. Their survival was considered remarkable at the time; both contracted diphtheria as infants—a condition that was often fatal in those years. That they both reached adulthood was, in itself, a rarity for twins in their circumstances.
From the Boxing Ring to the Underworld
Before their brush with National Service, the Kray brothers took up boxing, a sport at which they excelled. However, after a disastrous stint in the military, Ronnie and Reggie firmly established themselves in the criminal underworld. In the 1950s, they acquired a billiard club in Mile End, quickly expanding their portfolio of properties. While they were primarily known for their protection rackets, the Kray twins were also involved in armed robberies, hijacking lorries, and arson.
Rising to Infamy in the Criminal Underworld
Ronnie and Reggie Kray quickly earned a fearsome reputation, which naturally brought rivals. Consequently, their list of crimes expanded to include murder. Their criminal syndicate, known as ‘the Firm’, flourished throughout the 1960s. By this point, the twins had become public figures; incredibly wealthy, they cultivated an image of working-class boys who had made it to the top. Their notoriety was bolstered by their ties to the elite. Their clubs and bars were frequented by show business icons like Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, and Diana Dors. Their fame only grew following their arrest in 1968 and subsequent life sentences the following year.
Ultimately, the rise and fall of the Kray twins have inspired countless works of fiction, films, and biographies. Their legacy has been analysed through various lenses, from their rumoured bisexuality to Ronnie’s deteriorating mental health and volatile aggression. Regardless of the controversy surrounding them, the twins remain a defining phenomenon of their era.