“The party was over, but it had been great while it lasted” – Reg Kray
Like it or not the brothers Kray now occupy a unique place in the social history of the UK.
Even now, years after the last of the brothers passed away there is still a fascination that surrounds their name.
The Krays rose to prominence in the revolutionary times that were later referred to as the swinging sixties.
Fashion, music and art were changing and the boundaries of post-war Britain were being well and truly pushed.
But look further than the flashy suits, the American cars and those famous David Bailey images and the story of the Krays is a sad one.
For all the money and glamour of the sixties, not one of them lived out their days in the Suffolk countryside, as they all so longed to do.
Ron died first, suffering a heart attack at Wexham Park Hospital, while a resident in Broadmoor in 1995. The funeral was a spectacle bigger than that of a Royal or a Prime Minister.
Next to go was Charlie in April 2000. He had at least enjoyed some freedom but ultimately he was a victim of his surname and died at St. Mary’s Hospital, Isle of Wight whilst a resident of HMP Parkhurst. He had recently been convicted of a £70million drugs charge in a honeytrap operation.
Finally Reg succumbed to bladder cancer just five months later. He had served longer than his 30 year recommended term but had been denied parole on several occasions.
Read on for a more in-depth look at the history of the Kray Brothers.
