On the 24th October 1933 the Kray twins were born.
Reggie was born around ten minutes before Ronnie – they were identical twins.
After the tragic loss of her last baby Violet completely doted on the twins but at the age of three they contracted diphtheria and became seriously ill.
Ronnie nearly died but fortunately both twins made a full recovery.
In 1938 the Kray family moved from Hoxton to number 178 Vallance Road in Bethnal Green. Violet’s father, a former boxer and showman nicknamed CannonBall Lee lived with the family and her two sister Rose and May lived nearby too.
Then came the war.
Charlie Senior soon received his conscription papers but he wasn’t interested in fighting for his country and went on the run. Arguably this was the twins’ first experience of lawlessness as their father hid from the military police to avoid capture.
Once they were old enough they attended Wood Close School in Brick Lane.
Meanwhile older brother Charlie had received encouragement from his maternal grandfather and taken up boxing.
In fact he had a real talent for the sport and many say he could have made a career out of it. If only…
