The Cray brothers are gangsters who controlled the underworld in the East End of London in the middle of the last century. Their deeds were so daring and comprehensive that even legends began to be made about them. Over the long years of their rule, they tried everything from simple robbery to murders and drug trafficking.
It should be noted that several books were written about the life of the brothers, as well as two full-length films were shot. Such popularity is quite obvious, because they were a threat to a whole generation of people. However, how true are the stories about their life? Where are the facts, and where is the fiction? And what were the Cray twins really like?
Young Tomboys
The twins Ronald and Reginald were born on October 24, 1933 in one of the poor families of the East End. Already in early childhood they had to face the first severe test of fate. Both boys got diphtheria and only miraculously managed to get out. Soon, the entire county already knew who the Cray brothers were. The biography of the twins is full of stories and tales that tell about the crazy adventures of young tomboys.
The thing is that Ron and Reggie were obsessed with boxing. From morning till night they could beat a pear, and then spin for several hours in the ring in full sparring. Naturally, then with pleasure they demonstrated their skills on the street, showing everyone else "who is in charge here."
When the army is not good
The day when the Cray brothers joined the army became a real holiday for the whole district. The old men breathed a sigh of relief, hoping that the service would correct the crazy character of the guys. Alas, their expectations were not destined to come true. Ron and Reggie constantly violated discipline and even managed to beat a police patrol.
For this misconduct, they were put in a guardhouse, where they subsequently staged a real riot. In the end, the leadership decided that they did not need such soldiers. In 1952, the Cray brothers were disgraced from the ranks of the English army with shame. That's just the time spent at the guardhouse, the guys managed to get a couple of useful acquaintances, which became the thread that brought them straight to the underworld.
Creation of a "company"
Upon arrival home, the Cray brothers gathered a gang of the most repulsed small ones who agreed to kill their mother with a coin. They jokingly nicknamed their group “the company,” but the name grew so strong with the gang’s reputation that it remained with it forever. As for their sphere of activity, they hunted with small robberies, car thefts and racketeering.
But over the years, the scope of their lawlessness only increased. Therefore, it is not surprising that soon the police came onto their trail. The evidence gathered was enough to put Ronald in jail for three years in 1960. And while his brother was in prison, Reggie developed his own business. He even arranged his own club, which later became their headquarters.
After Ron was released from prison, the Cray brothers strengthened their influence on the underworld of London. Thanks to this, in the mid-60s they already completely controlled life in the East End, and even the police were afraid of their council. And only in 1968, investigators were able to collect the necessary number of evidence to forever put the twins behind bars.
In 1969, a London court sentenced the brothers to life imprisonment. However, Ronald was declared insane due to a mental disorder. He was put in a psychological hospital, where he died in 1995. As for Reggie, he was released into the wild in 2000, and a month and a half later he died of cancer.
Reginald Cray
Reggie was the brain of the whole "firm." He loved to carefully calculate each move, which allowed the gang to achieve such a tremendous success. If we talk about his personality, then Reginald was a balanced and calm person. It was possible to conduct a dialogue with him without fearing that every word could be the last.
Ronald Cray
Unlike his brother, Ron was an extremely cruel person, one might even say a psychopath. Everyone who knew him claimed that he killed only in order to revel in the suffering of other people. He considered the enemies of absolutely everyone, except for his brother. In addition, doctors later revealed schizophrenia in the gangster, which partially explained his craving for violence.
It is noteworthy that the main among the brothers was still Ronald. It was for him the last word. And this despite the fact that Reginald had much more intelligence and sanity.
The Cray Brothers: personal life
According to the official version, Reggie was in love with a sixteen-year-old girl named Frances. They met for a long time, and eventually she became his wife. However, life with such a person led to the fact that her psyche broke. She tried to commit suicide several times, after which she was locked up in a madhouse.
But Ronald loved the boys. He was not shy about this and boldly said that he was bisexual. A gangster often changed lovers and only once fell in love for real. His chosen one was Teddy Smith. They had a lot in common, which bribed Ronald. However, it so happened that a serious quarrel arose between them, after which Teddy disappeared. Rumor has it that a gangster simply killed his lover in a fit of anger.