The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins
The Swinging ’60s were the best years of our lives. The Beatles and The Rolling Stones ruled pop music, Carnaby Street dictated fashion, and my brother and I ruled London. We were untouchable.
The Kray twins, Reggie and Ronnie, built an empire that blurred the line between celebrity and crime. Their gang, The Firm, dominated the East End, running nightclubs, racketeering operations, and forging ties with politicians, actors, and socialites. But behind the glamour lurked a brutal reality—one that would ultimately lead to their downfall.
Love, Betrayal, and Tragedy
In their personal lives, things seemed promising, at least for a time. Reggie met Frances Shea when she was just 16—he was ten years older. They married in 1965, but Frances’ mother disapproved, even wearing black to the wedding in protest. Young and rebellious, Frances ignored the warnings, but her marriage to Reggie was doomed.
After their honeymoon in Athens, Frances left Reggie within eight months. Their life together was chaotic; just a week after the wedding, she attempted suicide. Struggling with severe mental illness, she underwent electroshock therapy and made multiple attempts to end her life. Their home was filled with weapons, and Reggie, who grew increasingly controlling, kept a gun by the bed. Though her diaries painted him as loving, he was also violent and unpredictable.
Ronnie, who lived nearby, was a frequent visitor—often seen wandering around in just his underwear. Frances suspected Reggie was gay, though it was Ronnie who was openly bisexual. He handpicked attractive young men as club staff, embracing his sexuality despite the stigma. Rumors even swirled that the brothers had been intimate as teenagers to hide their true orientations, a dangerous secret in 1960s England.
Frances eventually left but never escaped the Krays’ shadow. Officially, she died by suicide, but years later, a former inmate claimed that Ronnie forced her to take pills out of jealousy. In her final note, Frances requested that her maiden name, Shea, be on her tombstone—severing ties with the Kray family. Reggie fought against it, but her wishes prevailed.
The Kings of London’s Underworld
By 1965, the Krays were national figures, even appearing on television. They were feared yet admired, their style imitated by gangs across London. But their empire was beginning to crack.
Their downfall began in 1966 when Ronnie publicly murdered George Cornell in a bar. Witnesses stayed silent—for a while. Then came the botched escape of Frank Mitchell, one of Britain’s most violent prisoners. Ronnie arranged his breakout, but Mitchell became uncontrollable. Fearing exposure, the Krays had him executed, his body dumped in the English Channel.
Their final mistake came in 1967 with the brutal murder of Jack “The Hat” McVitie. Reggie, still grieving Frances’ death, stabbed McVitie to death in front of their gang. The execution horrified even their closest allies.
Detective Leonard “Nipper” Read had been after the Krays for years. By 1967, they had grown reckless, making his job easier. On May 8, 1968, police arrested the twins and 24 associates. Initially, no one snitched. But when Reggie and Ronnie foolishly expected gang members to take the fall for them, loyalties crumbled. A waitress who had witnessed Cornell’s murder testified, sealing their fate.
In 1969, the Krays were sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 30 years. It was the longest murder trial in British history. Their older brother, Charlie, received 10 years—more for his last name than for any real crime.
Ironically, prison may have saved them. Their gang had already planned to eliminate them, tired of their erratic decisions. Ronnie, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, spent the rest of his life in Broadmoor Hospital. Reggie, repeatedly denied parole, was locked away in Maidstone Prison.
Even behind bars, they remained influential. In 1985, an investigation revealed they were running a security business, providing bodyguards for celebrities—including Frank Sinatra. But their reign was over.
Ronnie died in 1995 at age 61 after 27 years in prison. Reggie was released in 2000—just eight weeks before dying of cancer at 66. His funeral drew thousands, a grand East End spectacle.
Despite their crimes, the Krays were idolized, especially Reggie. But their empire collapsed due to their own recklessness. They had power, wealth, and connections, yet they threw it all away. Their downfall wasn’t inevitable—but it was self-inflicted.
