Ronnie Kray and Reggie Kray were two of London’s most notorious criminal twin brothers, known by their gang The Firm as London’s underworld leaders. At their peak of notoriety they were photographed by David Bailey for photography articles as well as interviewed on television – yet many feared and despised them at once. Socializing at London clubs they would even meet Joan Collins, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland – yet always ready to turn violent weapons against rivals as quickly as they appeared.
Kronnie Kray was born in Hoxton, London on October 24, 1933 – two days before his twin brother Reggie’s birthday – sharing an existence linked to one another for most of his life.
These men were not shy to violence; when conscripted into the army they refused to serve and were caught drunkenly attacking and handcuffing a sergeant at a barracks before eventually being discharged due to being considered “unsuitable.”
In March 1966, Ronnie went straight up to George Cornell at the Blind Beggar pub and shot him. Two years later, Ronnie and a colleague lured Jack “the Hat” McVitie – another minor member – into a basement flat in Stoke Newington on pretense of hosting a party before stabbing him to death with an iron bar.
Although the twins never bore children of their own, Sandra Ireson claims to be their child from an affair between Reggie and cabaret dancer Greta Harper in 1958. After this brief relationship ended, Ronnie married Kate Howard while Reggie found solace with Roberta Jones before both died in 1995.