The Richardson Gang
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The Richardson Gang was a 1960s group of criminals in South London, England. Less well remembered than their rivals the Krays, they nevertheless had a reputation in their heyday as being some of London's most infamous and sadistic gangsters. Also known as the 'Torture Gang', their "speciality" was pinning victims to the floor with 6 inch nails and removing the victims' toes with bolt cutters.
[edit] History
The gang's leader Charles "Charlie" Richardson was born in South London in 1934. He and his younger brother Eddie (uncle of agony aunt Claire Rayner), turned to a life of crime when the departure of their father left their family penniless. Charlie invested in scrap metal whilst Eddie operated fruit machines. These businesses were, however, merely fronts for underworld activities which included fraud, protection rackets, usury, theft and stolen goods.
Charlie was at one point arrested for receiving stolen goods but was acquitted through lack of evidence and, allegedly, with the help of a large "donation" to the Police Fund.
Eddie would on occasion suggest a pub landlord buy one of his fruit machines. Failure to do so meant running the risk of having the pub smashed up.
They preferred the method of investing in "Long Firms". A company would be set up by an acquaintance. The Richardsons would then go about normal business, build a good credit rating and eventually place a large order on credit. The goods were sold, the money pocketed and then the company would suddenly disappear.
[edit] Feud with the Krays
The beginning of the turf war that existed between the two gangs can be traced down to a brawl that happened during a Christmas party at the Astor Club in December 1965, when George Cornell, a member of the Richardson gang, called Ronnie Kray a "fat poof". He had first met the Krays while in Shepton Mallet Prison.
On the 7 March or 8 March 1966, Richard Hart, one of the Krays' associates, was shot, intentionally or otherwise, during a brawl at Mr Smith's Club in Rushey Green, Catford. The owners of Mr Smith's, two Manchester-based businessmen Dougie Flood and Bill Benny, had asked Eddie Richardson and Frankie Fraser to "protect" the club in exchange for gaming machines being placed in the club. However the Haywards, Peter Hennessey, Billy Gardner and others were under the impression that it was they who were 'contracted' to look after matters, including the ejection of "undesirables"; which, presumably, meant Mr Fraser and his associates. It is not clear why the club owners changed their horses at this time but it was apparent that their preference was for Eddie Richardson and Fraser to handle all protection matters relating to the club. On the late evening/early morning in question, both groups were "drinking and chatting quite happily", according to a guest who was with his girlfriend in the bar area but who were suddenly ushered out of the club soon after midnight. At around 1 am Eddie Richardson told Peter Hennessey and the others to "drink up" and leave. In response, Hennessey stood up and called Eddie Richardson a "half-baked fucking ponce" and shouting that he could "take you any fucking time you like". Richardson and Hennessey then began exchanging blows and other brawls were taking place when shots rang out. It was said that Hart was shot on or near the bottom of the stairs as he was making his getaway. For many years, Fraser was held responsible for accidentally shooting Hart, although he has always vehemently denied it. Several years after the incident an unnamed gangster, who was in the club at the time, said that it was "like Dodge City". It has been alleged that Billy Gardner shot Fraser with a .38 pistol, although no one is really sure who shot who. However, Eddie Richardson, Frankie Fraser and others ended up in Lewisham Hospital and denied all knowledge of the incident ("Shooting ? What shooting ?) when questioned by police.
It has been suggested that Fraser acquired his "Mad Frankie" sobriquet from this incident. Apparently Henry Botton, a Hayward associate, saw Fraser kicking Hart in the head and shouted: "You're fucking mad, Frank. You're fucking bonkers."
A member of the gang, Jimmy Andrews, was also injured in the affray and went for treatment in the Whitechapel Hospital the day after. This was where George Cornell (aka Myers), an old friend of Andrews, went to visit him. That evening, Cornell was seen walking down Whitechapel Road, drunk or drugged (or both) and shouting: "Where's that fat wanker?" (Ronnie Kray). At about 8-30pm he went into the Blind Beggar and started shouting insults about the Krays again.
Ronnie Kray showed up with two associates, Ian Barrie and possibly one of the Lambrianou brothers or "Scotch Jack" Dickson, and shot Cornell through the head at point-blank range. One of four local businessmen, who were in the saloon bar at the time, said he heard Cornell say: "Well, look what the dog's brought in." These were the last words Cornell uttered.
This was not a "revenge" killing for the Mr Smith's Club incident; Cornell, according to underworld figures, "had been asking for it for some time." Cornell was heavily involved in drug dealing -at that time Purple Hearts, "Dexys", "uppers and downers" and marijuana. He was also involved in pornography and may have been associated with Jimmy Humphreys, a close friend of Commander Ken Drury of the Flying Squad ("The Sweeney"). Humphreys was responsible for the exposure of Drury and other corrupt officers in circa 1971. Humphreys was under investigation by another squad and Drury refused to acknowledge his association with Humphreys even after Drury received a "wish you were here" holiday postcard from him. Cornell was originally a member of an East End gang called "The Watney Streeters" and later became involved with the Krays. However, he changed sides around 1964 and allied himself with the Richardsons, who soon regarded him as "a fucking pest."
Cornell was completely fearless but he was also unstable, unpredictable and nearly caused an all out war between the two gangs; a conflict which was neither desired nor sought.
The downfall of the Richardsons was brought about by the Mr Smith's Club affair and a gang member called Johnny Bradbury who reportedly went to South Africa to murder a business associate named Waldeck, allegedly on the orders of Charlie Richardson. He was later convicted of murder and sentenced to hang. He offered to "grass" the Richardson gang in exchange for a pardon and immunity. This was arranged by a special squad of CID, led by Inspector Gerald MacArthur from the Hertfordshire force who were investigating the Richardsons because the Home Office could not trust the Metropolitan Police, many of whom were in the pay of the Richardsons and other London gangs at the time. By 1966 the Metropolitan Police was, allegedly, so corrupt that Home Secretary, Roy Jenkins, was considering replacing up to 70% of the CID and other specialist branches with CID from Manchester, Kent, Devon & Cornwall, and Birmingham. When Robert Mark became Police Commissioner in 1972 (he succeeded Sir John Waldron; a man of undoubted integrity but wholly inept) over 400 CID officers and 300 uniform police officers were "retired" early. Not long after Mark's appointment, Commander Ken Drury of the Flying Squad, Wally Virgo, Head of the Serious Crimes Squad and other senior officers were sent to prison for corruption.
Other victims of the Richardsons were also granted immunity from prosecution in other crimes if they "turned Queen's Evidence" at the Old Bailey "Torture Trial" at the beginning of April 1967. With the assistance of the Home Office, who arranged different identities and passports, several witnesses fled the country immediately after the trial. A few went to South Africa and others to Spain or Majorca; many did not return to the UK for a considerable time. This trial could be considered as possibly the first "Supergrass" trial of the twentieth century.
[edit] Methods of torture
In July 1965 the police were informed of a horrific crime by one of the gang's victims. The victim told the tale of being severely beaten and bruised after being found guilty of disloyalty by a Kangaroo court, he then had to mop up his own blood.
The police unearthed the sadistic methods of torture that the gang specialised in; victims were hauled in front of Charlie, Fraser and others in a mock trial. Then the punishments were handed out, anything from beatings to more severe forms of torture; whippings, cigarette burning, teeth being pulled out with pliers (for which gang member "Mad" Frankie Fraser was especially notorious), nailing to floor, having toes ripped off with bolt cutters and being electrocuted into unconsciousness. The electrocutions were inflicted by an old Army field telephone which acted as a 'generator'. The victims had the terminals attached to their nipples and genitalia and were then placed in a bath of cold water to enhance the electrical charge. Afterwards, if victims were too badly injured, they would be sent to a doctor who had been struck off the Medical Register. This process of trial and torture was known as "taking a shirt from Charlie", because of Charlie Richardsons habit of giving each victim a clean shirt in which to return home. Another notable character in the gang was the notorious hit man Jimmy Moody.
On one occasion, a collector of "pensions" (protection money from pub landlords and others) who was twice warned by the Richardsons after he pocketed the money and spent it at Catford dog track, was nailed to the floor of a warehouse near Tower Bridge for nearly two days, during which time gang members frequently urinated on him. [1].
[edit] Arrest and trial
Eventually Eddie was sent to prison for five years for affray, and Charlie was arrested for torture. There were also stories of Charlie being connected to the South African Bureau of State Security and an attempt to tap Prime Minister Harold Wilson's telephone.
In July 1966 police arrested the remaining members of the Richardson gang following a series of raids in south London. In April 1967 the trial began - the Richardsons were found guilty of fraud, extortion, assault and grievous bodily harm. Charlie was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Eddie and his younger brother William had ten years added to their existing sentences.
[edit] Aftermath
Charlie Richardson was arrested on the 30 July 1966, (World Cup Final day) and would not be a free man again until 18 years later. At the "Torture Trial", Charlie was sentenced to 25 years. In 1980, after many attempts to obtain release, he escaped from an open prison and went "on the trot" for almost a year, even dressing as Santa Claus and giving out presents to children in order to publicise his requests for release. He also openly drank with friends and old associates (including police officers) at several pubs on the Old Kent Road before fleeing to Paris where he gave an interview to a newspaper journalist. He later gave himself up. In 1983, he was able to go on day release to help the handicapped and was allowed to spend a weekend with his family. Charlie was finally released in July 1984. In 1990 Eddie Richardson was sentenced to 25 years after being convicted of involvement in the distribution of Category 'A' drugs. He was released after serving less than half his term. The brothers fell out badly after Eddie accused Charlie of "ripping him off" over business deals whilst Eddie was in prison.
[edit] Further reading
- Donaldson, William. Brewer's Rogues, Villains, and Eccentrics: An A-Z of Roguish Britons Through the Ages. London: Sterling Publishing Company, 2004. ISBN 0-75381-791-8
- Parker, Robert. Rough Justice: The Truth about the Richardson Gang. Fontana Books, 1981. ISBN 0006363547
- Richardson, Charlie. My Manor: The Autobiography of Charlie Richardson. Sidgwick & Jackson, 1991. ISBN 0283997095
- Richardson, Eddie. The Last Word: My Life as a Gangland Boss.Headline Book Publishing, 2005. ISBN 0755314018
[edit] References
- ^ Morton, James. Gangland: Underworld in Britain and Ireland. Little Brown Book Group Limited, 1992. ISBN 0751514063
