CHARLIE
KRAY 1927 - 2000 CHARLIE
KRAY 1927 - 2000 Great Day for a Funeral
If
there was ever a great day for a funeral, the day they buried Charlie Kray was
it.
The morning started off wet and windy but by the time we had gathered outside
W English the undertakers, the sun had broken through to reveal the most glorious
of days.
Hundreds of people packed the pavements and rooftops surrounding the funeral
parlour to say their last goodbyes to Charlie Kray but also to get a glimpse
of his brother Reg who has spent the last 32 years of his life in prison.
The
funeral cars were overflowing with flowers, one, a broken heart from Charlie's
girlfriend, Diane Buffini which read "To my darling Charlie, with my eyes wide
open, am I dreaming, can it be time?" A boxing ring of flowers from his brother
read "Dear Charlie, rest in peace, Love Reg and Rob" and 3ft high boxing gloves
were sent from his friends on C Wing in Parkhurst Prison.
On one side of the hearse that would carry Charlie's body were the words "GENTLEMAN"
and on the other side "CHARLIE" spelled out with white carnations.
Reg
arrived just after 11 o'clock to applause and cheers from the crowds.
66 year old Reg looked remarkably fit for a man that has been behind bars for
so long. He looked very smart in his double-breasted suit despite the heavy-duty
handcuffs that manacled him to his female guard and restricted his movements.
All
traffic was halted as the hearse containing Charlie's body moved slowly down
Bethnal Green Road towards St Matthews Church, followed by Reg in his prisoner
transporter and 15 black cars.
However this short trip of a few hundred yards was not without drama.
The procession was held up for about 10 minutes because of a gas leak which
left many of the shops without power for the rest of the day.
Old
friends turned up to pay their last respects including former gang associates
Tony Lambrianou, Freddie Foreman and Eric Mason as well as old adversaries Frankie
Fraser and Charlie Richardson, putting their past quarrels firmly behind them.
In fact Frankie Fraser believes that Reg is a victim of his own notoriety and
speaks out for his release at every opportunity.
Dave Courtney was also there keeping a low profile as only he can do, with his white 'Bad Boy1' Rolls Royce and motorbike outriders.
There
was standing room only in the church with many hundreds more outside.
The Reverend John Scott held the service, with an address from Father Ken Rimini
who Charlie had introduced to boxing when he was a boy.
Needless to say their lives took very different paths but he remembers Charlie
as "a caring gentle man."
There were readings by Jamie Foreman and Sue McGibbon and also a recording by
Reg called 'I am not there'. It was recorded for his own funeral but dedicated
it to Charlie on this sad day.
My daughter Vicky and me shared a black car with Frankie Fraser and his girlfriend Marilyn Wisbey on the long, slow journey to the cemetery.
As
the procession passed through Walthamstow on its way to Chingford Mount the
crowds began to swell. Police Motorcycles guided the funeral cars through the
mid-day traffic as a hovering helicopter kept a watchful eye on the proceeding
cavalcade.
Bystanders were shouting out "God bless Charlie" and "Good luck Reg".
One little boy on seeing the cortege said, " It must be somebody to do with
the police."
As we approached Chingford Mount the Reverend John Scott walked 'the long walk' from the bottom of the hill to the cemetery where thousands of people had now gathered to get their last look at Charlie, "a true gentleman."
Reg
laid flowers at his mother's and first wife's graves before Charlie's body was
lowered into its last resting-place.
Diane, Reg, Roberta and the rest of the family each threw a single rose into
the space that now held Charlie's coffin.
Reg looked very composed and dignified but you could see the sadness in his eyes. This sadness soon turning to joy as old friends clambered to shake his hand before being taken back into 'captivity'.
The
limousine that took us on that slow journey to Chingford seemed to transport
us instantly back to whence we came.
The streets around W English were now back to relative normality, everyone going
about their daily business with no real indication of what had taken place earlier.
After
leaving Frank and Marilyn, Vicky and me stopped off at McDonalds for a cup of
tea and a burger. The gas leak that had briefly halted the funeral procession
was now more evident. The burger bar was running on generators and they were
certainly not" cooking on gas."
They eventually managed to rustle up some burgers and while I flicked through
the Evening Standard that had already reported on the early part of the funeral,
I had time to reflect on the day's events.
And the one thing that struck me was that it had always been said the Krays
prospered through fear and intimidation but this was not about fear, the people
that lined the streets from Bethnal Green to Chingford Mount were there because
of respect …respect for old values that now seem to be a thing of the past.
I pass on my respects to the Kray family for their sad loss but also hope that now is the time for the authorities to show some compassion and release Reg before he too suffers the fate of his two brothers, Ronnie and Charlie.
Mick Gallagher