Changes: Charles Kray

Revision as of 22:32, 11 January 2018

"When the war began in 1939, my dad went on the run from the army. He was eventually discharged twelve years later when he and thousands of other received their amnesty from the Queen.

Ironically, Ron and I were on the run from the army when Dad received his amnesty."

―Reggie Kray in his autobiography Born Fighter 1991

Charles David Kray or also known as Charlie Sr., was the father of the notorious Kray Brothers: Charlie, Reggie and Ronnie. He married Violet Kray in 1927, and spent a large amount of time absent from the twins upbringing as he worked away and was on the run from the army, whilst working as a clothes and jewellery dealer in The East End.

History

Early Life

Charles Kray was born in Shoreditch, East London in 1907 and in the 1911 Census, he was listed as living at 55 Essex Street, Hoxton, London. His father, Jimmy Kray was a stallholder in Petticoat Lane Market. Charles' mother had been in domestic service in Highgate. Although the surname "Kray" is Austrian, most of his ancestry was Gypsy. Charles became an itinerant dealer in clothes and jewellery and well settled into the life of a travelling wardrobe-dealer, working alongside his father from a young age. His business card states that he took in a range of clothing for cash.

Charles and Violet married on 6th March 1926 and Violet had lied about her age as she was not yet eighteen. The pair had sneaked off to the registry office in Kingsland Road with Charlie’s friend and close neighbour Harry Hopwood as his best man. Jimmy Lee took the wedding badly, as he did not want his daughter associating with a Kray, damaging the relationship between the two of them. Violet could no longer live with her family after the wedding and so the newlywed couple moved to Hoxton where they stayed with Charlie’s aunt Betsy and her husband George Cook at Charlie’s childhood home at 40 Gorsuch Street. Violet was pregnant at this time, so it is assumed this is why the marriage was done quickly and in secret. On the 9th July 1926, four months after the marriage took place, Violet gave birth to her firstborn son, Charles James Kray Jr. When the Second World War broke out, Charles Kray went on the run from the Army and was, technically, a deserter for the next 23 years, often hiding in 178 Vallance Road when the local wardens came looking for him, notably one time in the understairs cupboard. Regarded by many as very serious and reserved, Charles would often attend the various clubs owned by the twins and can be seen in several photographs from this time.

Youngcharliekray — A young Violet, baby Charlie and Charles in 1927.

Later life and death

Keeping a relatively low profile during the twins prolific era of the 1960s and subsequent arrest, he died seven months after his wife; it is said that he had pined for her ever since her death. Whereas the twins were, famously, let out of prison to attend their mother's funeral, they did not seek permission to do the same for their father. The inscription, which is, in part, obscured, read: "May you both rest peacefully. Our love and memories are always with you. May God bless you both."

It has been said that he died of a ‘broken heart.’ He died just 7 months later as they were devoted to each other. Charles and Violet had been married for over 50 years. Charles died on the 8th March 1983 they were both buried in the same grave in Chingford Mount Cemetery; Section number B8; Grave number 70707.

People associated with The Krays
Kray Family	Ronnie • Reggie • Charlie • Violet • Charles
Shea Family	Frances • Frank • Elsie • Frank Sr.
Lee Family	Cannonball Lee • Grandma Lee • Aunt Rose • Aunt May • Uncle John
The Firm	Albert Donoghue • Ian Barrie • Leslie Payne • Big Pat • Ronnie Bender • Ronnie Hart • Teddy Smith • Jack Dickson • The Bear • Chris Lambrianou • Tony Lambrianou • Connie Whitehead
The Richardsons	Charlie Richardson • Eddie Richardson • George Cornell • Mad Frankie Fraser • Roy Hall • Jimmy Moody • Barry Harris • Albert Longman • Tommy Clark
Gangsters & Criminals	Freddie Foreman • Jack Spot • Billy Hill • Bert Rossi • Albert Dimes • Eric Mason • Johnny Squibb • Ginger Marks • Leslie Holt
Civilians	The Barmaid • Blonde Carol • Maureen Flanagan • Nipper Read • Lord Boothby • John Pearson • David Bailey
Victims	George Cornell • Frank Mitchell • Jack the Hat

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 |spouse=[[Violet Kray]] (m. 1926; d. 1982)
 |status=Deceased}}
-{{Quote|When the war began in 1939, my dad went on the run from the army. He was eventually discharged twelve years later when he and thousands of other received their amnesty from the Queen. Ironically, Ron and I were on the run from the army when Dad received his amnesty.|[[Reggie Kray]] in his autobiography ''Born Fighter'' 1991}}
+{{Quote|When the war began in 1939, my dad went on the run from the army. He was eventually discharged twelve years later when he and thousands of other received their amnesty from the Queen.
+Ironically, Ron and I were on the run from the army when Dad received his amnesty.|[[Reggie Kray]] in his autobiography ''Born Fighter'' 1991}}
 '''Charles David Kray''' or also known as '''Charlie Sr.''', was the father of the notorious Kray Brothers: [[Charlie Kray|Charlie]], [[Reggie Kray|Reggie]] and [[Ronnie Kray|Ronnie]]. He married [[Violet Kray]] in 1927, and spent a large amount of time absent from the twins upbringing as he worked away and was on the run from the army, whilst working as a clothes and jewellery dealer in [[The East End]].