Changes: Charles Kray

Revision as of 19:42, 30 January 2020

"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 (10 March 1907 – 8 March 1983) also known as Charlie Sr. or Old Charlie Kray, was the father of the Kray brothers, Charlie, Reggie and Ronnie.

He married Violet Lee in 1926 and spent a large amount of time absent from the twin's upbringing as he worked away and was on the run from the army, whilst working as a wardrobe and jewellery dealer throughout the East End.

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 with his brothers John George Kray, James John Frederick Kray, Albert Charles Kray, Billy Kray and Alfred Kray.

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 a dealer in clothes and jewellery working alongside his father from a young age. His business card states that he took in a range of clothing for cash.

Marriage to Violet Lee

Charles and Violet married on the 6th March 1926 and Violet had lied about her age as she was not yet the legal age. 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.

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

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 wedding, she gave birth to her first son, Charlie Kray Jr. In December 1929, she gave birth to a baby girl, who passed away hours old. On Tuesday 24th October 1933, she gave birth to twins. Reginald arrived at 8.00 p.m. and Ronald came ten minutes later.

Charlie kray pat — Charlie Kray (furthest right) with his brother Billy Kray (centre), next to Big Pat Connolly, in the 20th Century Club, Brick Lane.

At the beginning of the Second World War, 32-year-old Charles Kray was conscripted into the army, but he refused to go and went into hiding 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.

Later life and death

Keeping a relatively low profile during the twins prolific era of

Charleskraybusinesscard — Charles Kray's business card, c. 1950s

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. To avoid the publicity that had surrounded their mother's funeral, the twins did not ask to attend their father's funeral in March 1983. 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, two days before his seventy-sixth birthday. Charles and Violet had been married for over 50 years when he died on the 8th March 1983. They were both buried in the same grave in Chingford Mount Cemetery. In The Krays (film) (1990), he was portrayed by Alfred Lynch, and by Jon McKenna in Legend (2015).

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 6: / Line 6: @@
 |died=8 March 1983 (aged 75)<br> Islington, London
 |occupation=Wardrobe dealer
-|spouse=[[Violet Kray]] (m. 1926; d. 1982)
+|spouse=[[Violet Kray|Violet Lee]] (m. 1926; d. 1982)
+|children=[[Charlie Kray]] (son)<br>[[Baby Violet|Violet Kray]] (daughter)<br>[[Reggie Kray]] (son)<br>[[Ronnie Kray]] (son)
+|parents=[[Jimmy Kray]] (father) <br>Louisa Turner (mother)
 |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]].
+'''Charles David Kray''' (10 March 1907 – 8 March 1983) also known as '''Charlie Sr.''' or '''Old Charlie Kray''', was the father of the Kray brothers, [[Charlie Kray|Charlie]], [[Reggie Kray|Reggie]] and [[Ronnie Kray|Ronnie]].
-==History==
-===Early Life===
-He was born in Shoreditch, East London in 1907 and in the 1911 Census, he was listed as living at 55 Essex Street, Hoxton, London. The son of [[Jimmy Kray]], a stallholder in Petticoat Lane Market, his mother had been in domestic service in Highgate. Although the name "Kray" is Austrian, most of his ancestry was Gypsy. Charles became an itinerant dealer in clothes and jewellery. Charlie Kray was by now well settled into the life of a travelling wardrobe-dealer, working alongside his father. He had the gift of the gab. Trade could be quite lucrative, so there was a bit of ready money around, and these qualities, deemed desirable in the East End, undoubtedly made a great impression on sixteen-year-old Violet Lee.
+He married [[Violet Kray|Violet Lee]] in 1926 and spent a large amount of time absent from the twin's upbringing as he worked away and was on the run from the army, whilst working as a wardrobe and jewellery dealer throughout t[[The East End|he East End]].
-On 6 March 1926, and with Violet lying about her age (as she was not yet eighteen), the couple had sneaked off to the registry office in Kingsland Road with Charlie’s friend and close neighbour Harry Hopwood as best man. Here they became man and wife, seemingly without anyone’s blessing but their own. Jimmy Lee took it badly and, as far as he was concerned, Violet was no longer his daughter. Of course, living with her family after the wedding was not an option for Violet and her new husband; however, there was obviously a place for them back in Hoxton and they moved in with Charlie’s aunt Betsy and her husband George Cook at Charlie’s childhood home at 40 Gorsuch Street. It is clear that Violet was pregnant by this time, and this may explain the secrecy and swiftness of the marriage. On 9 July 1926, four months after the wedding, she gave birth to a son, [[Charlie Kray|Charles James Kray]].
-[[File:Youngcharliekray.png|thumb|220x220px|A young Violet, baby Charlie and Charles in 1927.]]
-When the Second World War broke out, Charles went on the run from the Army and was, technically, a deserter for the next 23 years.
-===Later life and death===
+== 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 with his brothers John George Kray, James John Frederick Kray, Albert Charles Kray, Billy Kray and Alfred Kray.
-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 Kray Twins|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."
+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 a dealer in clothes and jewellery working alongside his father from a young age. His business card states that he took in a range of clothing for cash.
-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 8th March 1983 they were both buried in the same grave in Chingford Mount Cemetery; Section number B8; Grave number 70707.
+== Marriage to Violet Lee ==
+Charles and Violet married on the 6th March 1926 and Violet had lied about her age as she was not yet the legal age. 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. [[File:Youngcharliekray.png|thumb|220x220px|A young Violet, baby Charlie and Charles in 1927.|left]]
+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 wedding, she gave birth to her first son, [[Charlie Kray]] Jr. In December 1929, she gave birth to a baby girl, who passed away hours old. On Tuesday 24th October 1933, she gave birth to twins. Reginald arrived at 8.00 p.m. and Ronald came ten minutes later.[[File:Charlie_kray_pat.jpeg|thumb|Charlie Kray (furthest right) with his brother Billy Kray (centre), next to Big [[Pat Connolly]], in the 20th Century Club, Brick Lane. ]]
+At the beginning of the Second World War, 32-year-old Charles Kray was conscripted into the army, but he refused to go and went into hiding 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.
+== Later life and death ==
+Keeping a relatively low profile during the twins prolific era of[[File:Charleskraybusinesscard.png|thumb|Charles Kray's business card, c. 1950s]] 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. To avoid the publicity that had surrounded their mother's funeral, the twins did not ask to attend their father's funeral in March 1983. 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, two days before his seventy-sixth birthday. Charles and Violet had been married for over 50 years when he died on the 8th March 1983. They were both buried in the same grave in [[Chingford Mount Cemetery]]. In [[The Krays (film)]] (1990), he was portrayed by Alfred Lynch, and by Jon McKenna in [[Legend]] (2015).
 <gallery>
-Charles_kray_young.png|A young Charles Kray in the 1920s.
+Charles_kray_young.png|A young Charles Kray in the 1930s.
-Charles_kray_asleep.jpg|Charlie Kray Snr relaxing at Victoria Park in Hackney, London.
+Charles_kray_asleep.jpg|Charles Kray Snr relaxing at Victoria Park in Hackney, London.
+Charliekrayplane.jpg|Charlie Kray Senior departing an aeroplane in Spain circa 1965.
-d76f956aff8953cd253b8c0fe66c52--the-krays-old-mans.jpg|Charlie supports his father at Violet's funeral, 1983.
+Charles_and_ron.jpg|Charles (right) with his son [[Ronnie]] (centre) in a 1960s nightclub.
-Charleskraybusinesscard.png|Charles Kray business card, c. 1950s.
+d76f956aff8953cd253b8c0fe66c52--the-krays-old-mans.jpg|Charles is supported by his eldest son, [[Charlie Kray]] at [[Violet Kray]]'s funeral, August 1983.
+Charles_collage.jpg|Several photos of Charles Kray over the years, from early life until later life.
 </gallery>