John Dickson more commonly known as "Scotch Jack" was a driver for Ronnie Kray and was a key member of The Firm.
He drove Ronnie and Ian Barrie to The Blind Beggar public-house the night that George Cornell was murdered. In addition, he was also one of Frank Mitchell's chaperones whilst he was in hiding from the authorities. He turned Queen's Evidence against the twins at the Kray's trial, after they attempted to make him stand for George Cornell's murder, but he was and was acquitted.
History
Early Life
Dickson was born in Leith, Edinburgh to a family of eight. He left school at fourteen and started to work for a local engineering firm. When he turned eighteen, he volunteered to join the Royal Marines. He trained for two years at the Commando School in Lympstone, Devon where he was prepared for active service. Shortly after he joined the 45 Commando and was shipped out to Malaya to fight terrorists. Then, after that, he volunteered to join HMS Newcastle to fight in the Korean War. He received three campaign medals, one for Malaya, Korea and a United Nationals medal. Leaving the Marines in 1955, he went back home to his family in Scotland. After attempting to settle into civilian life and trying a job as a 'rigger' for the Scottish Gas Board (setting up equipment for the engineers), then working with heavy machinery on a conveyor-type system for a local engineering company. Dickon moved to London from Edinburgh in 1964 after befriending Ian Barrie.
Freddie Foreman (left) with George Raft and Scotch Jack (right) in the Colony Club.
Barrie had also been thinking of moving to London and so the pair took their first steps into the great metropolis together, first taking accommodation in the somewhat seedy King’s Cross area, a popular place for first-time Irish and Scottish migrants to settle.