Ronnie (left) with Leslie Burman (centre) and Reggie (right) outside 178 Vallance Road in c. 1958-1959.
Leslie (Eleazer) Burman was a life-long friend of the twins and had known them from an early age. He was also a popular singer and well-known face around the East End, originating from the Mile End area.
History[]
Leslie Burman was brought up in Southern Grove Buildings and then 95 Eric Street, Mile End, which was his first home, just next door to The Wentworth Arms where his father Barney Burman would drink and run an unlicensed bookmaking operation. Leslie was married to Joan (Berry) and had two sons, Mitchell and David. He had four grandchildren; Andrew, Thomas, Katie and Shannon. He visited Ronnie in Broadmoor on a number of occasions, including the shows that were sometimes put on for the Broadmoor inmates, that were specifically for Ronnie's entertainment. He spent much of his life gambling, and could be regularly found at any of London's greyhound tracks (especially Hackney Wick, Clapton, West Ham, Harringay and Walthamstow), and the numerous speilers that existed back in the day. His favourite though, was the Imperial Sporting Club (Corals) alongside Stoke Newington Station. He was also an accomplished singer, and he was often asked to sing at London's pubs and clubs, including The Astor in Berkeley Square in the West End. He attended Ronnie's funeral in 1995 and spoke briefly to Reggie at the back of the church. Burman was sometimes involved in the more nefarious activities of the twins, and was a loyal friend all his life.
Burman in the 1994 documentary, The Rise and Fall of the Krays.
Leslie Burman passed away in 1997 to which Reggie wrote to his family stating he had the "hardest left hook he'd ever seen". He did an interview for the 1994 documentary, The Rise and Fall of the Krays.