A Guide to London Gangs, Past and Present

A Guide to London Gangs, Past and Present

London was the first city noted to have a major problem with gangs, later followed by American cities New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Many street gangs were present during the 20th century, main in the East End of London and were referred to as Mobs.

Teddy Boys

One well known sub culture that were involved in the 1950s Notting Hill Riots were the Teddy Boys. Teddy Boys were a mainly British Subculture of young men wearing clothes inspired by the Edwardian Period. The Origin of the term came in 1954 when the tabloid newspaper Daily Express coined the term ‘Teddy Boy’ shortening Edwardian to Teddy.

These working class teens had their roots in music and dancing. Their style was closely identified with Jazz music. However when rock’n’roll entered America’s scene the Teddy Boys found their true sound.

Teddy Boys: Image sourced from www.edwardianteddyboy.com

Teddy Boys Clash with rival Gangs

One of the goals of the Teddy Boys was to put a hardcore edge on Edwardian style.  They also wanted to celebrate the style found in early American Gangster movies and imitate the look of mobsters. Some would form gangs and gained notoriety following violent clashes with rival gangs. Weapons of choice would be bicycle chains, flick knives, cut-throat razors and knuckle dusters. These knuckle dusters were often just coins wrapped in handkerchief and wound around the wrist.

Some of the Teddy Boys held racist views, and even attacked immigrants, most notably in the Notting Hill Riots of 1958. They displayed hostility towards black families which was inflamed by far-right groups such as the White Defence League.

The Teddy Boys eventually faded away as the original 1950s rock musicians faded or died.

The Kray Twins

The Kray Twins are possibly the most notorious characters of London’s gangster history. Reginald and Ronnie Kray were born on 23rd October 1933 and grew up in Bethnal Green. They were notorious for causing terror throughout London during the 1950s and 1960s with their gang ‘The Firm.’ Their crimes involved armed robbery, murder, arson, assault and protection rackets. As both already had  criminal records they ended their boxing careers to focus full time on their criminal activity.

Kray twins with their brother, Charlie (centre): Image sourced from The Docklands & East London Advertiser

Reggie Kray (second from left): Image sourced from Wikimedia Commons

Reggie (l) and Ronnie Kray (r): Image by Paul Townsend sourced from Flickr

Despite their notoriety for being criminals they shared a high profile celebrity status. The pair owned a popular nightclub in the West End where they enjoyed mixing with many famous and high profile celebrities and politicians. They were also known for being generous to their local community in the East End.

Ronnie’s hands on approach to business landed him some time in prison. He was convicted of actual bodily harm in the late 1950s. While in prison he was labelled insane and later diagnosed as a schizophrenic.

The firm operated in the East End of London, mainly in the areas around Bethnal Green, Whitechapel, Mile End and Hackney. They used 178 Vallance Road in Bethnal Green as their main base.  Other locations were also used including The Carpenter’s Arms near Brick Lane and The Lion to discuss their plans.

Led by the Kray twins, with some help from their older brother, Charlie, the gang had many members during their 10 year lifespan. Some of their gang members were recruited after acts of violence inflicted by the twins. For example Albert Donoghue was shot in the leg after making a threat against them.  However, weeks later he was welcomed into the gang and later became one of their most trusted members.

Conviction and death of the Kray Twins

They were eventually convicted for their crimes in 1969 and both given life sentences, with a minimum of 30 years. This was the longest sentences ever given at the Old Bailey. Ronnie was sent to Broadmoor Hospital, a high-securtiy hospital for the criminally insane due to his mental health condition.

Ronnie died of a heart attack in 1995 while still a prisoner at Broadmoor. Onlookers crowded the streets for a glimpse of the notorious gangster’s coffin. Just like his bother, Reggie was also given quite a big send off in the East End. However, these numbers were scant in comparison with only 2500 attendees compared to 60,000 at Ronnie’s funeral, who died in 2000.

The Richardson Gang

The Firms’s main rivals were the Richardson Gang. The gang were based in South London and were led by Charlie and Eddie Richardson. They were nicknamed the ‘Torture Gang’ as they had a reputation as some of London’s most sadistic gangsters. Their specialties included pulling teeth using pliers, cutting off toes using bolt cutters and nailing victims to the floor using 6 inch nails.

Eddie Richardson (on left), image sourced from the Lad Bible

Fraud Schemes of the Richardson Gang

The gang operated legitimate fronts for their criminal activity which included fraud, racketeering, theft and money laundering. Charlie invested in scrap metal and was notorious for taking anything that fell off the back of a lorry at cut-throat prices. Eddie on the other hand invested in fruit machines. Eddie would on occasion suggest that a pub should buy one of his slot machines. Failing to do so meant running the risk of being beaten and the pub being vandalised.

They liked to invest in fraud schemes known as long firms. A company would be set up by an acquaintance, for which he would be well paid for the prison term he might eventually serve. The company would conduct normal business for some months, building lines of credit and gaining the trust of suppliers. Eventually it would place a large order on credit, the goods would be sold for cash, the money pocketed and the company and those running it would suddenly disappear.

The Richardson gang were also known to conduct mock trials to punish and intimidate. The trial and resulting torture were known as “taking a shirt from Charlie.” This was down to the fact that their shirts would be covered in so much blood that the victim would be given a clean shirt to go home in. In 1967 Charlie Richardson was jailed for 25 years fraud, extortion and assault.

Peckham Boys

There is a modern history of London gangs dating back to the 1970s, although many of these emerged from sub cultures such as Punks, football hooligans and Rastas. Amongst the current London gangs whose history goes back to the 1970s are the Peckham Boys.

The Peckham Boys were also referred to as Black Gang, due to its association with the colour black. They are a multi generational gang based in Peckham, South London. Peckham’s rivalries with its neighbours Lewisham and Brixton go as far back as the 1950s, where school boys would clash regularly. At the time Peckham was regarded as poorer than Brixton. Peckham kids, however, would be sent to the more affluent schools in Brixton, which in turn led to clashes.

Suspect of robbery, image sourced from the Evening Standard

By the 1970s groups in Peckham began to emerge such as Gloucester Grove Boys and Night Jackalls. Both of these were based on the Gloucester Grove Estate, Peckham. This would set the foundation for what would eventually become the Peckham Boys. This continued throughout the 80’s and 90’s with groups such as the North Peckham Boys, the Yellow Brick Massive and the Outlaws Crew.

Peckham Boys during the mid 1990s and 2000s

By the late 1990s these groups began to spread around Peckham, with the main gang now being the Peckham Boys Gangstaz. By the early 2000s the gang would be divided into sub-sets, with each for a particular age group. The Peckham Kids had pre-teens, the Younger Younger Peckham Boys had early to mid-teens, The Younger Young Peckham Boys mid-late teens while the Peckham Boys set had ages ranging from 18-25.

The mid 2000s saw peak conflict with rival gang, The Ghetto Boys, based in nearby Lewisham, New Cross and Deptford. This included an infamous shoot out between the two gangs in 2004, outside the Urban Music Awards held in the Barbican Centre. During the shootout at least 18 bullets were exchanged, with one stray bullet hitting an innocent bystander.

In November 2006 the Peckham Boys made it onto the list of the most of Time Out Magazine’s top 100 Movers and Shakers for the year 2006. This is a list of the most influential groups and organistions in London.

In September 2007, a leader of the Peckham Boys was jailed after being found in possession Mac 10 sub-machine gun, three handguns, two silencers, 379 rounds of ammunition, 60,000 fake ecstasy pills and thousands of pounds worth of cocaine.

Gangs Today

Today gangs still have a strong presence around London, especially in more deprived areas. Many gangs still like to mark their territory with gang graffiti, usually a gang name and or the housing estate they are associated with. In some cases they may also paint street signs in their area with an identified gang colour. Gangs feel a sense of pride and belonging to the local area they are based in. Sometimes the post code can act as a boundary between rival gangs.

Gangs are now more driven by profit and drugs, compared to 10 years ago, where they may have been more concerned about territory. Gangs are seen as less symbolic and more as a marketplace. There are two main factors for this. One is the rise and influence of social media, which makes it much easier to communicate and network. The other factor is availability of drugs, which is much easily more.

Gangs today: Image sourced from Mirror.co.uk