Richardson Gang

On one occasion, a collector of "pensions" (protection money from publicans and others), was punished after being twice warned by the Richardsons for pocketing the money and spending it at Catford dog track. He was nailed to the floor of a warehouse near Tower Bridge for nearly two days, during which time gang members (for example, driver Harry Beard) frequently urinated on him.[6]

The Richardson gang and the Kray twins were engaged in a turf war in the mid-to-late 1960s. Charlie Richardson and George Cornell had first met the Krays while in Shepton Mallet Prison.[7]

Tensions came to a head in 1965–66. During a Christmas party at the Astor Club in December 1965, Cornell called Ronnie Kray a "fat poof" and a fight ensued.

On 7 or 8 March 1966, Richard Hart, one of the Krays' associates, was shot dead, intentionally or otherwise, during a brawl involving the Richardson Gang at Mr Smith's Club in Rushey Green, Catford. Mr Smith's was owned by Manchester-based businessmen Dougie Flood (a club/hotel/leisure business owner and alleged member of the Quality Street Gang)[8][9] and Bill Benny. They had asked Eddie Richardson and Frankie Fraser to "protect" the club in exchange for gaming machines being placed there. That night members of the Richardson gang were drinking at Mr Smith's. Members of another South London gang led by Billy Hayward were present that night including Peter Hennessey.

On the night in question, both gangs were "drinking and chatting quite happily". That was according to a guest who was with his girlfriend in the bar but was suddenly ushered out of the club soon after midnight. At around 1.00am, Eddie Richardson told Peter Hennessey and the others to "drink up" and leave. In response, Hennessey called Eddie Richardson a "half-baked fucking ponce" and shouted that he could "take you any fucking time you like". Richardson and Hennessey began exchanging blows. Other fistfights had started when gun shots rang out.

Several years after the incident, an unnamed gangster who was in the club at the time said that it was "like Dodge City". It was said that Hart was shot on or near the bottom of the stairs as he was making his getaway. For many years Fraser was held responsible for murdering Hart. Fraser always vehemently denied it. It is alleged that Billy Gardner confronted Fraser, asking, "You tooled up, Frank?", and shot Fraser through the thigh with a .38 pistol. Eddie Richardson, Frankie Fraser and others ended up in Lewisham Hospital. They denied all knowledge of the incident ("Shooting? What shooting?") when questioned by police. Hennessey sustained a bayonet wound to his scalp. Hennessey, Gardner and others sought help from Freddie Foreman after the altercation.

Although most of the gang were arrested, some were put up by Foreman until things had blown over. Fraser had been officially declared insane at least twice previously. It has been suggested though that Fraser acquired his "Mad Frankie" sobriquet from this incident. Apparently, a Hayward associate named Henry Botton saw Fraser kicking Hart in the head and shouted, "You're fucking mad, Frank. You're fucking bonkers." The whole incident at Mr Smith's caused the arrest of nearly all of the Richardson gang.

Fallout continued the next day. A member of the Richardson gang, Jimmy Andrews, was injured in the affray and went for treatment at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel the day after. This was where George Cornell, one of the few members of the Richardson gang who were not in jail or hospital, and an old friend of Andrews, went to visit him. That evening at about 8:30 Cornell was inside The Blind Beggar public house sited about 300m from the hospital entrance. Ronnie Kray arrived with two associates and shot Cornell through the head at close range, killing him. One of several local businessmen, in the saloon bar at the time, said he heard Cornell's last words: "Well, look what the dog's brought in."[2][7]

In 1980, after many attempts to obtain release, Charlie Richardson escaped from an open prison. He went "on the trot" for almost a year, even dressing as Santa Claus and giving out presents to children to publicise his requests for release. He openly drank with friends and old associates (including police officers) at several pubs on the Old Kent Road before fleeing to Paris, where he gave an interview to a journalist.[2]

He was arrested with five other men in Earl's Court on suspicion of possession of drugs, having just been seen coming out of a sex shop which was known to be controlled by the Richardson family. His identity only came to light once arrested and in police custody in Kensington when his probation officer contacted the police, having been informed by other gang members that he had been arrested. In 1983, Charlie was able to go on day release to help the handicapped and was allowed to spend a weekend with his family. Charlie was finally released in July 1984.[2]

In 1990, Eddie Richardson was sentenced to 35 years after being convicted of involvement in a £70 million cocaine and cannabis heist. He was originally sentenced to 35 years, but was released after 12, bringing his total number of years served to 23.[10]

The brothers fell out badly after Eddie accused Charlie of fraudulent business deals during Eddie's time in prison.

Charlie Richardson died of peritonitis[7] in September 2012. A heavy smoker, he had suffered from emphysema for several years.[11]

• Donaldson, William. Brewer's Rogues, Villains, and Eccentrics: An A-Z of Roguish Britons Through the Ages. London: Sterling Publishing Company, 2004. ISBN 0-7538-1791-8
• Parker, Robert. Rough Justice: The Truth about the Richardson Gang. Fontana Books, 1981. ISBN 0-00-636354-7
• Richardson, Charlie. My Manor: The Autobiography of Charlie Richardson. Sidgwick & Jackson, 1991. ISBN 0-283-99709-5
• Richardson, Eddie. The Last Word: My Life as a Gangland Boss. Headline Book Publishing, 2005. ISBN 0-7553-1401-8
• Richardson, Charlie and Meikle, David. Charlie Richardson, The Last Gangster. Random House, 2014. ISBN 1780891369