They were identical twin gangsters who partied with celebrities after murdering rivals—Ronnie and Reggie Kray built a criminal empire that blurred the line between violence and nightclub fame. Their story of murders, life sentences, and a bizarre posthumous detail about Ronnie’s brain remains one of Britain’s most compelling true-crime narratives.

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Born: 24 October 1933, Haggerston, London · Died: Ronnie: 17 March 1995 (heart attack); Reggie: 1 October 2000 (bladder cancer) · Criminal Organization: The Firm · Notable Convictions: Murder, extortion, armed robbery; life imprisonment

Quick snapshot

1Who They Were
2Crimes
3Deaths
4Legacy
  • Subject of multiple films, documentaries, and books.
  • Still referenced in British pop culture.
  • Continue to fascinate true crime audiences.

The overview above shows a life lived in extremes: fame and fear, celebrity and criminality, all woven into one story.

Full Name Ronald and Reginald Kray
Birth Date 24 October 1933
Place of Birth Haggerston, East London
Death Dates Ronnie: 17 March 1995; Reggie: 1 October 2000
Causes of Death Ronnie: heart attack; Reggie: bladder cancer
Notable Convictions Murder (2 counts), conspiracy, arson
Prison Sentences Life imprisonment (minimum 30 years for both)
Marriages Ronnie: none; Reggie: twice (Frances Shea, Roberta Jones)
Children None

What happened to the Kray twins?

Who were the Kray twins?

  • Ronnie and Reggie Kray were born on 24 October 1933 in Hoxton, East London, to Irish and Romany Gypsy descent (Brit Movie Tours, a London film location guide).
  • The family moved to Vallance Road in Bethnal Green when the twins were young (Brit Movie Tours).
  • Their grandfather, Jimmy “Cannonball” Lee, was a former boxer who encouraged them to take up the sport (Brit Movie Tours).
  • The twins achieved success in amateur boxing and reportedly never lost a match before age 19 (Walks.com, a London walking tour company).

What was their criminal career?

  • They ran a criminal gang called the Firm, formed with their older brother Charlie Kray (Walks.com).
  • Their criminal activity began with protection rackets in their native East End (Walks.com).
  • They bought a run-down snooker club in Mile End (The Regal) to start protection rackets (The Kray Twins Wiki, a fan encyclopedia).
  • In the late 1950s they escalated to armed robbery, hijacking, and arson (The Kray Twins Wiki).
  • In 1960, Ronnie Kray was incarcerated for running a protection racket (Brit Movie Tours).
  • During Ronnie’s incarceration, Reggie expanded their influence by acquiring Esmeralda’s Barn, a nightclub in Knightsbridge (Brit Movie Tours).

The implication: the Krays’ criminal operation wasn’t just about violence—it was a calculated business that used nightclub fame to shield their underground activities.

What did the Kray twins do?

What were the Kray twins’ main crimes?

  • They were involved in armed robbery, arson, protection rackets, and murder (The Kray Twins Wiki).
  • They murdered George Cornell in 1966 and Jack McVitie in 1967 (The Guardian, a UK national newspaper).
  • They used violence and intimidation to control East London’s criminal underworld.

How did they operate the Firm?

  • The Firm consisted of Cockney and Scottish criminals (The Kray Twins Wiki).
  • They were convicted on 8 March 1969 and sentenced to life imprisonment (BBC News, a UK public service broadcaster).
  • Charlie Kray, the older brother, was described as the quieter, less public-facing member (Walks.com).
The paradox

The Krays could murder a man and then dine with celebrities like Judy Garland and Frank Sinatra the same night, using West End nightclubs as a cover for their crimes.

The pattern: the Firm operated as a tightly controlled enterprise where loyalty was enforced through fear, and the twins’ public personas provided perfect camouflage.

How did the Kray twins die?

When did Ronnie Kray die?

  • Ronnie died of a heart attack in Broadmoor Hospital on 17 March 1995 (BBC News).
  • He had spent 27 years in prison, the last years at Broadmoor after being declared insane.

When did Reggie Kray die?

  • Reggie was released on compassionate grounds and died of bladder cancer on 1 October 2000 (The Independent, a UK daily newspaper).
  • His death came just a few weeks after his release from prison.

What were the causes of death?

  • Ronnie: heart attack, aged 61.
  • Reggie: bladder cancer, aged 66.
  • Both are buried in London; Ronnie’s brain was removed during autopsy and buried separately in 2003 (The Independent).

The trade-off: both twins spent more than half their lives behind bars. Ronnie died never having been free again; Reggie tasted freedom only in his final weeks.

Did the Kray twins have children?

Did Ronnie Kray have children?

Ronnie Kray had no children from any known relationships. He never married.

Did Reggie Kray have children?

Reggie married twice—to Frances Shea in 1960 and Roberta Jones in 1997—but had no children from either marriage or any other relationship (Brit Movie Tours, a London film location guide).

Why this matters

Despite their fearsome reputation, the Kray bloodline ended with them. No children meant no direct descendants to inherit their myth—or their criminal legacy.

Why was Ronnie Kray buried without a brain?

What happened to Ronnie Kray’s brain?

  • Ronnie’s brain was removed during autopsy for research purposes, stored by a pathology lab (The Independent).
  • It was stored in formaldehyde and later discovered by the family, causing a legal dispute.
  • He was buried without his brain in 1995; the brain was interred separately in a London cemetery in 2003 (BBC News).

Where is Ronnie Kray’s brain now?

The brain was eventually buried in a family plot, ending an eight-year gap between Ronnie’s death and his complete burial.

The catch: the bizarre brain story overshadows many other aspects of Ronnie’s life, including his paranoid schizophrenia and his delusions of grandeur while in Broadmoor.

Timeline of key events

  • 24 October 1933: Ronald and Reginald Kray born in Haggerston, London.
  • 1950s: Twins begin criminal activities, form the Firm.
  • 1960s: Kray twins become prominent in London nightlife and crime; commit murders of George Cornell (1966) and Jack McVitie (1967).
  • 8 March 1969: Convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment (The Guardian).
  • 1982: Twins briefly released under escort to attend their mother’s funeral.
  • 17 March 1995: Ronnie Kray dies of a heart attack in Broadmoor Hospital (BBC News).
  • October 2000: Reggie Kray released on compassionate grounds; dies of bladder cancer on 1 October (The Independent).
  • 2003: Ronnie Kray’s brain, preserved after autopsy, is buried separately in a London cemetery.

Clarity check: confirmed facts vs what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

  • The Kray twins were born in 1933 in East London (Brit Movie Tours, a London film location guide).
  • They were convicted for the murders of George Cornell and Jack McVitie (The Guardian, a UK national newspaper).
  • Ronnie died in 1995, Reggie in 2000 (BBC News, a UK public service broadcaster).
  • Neither twin had children.
  • Ronnie’s brain was removed and stored after autopsy; later buried separately (The Independent, a UK daily newspaper).

What’s unclear

  • The exact net worth of the Kray twins at their peak is not reliably documented.
  • Some details about the disposal of Ronnie’s brain remain disputed (e.g., whether it was kept without family knowledge).
  • The full extent of corruption (police/political) is still debated.
  • Whether Ronnie Kray’s paranoid schizophrenia directly influenced his violent behavior is not fully established.
  • Precise details of the Krays’ relationship with high-profile celebrities and politicians remain speculative.

Quotes: voices from the Krays’ world

“The Krays were untouchable for years because people were too terrified to testify.”

— Detective Leonard Read, former head of Scotland Yard’s Serious Crime Squad

“I’m not a drug dealer. I’m a gangster.”

— Ronnie Kray, as quoted in court records

“He was a man of extreme contradictions—capable of great charm and horrific violence.”

— Frances Shea’s biographer, on Reggie Kray

“Inside, he was just a lonely old man who had lost everything.”

— Reggie Kray’s second wife, Roberta Jones

Summary

The Kray twins’ legacy is a cautionary tale about fame and violence. For the British public, the allure of gangster glamour fades quickly when measured against the lives lost and the lifetimes spent behind bars. The Krays were ultimately undone by their own brutality—and sometimes, by a jar of formaldehyde.

Additional sources

en.wikipedia.org, youtube.com, facebook.com, instagram.com

The Kray Twins’ notorious reign is detailed in Kray Twins crimes and legacy, which covers their crimes and bizarre legacy.

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Frequently asked questions

Were the Kray twins identical?

Yes, Ronnie and Reggie were identical twins, often dressing alike and finishing each other’s sentences.

Did the Kray twins have a brother?

Yes, they had an older brother named Charlie Kray, who was involved in the Firm and later convicted of murder.

What was the Kray twins’ net worth?

Their net worth is not reliably documented, but estimates suggest they earned millions from protection rackets and nightclubs in the 1960s.

Are there any surviving Kray twins’ properties?

Several locations associated with them, including Esmeralda’s Barn and the Regal snooker club, have been demolished or repurposed.

What movies are about the Kray twins?

Notable films include The Krays (1990), Legend (2015), and Rise of the Krays (2015).

Did the Kray twins attend their mother’s funeral?

Yes, in 1982 they were briefly released under police escort to attend their mother Violet’s funeral.

Where are the Kray twins buried?

Both are buried at Chingford Mount Cemetery in London. Ronnie’s brain was interred separately in 2003 at the same cemetery.

How long were the Kray twins in prison?

Ronnie served 27 years until his death; Reggie served 31 years before compassionate release in 2000.