CULTURE East Enders The story of the notorious Kray twins swept through Britain in the 1960s.Now they are in the news again. Jimmy Boyle, author, sculptor and ex-prisoner reviews their autobiography, Reg And Ron Kray, 'Our Story', and explains the futility of their further imprisonment Readers of Reg And Ron Kray swear, sometimes I can still 'Our Story' (Sidgwick & Jack- hear that scream in my night- son £12.96 hbk) should try to mares even now.' bear in mind the circumst- This was a secret which Ron ances and surroundings in and the other kid locked into which it was written. I say themselves telling no one. As this because the Kray twins the story continues I couldn't have been incarcerated for help but wonder what part the last 20 years in appalling this had to play in forming conditions that have forced Ron's flawed personality. them to suppress and hide all Another influential aspect human feelings in order to which shaped their destiny survive their present ordeal. was in spending the early This, in my view, has effec- part of their lives helping to tively turned what should hide their father who was a have been a fascinating deserter. This, along with social document into what is other environmental factors, simply an interesting book. is the sort of heavy indoc- The early part of the book trination that any child provides glimpses of Lon- would be vulnerable to. The don's East End during the twins at this age would be the war period. It has the poten- sort of cheeky characters tial to be developed and that melted everyone's taken much further. This ap- hearts in the film musical plies also to some of the char- Oliver. The difference is that acters they mention and who this was no movie set. are suddenly dropped. I'm It is clear, even at this age, sure that this was because of that they were youngsters the physical restrictions be- who were intelligent, witty tween the Krays and Fred and full of energy; the sort of Dinenage who worked with kids who knew they were The Kray twins: The long wait for release them on the book. However, going somewhere. all of these mental and The bond between Ron and this part of the book. There is damn the consequences. In- physical obstacles aside, Ron Reg is as strong as that which no doubt that they were deed, it would be one of the and Reg Kray in their own reputedly exists between gangsters in the old style. few ways of escaping from inimitable style make some most twins. I know that when They lived by a strict code of this terrible poverty trap. telling points. I come up against twins I conduct that had a dignified Having experienced the The story-line isn't new by tend to see them as look- value system. It is true that Kray twins on their own any means although this one alikes physically and get jar- violence was a part of their patch I can support their has some unique quirks. red into reality with the dif- lives and they are open about claim that there were no in- They start as lovable little ferences in personality. This this. nocent victims in this seamy nippers ducking and diving is the case with the Kray Both Ron and Reg are jar- underworld. Everyone's life their way through the grime twins. ringly honest about the mur- was on the line. On the other and poverty of the East End. The one thing that struck ders of Jack 'the Hat' McVi- hand they weren't selfish Ron makes the first revela- me on reading the book was tie and George Cornell which people and many can testify tion which to me is the most their protectiveness towards they respectively take re- to this. They genuinely important in the book. Along each other. It left me feeling sponsibility for. In contrast helped many people along with another kid he is playing that they had failed to touch to this is the heady almost the way. Their continuing in- in a parked van as most kids on what seemed to be a taboo seductive atmosphere of carceration is futile. Their do at one time or another. On subject - fear. How much of celebrities from show biz era and period is over. this occasion it has fatal con- their having to get in first, of and boxing that are so much a I don't believe that there is sequences for a youngster having to be seen to be the part of their lives. All of this any great public demand to playing behind the van. hardest was indeed a reac- is compounded by the cor- make them serve every day On turning on the ignition, tion to their being afraid to rupt police and prison offic- of their sentence. When they the van jumps backwards see the other hurt in the hard ers who they 'buy' to assist are released, as inevitably and crushes the youngster and sometimes callous world their friends. they will be, I hope that they because the driver had left it in which they were living? If one were a penniless will get down to writing the in reverse. Ron and his pal Inevitably they climb to the youngster in the East End of fascinating book they are run off. He writes,'... there top. It was when they were at London observing the Krays capable of. In the meantime, was a bumping sound and a their pinnacle that I met in their heyday then it would readers should treat this as a bloody terrifying scream. I them so I am familiar with be a position to aspire to - taster. • 53 MARXISM TODAY OCTOBER 1988.