April - May 15th 2008- Channel 7 news
Notorious gangsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray have revealed from beyond the grave that they loved "cycling down country lanes" and touring antique shops for bargains.
The killers, who were jailed for life in 1969 for the murders of Jack 'The Hat' McVitie and George Cornell, showed a softer side to their personalities in The Kray Tapes, which will be released next week.
The interviews with Ronnie, Reggie and Charlie Kray, reveal that the East End gang bosses loved life in the country and got out of London as often as they could.
Speaking in a 1989 interview - never heard before - with Kent author Robin McGibbon, Ronnie says: "We were always going to the country.
"We used to go every weekend and used to go cycling along country lanes and go to antique shops and buy antiques. "We bought clocks, and ornaments - lots of different things."
Ronnie, who died of a heart attack in March 1995 aged 61, said he and Reggie - who died in October 2000 from bladder cancer at the age of 66 - said they never committed any crimes when they toured Kent, Suffolk, Sussex and Hertfordshire on their bikes.
They were known to pedal around Sandwich in Kent, Rottingdean, near Brighton, and Tring in Hertfordshire.
He said: "There were no crimes. We got on with the locals very well. We used to go to inns. I had gin and tonics and brown ale and Reggie had gin and tonics and light ale.
"We found it very peaceful. The locals were very nice people, very genuine. We were not looking for any trouble."
He added: "We loved the peacefulness, nice scenery and the quiet. We used to go for long walks along country lanes - it was smashing."
The twins' love of the country - which was brought to an abrupt halt when they were jailed for murder - began when they were hauled away from London to Hertfordshire during the war.
Born in 1933 the twins were whisked by mother Violet away from the Nazi bombs when they were just toddlers.
Ronnie said: "We used to go sledging in the winter time and used to go scrumping for apples during the war."
He also revealed how the twins bought a country mansion for £11,000 just before they were caged in 1969 and sold it for just £14,000 to help pay off debts and support their mum. He said: "£11,000 it cost us. It's worth a million now. We sold it was £14,000. We were inside, there was no point in keeping it."
Ronnie said he and Reggie squandered all the money they made on booze, clubs, cars, jewellery and gifts for pals and relatives.
He said: "We got £1,000 each a week, but we've got no money stashed away. We spent it all."
Mr McGibbon, who lives in Bickley, Bromley, started corresponding with the twins while they were in prison and taped interviews during visits.
He quickly built up a collection of 80 letters between 1985 and 1993, which were sent to auction in April 2006 with a reserve price of £10,000. Bidding reached just £6,000.
Mr McGibbon said: "They are going back up for sale again, this time with a reserve of £6,000. The Krays are now all dead and I have decided now is the time to move on. It will be like cutting my last links with them."
Notorious gangsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray have revealed from beyond the grave that they loved "cycling down country lanes" and touring antique shops for bargains.
The killers, who were jailed for life in 1969 for the murders of Jack 'The Hat' McVitie and George Cornell, showed a softer side to their personalities in The Kray Tapes, which will be released next week.
The interviews with Ronnie, Reggie and Charlie Kray, reveal that the East End gang bosses loved life in the country and got out of London as often as they could.
Speaking in a 1989 interview - never heard before - with Kent author Robin McGibbon, Ronnie says: "We were always going to the country.
"We used to go every weekend and used to go cycling along country lanes and go to antique shops and buy antiques. "We bought clocks, and ornaments - lots of different things."
Ronnie, who died of a heart attack in March 1995 aged 61, said he and Reggie - who died in October 2000 from bladder cancer at the age of 66 - said they never committed any crimes when they toured Kent, Suffolk, Sussex and Hertfordshire on their bikes.
They were known to pedal around Sandwich in Kent, Rottingdean, near Brighton, and Tring in Hertfordshire.
He said: "There were no crimes. We got on with the locals very well. We used to go to inns. I had gin and tonics and brown ale and Reggie had gin and tonics and light ale.
"We found it very peaceful. The locals were very nice people, very genuine. We were not looking for any trouble."
He added: "We loved the peacefulness, nice scenery and the quiet. We used to go for long walks along country lanes - it was smashing."
The twins' love of the country - which was brought to an abrupt halt when they were jailed for murder - began when they were hauled away from London to Hertfordshire during the war.
Born in 1933 the twins were whisked by mother Violet away from the Nazi bombs when they were just toddlers.
Ronnie said: "We used to go sledging in the winter time and used to go scrumping for apples during the war."
He also revealed how the twins bought a country mansion for £11,000 just before they were caged in 1969 and sold it for just £14,000 to help pay off debts and support their mum. He said: "£11,000 it cost us. It's worth a million now. We sold it was £14,000. We were inside, there was no point in keeping it."
Ronnie said he and Reggie squandered all the money they made on booze, clubs, cars, jewellery and gifts for pals and relatives.
He said: "We got £1,000 each a week, but we've got no money stashed away. We spent it all."
Mr McGibbon, who lives in Bickley, Bromley, started corresponding with the twins while they were in prison and taped interviews during visits.
He quickly built up a collection of 80 letters between 1985 and 1993, which were sent to auction in April 2006 with a reserve price of £10,000. Bidding reached just £6,000.
Mr McGibbon said: "They are going back up for sale again, this time with a reserve of £6,000. The Krays are now all dead and I have decided now is the time to move on. It will be like cutting my last links with them."
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