'The most frightening prison experience I had': Reggie Kray's fears over meeting with Charles Bronson

  • Pair met after Bronson requested Kray visit in 1992

By Daily Mail Reporter
Updated:

He may have been one of London's most feared gangsters, but Reggie Kray was terrified at coming face-to-face with Britain's most dangerous prisoner Charles Bronson, newly-found letters have revealed.

In a note penned by the notorious East End gangster during his time at HMP Wayland, Norfolk, Kray described the prospect of a prison meeting with Bronson as 'the most frightening visit I had'.

The pair were in separate jails serving lengthy sentences when Bronson requested Kray visit him in his cell at HMP Parkhurst in September 1992.

Insight: The letter penned by Kray was written in 1999, around seven years after his meeting with Bronson

Insight: The letter penned by Kray was written in 1999, around seven years after his meeting with Bronson

Kray, left, who died in 2000, described his meeting with notorious criminal Bronson, right, as 'the most frightening experience I had'
Kray, left, who died in 2000, described his meeting with notorious criminal Bronson, right, as 'the most frightening experience I had'

Kray, left, who died in 2000, described his meeting with notorious criminal Bronson, right, as 'the most frightening experience I had'

Now a newly-discovered three-page handwritten letter has provided a fascinating insight into the meeting between the two fear criminals, who were surrounded by 20 prison guards when they met in Bronson's cell.

In the note, addressed to an inmate known only as 'Clive', Kray admits the confrontation was the 'most frightening' prison visit he ever experienced. 

When Bronson - affectionately referred to as 'Charlie' throughout the letter - broke the silence by saying 'hello Reggie' the pair burst out laughing. 

And as he left, Bronson presented Reggie with a pair of black and white boxing gloves inscribed with his name. 

The gloves and letter are being auctioned with other Kray memorabilia, including a picture of Reggie with Barbara Windsor, Christmas cards and ten oil paintings he produced.

A prison application letter revealed Bronson asked for Reggie to visit his cell at HMP Parkhurst on 7 September 1992, but it is not clear when the meeting occurred. 

Reggie wrote his letter when he passed the boxing gloves to his friend Clive on 4 October 1999, just a year before he died. 

These personal photographs and letters are going under the hammer at TW Gaze Auctions, in Diss, Norfolk, on November 25 and could fetch up to £3,000. 

Letter: Kray wrote the letter to a friend known only as 'Clive', in which he also passed on a pair of boxing gloves given to him by Bronson when they met

Letter: Kray wrote the letter to a friend known only as 'Clive', in which he also passed on a pair of boxing gloves given to him by Bronson when they met

Auction: The letter, along with the boxing gloves and a photo album featuring a picture of Kray with Barbara Windsor, is expected to fetch up to £3,000 at auction

Auction: The letter, along with the boxing gloves and a photo album featuring a picture of Kray with Barbara Windsor, is expected to fetch up to £3,000 at auction

The lot includes a photo album with a picture of Reggie in a bow-tie sitting with a smiling Carry On and Eastenders actress Barbara Windsor. 

He said: 'There are various personal photographs and Christmas cards to someone called Clive. 'There are also private photos of Reggie with Barbara Windsor and several personal letters to Clive. 

'We don't quite know who Clive is but from what he writes it appears they served time together.'  Other Reggie items up for grabs include 10 oil and canvas paintings valued up to £150 each. 

Sentence: Kray had written the insightful letter during his time at HMP Wayland, Norfolk, a year before his death

Sentence: Kray had written the insightful letter during his time at HMP Wayland, Norfolk, a year before his death

The Kray twins were sentenced to life imprisonment in 1969 with a non-parole period of 30 years for the murders of George Cornell and Jack 'The Hat' McVitie. 

Charles Bronson, 58, has spent most of his life behind bars and dubbed 'Britain's most violent prisoner'. 

The former East End bare-knuckle boxer has convictions for armed robbery, wounding with intent, wounding, criminal damage, grievous bodily harm, false imprisonment, blackmail, threats to kill. 

He has moved prisons 120 times and is currently in a high-security unit in HMP Wakefield.

'The most frightening prison experience I had': Reggie Kray's fears over meeting with Charles Bronson

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