Who Is Kray twins? Age, Biography and Wiki
The Kray twins, Ronnie and Reggie, were born on October 24, 1933, in Hoxton, London. They became notorious figures in British criminal history during the 1950s and 1960s, leading a gang that was involved in various illegal activities, including armed robbery, protection rackets, and murder. Their empire crumbled in the 1960s, leading to convictions that would seal their legacy as two of the most infamous criminals in British history. Despite their deaths—Ronnie in 1995 and Reggie in 2000—the twins continue to be a subject of public fascination, with their stories frequently explored in films, books, and documentaries.
| Occupation | Criminals |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | October 24, 1933 |
| Age | 91 Years |
| Birth Place | Haggerston, London, England |
| Horoscope | Scorpio |
| Country | England |
Popularity
Kray twins's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While specific height and weight statistics for Ronnie and Reggie Kray are less documented given their passing, they were known to have a commanding presence. Reports indicate that both twins were approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighed around 160 pounds during their prime. Their muscular builds added to their fearsome reputation on the streets of London.
The Krays made a point of promoting a "gangster chic" image as both dressed in a style that countless films had associated with gangsters, namely wearing "discreet, dark, double-breasted suits with tight-knotted ties and shoulder-padded overcoats.
Combined with garish jewellery such as large gold rings, gold bracelet watches, and diamond cuff links, the Krays conveyed a redoubtable image".
The British scholar Ruth Penfold-Mounce described the twins as a classic example of the social bandit, criminals who became folk heroes because of the belief that they were standing up to a corrupt Establishment while also paradoxically being seen as upholding the better part of society's values.
The twins were viewed in certain quarters as "Robin Hood"-type criminals whose crimes were seen as acceptable.
Penfold-Mounce noted they combined an air of menace and violence together with an image of "a romanticised air of heroic gentlemanliness, generosity, and the apparent reinforcement of traditional social order parameters of conservatism and restraint".
Within this context, the Krays made a point of stressing that there were limits to the values that they were willing to violate while promoting the image of themselves as the benefactors of society.
For example, they made a great point of stressing the image of being respectful towards women as they knew that the British public did not like men who were disrespectful towards women.
One former member of "the Firm", Tony Lambrianou, stated that the positive image of the Krays was a "myth", maintaining that the only people the brothers ever cared about were themselves.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Ronnie and Reggie Kray were involved in several high-profile relationships throughout their lives. Both twins were known to have dated various women, but their romantic relationships often came with turmoil due to their criminal lifestyle. Ronnie Kray was openly gay and had a long-term partner, while Reggie was married to Frances (Frances) Shea in 1965, although their marriage was fraught with difficulties. The emotional and personal struggles they faced have become an integral part of their troubled legacy.
Ronald James and Reginald Kray were born on 24 October 1933 in Haggerston, East London, to Charles David Kray (1907–1983) and Violet Annie Lee (1909–1982).
The Krays were thorough Eastenders – Charles from Shoreditch and Violet from Bethnal Green – and were apparently of mixed Irish, Austrian Jewish and Romanichal descent, although this has been disputed. The brothers were identical twins, with Reggie born 10 minutes before Ronnie.
Their parents already had a six-year-old son, Charles James (1927–2000). A sister, Violet (born 1929), died in infancy. The twins contracted diphtheria when they were three years old.
Net Worth and Salary
At the height of their criminal careers, the Kray twins amassed a significant fortune, estimated to be in the millions. However, their criminal enterprises led to their downfall, and their assets were confiscated by authorities. As of 2025, the twins are deceased, and discussions about their net worth often revolve around the impact of their criminal activities rather than a formal assessment of wealth. However, the allure of their story continues to generate revenue through various media, leading to a posthumous financial legacy.
Part of the Krays' newfound celebrity status was due to the widespread perception that the twins were men who had risen out of poverty into positions of great wealth and power due to their own efforts. They were seen as an example, albeit a perverse one, of the "meritocracy" that was to replace the traditional class system.
Furthermore, the 1960s was a time when many social norms were being questioned, and the Krays were widely seen as "rebels" against what were perceived as sanctimonious and hypocritical traditional British values.
The scholars Chris Jenks and Justin Lorentzen wrote that there was "a popular mistrust of the Establishment" in the 1960s and that as many young people "laughed Prime Minister Macmillan and President Johnson, their teachers and university lecturers and priests and moralists off the stage", the Krays were seen as folk heroes.
This was a period of intense debates arising about consumerism, social mobility, sexuality, style, and social tolerance, and the Krays were involved in all of them as symbols, either bad or good, about the changes taking place in British society.
Career, Business and Investments
The Kray twins operated a successful criminal organization in East London, dealing in various illegal enterprises such as racketeering, extortion, and nightclub management. Their infamous nightclub, the "Ronnie Scott's", was frequented by celebrities and became a hotspot for illicit activities. They were also involved in legitimate businesses, which they used as a front for their criminal dealings. Their careful management of their reputation, coupled with a network of connections, made them iconic figures in the criminal underworld.
Their gang, known as the Firm, was based in Bethnal Green, where the Kray twins lived. They were involved in murder, armed robbery, arson, protection rackets, gambling and assaults. At their peak in the 1960s, they gained a certain measure of celebrity status by mixing with prominent members of London society, being photographed by David Bailey and interviewed on television.
Social Network
Though the Kray twins were active before the social media era, their story continues to resonate on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook through fan pages and discussions about their impact on popular culture. Numerous movie adaptations and documentaries dedicated to their lives have maintained their presence in popular media, giving rise to an expansive fanbase eager to engage with their history.
Boothby called the £40,000 (over £1 million in 2024 values) he was awarded from the Sunday Mirror "tainted money", and though he professed to have donated the majority of the money to charity, it appears the Krays took the bulk of the award. One of Boothby's first actions following the suit was to write a cheque for £5,000 to Ronnie.
Ronnie had also launched a libel action of his own against Sunday Mirror columnist Cecil Harmsworth King for calling him a "homosexual thug" in one of his columns, but the judge dismissed the suit under the grounds that it was a "fair comment". Ronnie was furious about the dismissal, raging to a group of journalists: "Proves what I always said.
One law for the fucking rich and another for the poor".
Education
It is widely acknowledged that neither of the Kray twins had formal education beyond secondary school. Their life experiences and criminal lifestyle shaped their knowledge of street operations more than traditional schooling. The twins were deeply influenced by their upbringing and environment, which played a crucial role in their descent into crime.
In summary, the Kray twins remain one of the most storied criminal duos in British history. Their complex lives, filled with crime, love, and a fierce brotherly bond, continue to be explored and discussed well beyond their time, proving that their legacy endures.
The influence of their maternal grandfather, Jimmy "Cannonball" Lee, caused the brothers to take up amateur boxing, then a popular pastime for working-class boys in the East End. Sibling rivalry spurred them on, and each achieved some success.
Ronnie was considered to be the more aggressive of the twins, constantly getting into street fights as a teenager. The British scholar Jonathan Raban wrote that he had a "low IQ" but that he was an avid reader who especially liked books about T. E. Lawrence, Orde Wingate, and Al Capone.
Raban attributed much of Ronnie's "savage petulance" as a teenager to his rage over having to hide his bisexual tendencies. As well as this the Kray brothers hung around in the Blind Beggar pub in Whitechapel in East London.
