The Richardson Gang was an English crime gang based in South London, England in the 1960s. Also known as the "Torture Gang", they had a reputation as some of London's most sadistic gangsters. Their alleged specialities included pulling teeth out using pliers, cutting off toes using bolt cutters and nailing victims to floors using 6-inch nails.
Prominent members
Charlie and Eddie Richardson
Charles William "Charlie" Richardson (18 January 1934 – 19 September 2012) was born in Brentford, Middlesex to Eileen Elizabeth Mary (née Allen) and Charles Frederick Richardson, who had married the previous year in Camberwell, South London. The family soon moved back to Camberwell, where younger brother, Edward G. "Eddie" Richardson, was born on 21 January 1936, followed by youngest sibling, Elaine (born 1940). Charlie and Eddie turned to a life of crime after their father deserted the family.
George Cornell
An important member of the Richardson gang was George Cornell. Cornell was heavily involved in drug dealing, in purple hearts and dexys, uppers, downers and cannabis. He was also involved in pornography and may have been associated with criminal Jimmy Humphreys, whose arrest led to the exposure of corrupt police officials in 1971, including Commander Ken Drury of the Flying Squad.
Humphreys was under investigation by another squad, and Drury refused to acknowledge his association with Humphreys even after Drury reportedly received a "Wish you were here" holiday postcard from him. Cornell was originally a member of an East End gang called "The Watney Streeters" and later became involved with the Krays. However, he changed sides around 1964 and allied himself with the Richardsons. Cornell was unstable and unpredictable, and nearly caused an all-out war between the two gangs before his death when Ronnie Kray shot and killed him in 1966.
"Mad" Frankie Fraser
Frankie Fraser teamed up with the Richardson gang in the early 1960s. His criminal career began at age 13 with theft.
During the Second World War his crimes escalated, including shopbreaking and desertion. He was a known associate of gangster Billy Hill throughout the 1950s. After joining the Richardsons, he served as their enforcer. Reportedly, Fraser's favourite brand of punishment was extracting teeth with pliers.
Over his long criminal career, Fraser spent 40–42 years in prison. He died in 2014 of complications from surgery.
Other members
Other members of the gang included the hitman Jimmy Moody, Derek "Del" Peterman, Roy Hall (who operated the electric generator), Bartholomew (Barry) Harris (who was the getaway driver for the gang), Albert Longman, Ron Lawrence (was a getaway driver and enforcer for the gang) Harry Rawlins, Alan Morse/Rigby, Frank Bailey, Harry Banks, Tommy Clark, Ron Large (Ronnie),Tommy Quinlan, James Kemmery and Mick O'Brien.
Methods
On one occasion, a collector of "pensions" (protection money from publicans and others), was punished after being twice warned by the Richardsons for pocketing the money and spending it at Catford dog track. He was nailed to the floor of a warehouse near Tower Bridge for nearly two days, during which time gang members (for example, driver Harry Beard) frequently urinated on him.
Feud with the Krays
The Richardson gang and the Kray twins were engaged in a turf war in the mid-to-late 1960s. Charlie Richardson and George Cornell had first met the Krays while in Shepton Mallet Prison.
Tensions came to a head in 1965–66. During a Christmas party at the Astor Club in December 1965, Cornell called Ronnie Kray a "fat poof" and a fight ensued.
On 7 or 8 March 1966, Richard Hart, one of the Krays' associates, was shot dead, intentionally or otherwise, during a brawl involving the Richardson Gang at Mr Smith's Club in Rushey Green, Catford. Mr Smith's was owned by Manchester-based businessmen Dougie Flood (a club/hotel/leisure business owner and alleged member of the Quality Street Gang) and Bill Benny. They had asked Eddie Richardson and Frankie Fraser to "protect" the club in exchange for gaming machines being placed there. That night members of the Richardson gang were drinking at Mr Smith's. Members of another South London gang led by Billy Hayward were present that night including Peter Hennessey.