Foremans home is cramped, but he doesnt need much room after more than a decade of living in a prison cell, my every movement watched by screws, he says. She stood by me all the time I was away in prison, visiting me all up and down the country. Now he lives in a retirement home: alone, estranged from his family, with only the memories of his former crimes to look back on. It was Easter Monday, and five thieves three wearing balaclavas, two in monkey masks and all of them armed and speaking with fake Irish accents had broken into a security company in east London. I would still be there if I could, he adds wistfully. Theres only been one film (of that genre) I really liked and that was The Long Good Friday. Fred: The Godfather of British Crime is written and directed by Paul Van Carter (The Guv'nor) and is available to watch on Netflix. He still works out, using two purple dumbbells. Some might question whether that was quite the theme tune of his life of professional crime. But his years on the run came to an end in 1990, when he said he was lured to a Spanish police station and arrested. ", Netflix says: "This is a sombre examination into the psyche of former London gangster Freddie Foreman: 85 years old, allegedly responsible for multiple murders, and nearing the end of his life. But they began to run amok, shooting people in broad daylight and they dragged my dads name down with them. They liked me, they were nice birds, and I became their protector, he said, using a slang term for women. I was still angry that he wasnt in my life, though. Apparently eager for company, Foreman is instantly welcoming when I knock on his door, unannounced, at a residence for seniors in Maida Vale in west London. As a film about his life and crimes is released, the longtime associate of the Kray twins talks about todays knife gangs, mentoring Tom Hardy, and how theres nothing glamorous about his violent past. I also doubt that Cuddy could have had that much influence. Gang warfare in its current form has claimed many lives already this year, with dozens of fatal stabbings in London, many of them gang-related and involving much younger men than in the 1960s mayhem. Fred: the Godfather of British Crime (Lionsgate UK) is available on DVD and digital. Don't miss out on the biggest soaps gossip! When the men walked past he wound down his window and called Marks name. Whatever his misgivings, the trio became friends. Violence, he stresses, was a sometimes necessary and unfortunate occupational hazard, but it was never an end in itself. I thought it was all the twins fault my dad was in prison and the very mention of their names made me livid. Family estrangement has been defined as distancing and loss of affection that occurs over years or even . "They had nice sides to them they could be very generous with money. I would still be there if I could, he added wistfully. Freddie has had numerous nicknames, including The Undertaker, Brown Bread Fred and the High Executioner. When an associate of the Krays, Frank the Mad Axeman Mitchell, became a liability after the brothers helped spring him from prison in 1966, he was lured into a van and shot. Put simply, family estrangement is a continuum where it is more accurate to characterize people as more or less estranged, as opposed to estranged or not estranged. And a few days later I was being shown into her dressing room. Old villains dont die these days, they end up as books or films. He wishes he could spend more time with his eight grandchildren. For a large part of the 60s the Krays and their associates - The Firm as it was known - ruled the streets of East London. Fred 'Freddie' Foreman used to work alongside the infamous . He was the key witness in the trial of my dad and three members of his firm. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. I've got seven grandsons and two granddaughters, Ive got great-granddaughters and I hope they never fall foul of the law.". She loved the fact that Freddies spirit lived on so strongly in the work we were doing, and that Freddie was always a physical part of our live shows. He did do a lot of partying in Munich, which was probably not good for himself, but it didn't effect Queen in any way. If that sounds bad, so be it. I would stand by my dad no matter what. However, his father Bomi Bulsara struggled with his son's profession and they frequently clashed - causing ongoing tension between the pair which drove them apart. A shelf is crammed with memories of his former life: a black-and-white portrait of him as a scrappy 17-year-old bare-knuckle boxer, a photograph of the Kray twins. Convicted gangster Freddie Foreman - born on March 5, 1932 - was once known as the Godfather of London, his home. I remember being blown out of my bed by an explosion and seeing childrens bodies on the streets, he said. He does it again when asked about it today. One of five sons of a taxi driver and a housewife, the violence and poverty of his childhood in London during the war helped form him. By 14 Id seen plenty of gangster films, and discovering my dad was the real deal undoubtedly gave me a buzz. With strained family relations and declining health, Freddie finally felt it was time to tell all and revisits his old London haunts. He says the gang tried to recruit him and he regrets not going. Pop stars such as Cat Stevens and Manfred Mann were regulars, along with Bobby Moore and other West Ham, Spurs, Millwall and Chelsea footballers. The visit is research for my book The Last Job, which tells the story of the Hatton Garden heist, an audacious 2015 burglary in Londons diamond district. Holes bored through a 20-inch-thick concrete wall into a vault in Hatton Garden, London, where millions of pounds of gems, gold and cash were stolen by a group of aging thieves in 2015. Handsome and strong, he says he apprenticed with a band of female thieves, who stuffed their bloomers with stolen mink furs, jewellery and clothing. A ruthless criminal still feared and revered to this day. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. I am the last one left, he adds. Mum broke the news: Theyre accusing him of terrible things but its all lies. I knew my father was facing life and I might lose him. Though Ronnie was the nutty one, I found him more genuine," Foreman says now. When I was 18 and my mother discovered my revolver in my bedroom closet, he adds, she knew what kind of boy I was. He lamented that his sons never visited. Gangster No 1: The Freddie Foreman Story: Directed by Trevor Drane. Freddie Foreman, a former gangster who was an enforcer for the Kray twins in the 1960s, at a residence for seniors in London this month. I vividly remembered Ronnie and Reggie Kray babysitting me. I was sent to boarding school for my betterment and also to protect me from his dangerous world. "When I go to bed at night, the main thing I hope is that I wake up the next morning.". My father was free. But Foremans lucrative association with the twins ended when all three were imprisoned in relation to the murder of fellow gangster Jack "the hat" McVitie in 1969. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. "Kash asked what it was, whether it was getting better. "The worst crime a man can commit is bringing up his family in poverty so I don't regret any of my actions. How do the two worlds compare? "If you want it bad enough, youve got to go and get it.. "My wife was saying 'It's not too bad, Fred, you can do 10 years, youre not doing life.' But back in the 1960s,Foreman was known as the Godfather of London, a ruthless criminal who was a key figure in the Krays' gang, The Firm . "I'm not happy about this, Paul," he says at one stage as he revisits the scene in. In this special documentary, Foreman reveals the audacious details of the heists, double crossings . I was too old to fancy going to work, but it wouldve been, Foremans home is cramped, but he doesnt need much room after more than a decade of living in a prison cell, my every movement watched by screws, he says. My dad was one of Londons most successful gangsters involved in Britains most audacious armed robberies with the most dangerous criminals. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Almost everyone is gone, he said, pointing to a black-and-white photograph showing head shots of former Kray associates, including one who was shot in the leg by Reggie Kray in front of his wife and children. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Foreman has outlived all his criminal contemporaries: Ronnie Kray was 61 when he died of a heart attack at Broadmoor Hospital in 1995. For a large part of the 1960s, Foreman and the Kray twins' gang The Firm, ruled the streets in the East End of London. she said. You dont prove youre a hard man by stabbing someone. He also revealed a secret: He nearly went on the Hatton Garden job himself. I lived in a four bedroom villa, he said, between Marbella and Puerto Bans.. ", Still, apart from meeting the Krays, he says he has no regrets about his past. Former gangster Freddie Foreman was a Krays associate and ruthless criminal, feared and revered by his contemporaries and infamous . And, the thrill of once again being part of the game., He also reveals a secret: he nearly went on the Hatton Garden job himself. But Jer was always a keen follower of our progress as a band, and always came to see us when we played nearby, always with huge enthusiasm. When I was 18 and my mother discovered my revolver in my bedroom closet, he added, she knew what kind of boy I was. She would, say, Fred Foreman, youre going to end up hanging from a noose., His real entry into the underbelly of London crime came in the 1960s when he was recruited by the Kray brothers, under whose tutelage he earned another of his nicknames: the Undertaker. His main motivation for crime, he said, was that he had a wife, Maureen, and three children to support. Dad suggested asking Ronnie if Barbara could help. Thats all Im looking forward to when is it my turn? He says this with a chuckle as he tucks into his veal, spaghetti and red wine. "All I wanted to do was make money so we could live a decent life. Foremans journey from Brown Bread Fred, (brown bread being Cockney rhyming slang for dead), to retired pensioner has been variously marked by hardship, opulence, menace and a canny instinct for survival. "However, the time has now come for my friends and fans around the world to know the truth, and I hope everyone will join with me, my doctors and all those worldwide in the fight against this terrible disease," Freddie added. [5][6][3], In his autobiography, Respect, Foreman also admitted to the murders of Frank "Mad Axeman" Mitchell and Tommy "Ginger" Marks during the 1960s in revenge for the shooting of his brother who had been shot in the groin. There was sun and sangria and birds. Mr. Foreman was never convicted of the Security Express robbery, but he was sentenced to nine years for handling stolen property. He put three kids through boarding school, lived in a mansion and travelled all over the world - all off the back of his criminal activities. There was sun and sangria and birds. Now hes reflecting on that time in the film Fred, which traces Foremans life from his impoverished wartime childhood through his longstanding criminal career. When one of the guards, who was blindfolded and tied to a chair, hesitated to reveal the vaults combination, the gang put lighter fluid under his nostrils and threatened to light a match, one of the thieves, Freddie Foreman, now recalls. For years Ronnie and Reggie had run the East End and made a lot of money. So what about those old crimes he has written about in the past? Its a funny word to use about men whose names today are still synonymous with crimes such as armed robbery and murder. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, Godfather of British crime Freddie Foreman speaks to Dan Bilefsky about turning down the Hatton Garden heist, what the Krays were really like, and how hes the last one left, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. Did I hate my father for the things hed done? His ability to mete out rough justice - and his shrewd business brain - brought him to the attention of the Krays. They live six miles from Augusta National. Much to his indignation, as there was then no extradition treaty between Spain and the UK, he was hoisted back to England still in his shorts and flip-flops. I was brought up to be a straight goer, live honestly and never take anything that didnt belong to me. Violence, he stressed, had been a sometimes necessary and unfortunate occupational hazard, but it was never an end in itself. Better throw in a few extra 'f**ks'!". Attached to almost every unsolved gangland murder in London over the last 50 years - to Britain's criminal underworld Freddie Foreman is "The Godfather". All told, he spent 16 years in jail for various crimes, an experience he called a living hell., Now, Mr. Foreman lives a quiet life, sharing roast beef dinners with the other older residents in his building. Foreman is a little coy on the subject when pressed on film about all this by its director, Paul Van Carter. I come from a criminal background, but not for one second have I ever been ashamed of my father or my world. I remember being blown out of my bed by an explosion and seeing childrens bodies on the streets, he, Foremans criminal career began in the 1940s at age 16 when he lived in Battersea, in. When an Estranged Relative Dies, Some Face Grief, Regret and Relief Some have regrets over unfinished business. Mr. Foremans journey from Brown Bread Fred, (brown bread is Cockney rhyming slang for dead), to retired pensioner has been variously marked by hardship, opulence, menace and a canny instinct for survival. In 2018, it was reported Foreman was living in a nursing home with no money, estranged from his family.[7]. There are stacks of gangster films, along with a biography, The Dark Charisma of Adolf Hitler. A . He was tapped for the Security Express job, he says, and he wanted, Hatton Garden heist: The target, the plan, the job, the investigation. He was my hero, no matter what hed done. Soon, Mr. Foreman was ruling over a swath of South London and owned pubs, betting shops and a nightclub called Hamilton House. "He kept saying, you must come round to meet the twins. He said that he had tried to go clean by working in a meat market but that he had hungered for easy money. By the 1950s, he said, he had graduated to stealing washing machines and televisions. Two died there last week. Im not happy about this, Paul, he says at one stage as he revisits the scene in Bethnal Green where Marks was shot dead in 1965 and is asked to describe what happened. Maybe theyve got no respect for anybody anymore.". Fresh-faced: Jamie Foreman as a young East End lad, Parents: Jamie's mum Maureen and dad Freddie in the sixties with his dad's great friend Ronnie Oliffe, Kray Twins: Ronald, left, and Reginald babysat Jamie, Real East Enders: Freddie Foreman with the late actor George Raft, Ronnie Kray and Mrs Foreman, Reflective mood: Jamie Foreman looks back on his life in his book. I was sent to boarding school for my betterment. I wasn't over eager - they had a bit of a reputation.". On the day of his sentencing for his role in McVities death he was also charged with another murder, that of fellow Kray henchman Frank Mitchell, another career criminal who the Krays had helped to escape from Dartmoor prison only to have him killed months later in the back of a van in which Foreman was present. I was ecstatic. Im retired! Foreman's dramatic kidnap and arrest for Britain's biggest cash robbery made headlines around the world, yet this daring raid was just the peak of the safe-blowing, bank-robbing career that spanned decades. Despite Freddie's close bond with his mother, he felt unable to spill his greatest secret to his family, including his sister Kashmira Cooke. past this time round has proved more troublesome than he anticipated. I dont think anyone who has turned to crime these days is going to live long enough to build up a reputation, are they? Would he have gone with Perkins on that one last job if he had been asked? "Charlie was a great friend of mine," Freddie recalls. People often forget that.". Apart from the tagline of the film Im not the Godfather, not Marlon Brando! he protests there is the Undertaker, the High Executioner, Brown Bread Fred, the Guvnor, the Mean Machine and the tortuous Managing Director of British Crime, which was forced on him by his first publisher. His own teenage years involved different forms of violence to the knife-wielders and moped robbers of today. Almost everyone is gone, he says, pointing to a black-and-white photograph showing head shots of former Kray associates, including one who was shot in the leg by Reggie Kray in front of his wife and children. Convicted gangster Freddie Foreman - born on March 5, 1932 - was once known as the Godfather of London, his home. He was charming, intelligent, loyal to his friends and as feared as he was respected.. Discovering my dad no matter what hed done tagline of the film Im not Godfather! 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