In time-honoured tradition, Thompson failed to speak out against the brothers and they were cleared of all charges. rita thompson glasgow. Commuters will have the chance to grab some pre-loved fashion bargains later this month, with the money raised helping Shelter Scotland amidst the housing emergency. Powerful social search locates profiles on social networks, dating sites, online shopping, web forums, music platforms, etc. New Glasgow west end venue The Wendy Bar opens its doors on Byres Road. Spokeo's database, while extensive, does not contain all U.S. warrant, arrest, court, or other related records. Family and friends must say goodbye to their beloved Rita Thompson (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), who passed away at the age of 64, on August 18, 2021. [9] He was acquitted of all charges. He then walked the few yards from one court to another to give evidence in the Welshes murder trial. Nine months later Thompson died in his bed from a heart attack. He was buried in the family plot at Riddrie Cemetery beside Arthur Jnr and daughter, Margaret, who suffered a drugs overdose in 1989. The truth about the slaying of Arthur 'Fat Boy' Thompson Junior, eldest son of the godfather of Glasgow's biggest criminal clan, outside his home in the Provanmill district in 1991, has been. She was born September 4, 1944, in Fort Fairfield, the daughter of Stephen Jr. and Rita (Theriault) Murphy. READ MORE:The Glasgow crime story of the mysterious murder of wealthy Marion Gilchrist in 1908. Many of the immigrants that arrived in the United States during the 1980s were used to violence as El Salvador is one of the worlds most dangerous places to live. Two weeks later Joe learned of Thompsons plans to blow up both his and Johns homes in Glasgow. Are you sure you want to delete this comment? No one man had dominated organised crime in the city quite like Arthur Thompson and no one man ever would. Arthur was an enforcer in Scotland for the Krays during the late Fifties, and by the mid-Sixties had established a chain of pubs and dance halls, popular haunts for gangsters. He died in his father's arms. The car was deliberately placed on the funeral route. It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse. However, despite the murder of his son, the Godfather wasn't quite finished yet. It was common for Arthur to crucify his victims by nailing their hands and feet to furniture. Nothing befitted his life like the leaving of it. The Godfather was reportedly able to use his prison contacts to have steaks, alcohol and chocolate delivered to him each day in his cell. In later life he even adopted some of the late US mobster's sartorial taste in pinstripes. READ MORE:The Glasgow crime story of the murder of Jackie Gallagher. For webmasters |, COPYRIGHT 2006 Scottish Daily Record & Sunday. In the early 1960s, Thompson became close allies of notorious London gangsters The Kray twins, Ronnie and Reggie so much so, they are reputed to have come up to Glasgow to seek his advice on a plan to take over The Beatles from their manager Brian Epstein. McPherson wrote: It was straight out of a Guy Ritchie movie and was full of cockney hardmen. Join Facebook to connect with Rita Thompson and others you may know. It was clear to everyone in the citys underworld what type of message was being sent out with the double murder. heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment. [5] Their bodies had been dumped on the route of Fatboy's funeral procession, so that his hearse passed their dead bodies. Norval went down for 14 years. Beatings and slashings were routinely inflicted on anyone who failed to pay up. Thompson signed into a private clinic in the West End of Glasgow and told police the injury was caused by a broken drill bit. He added: "Thompson is the leader of the hardcore of thugs in Aberdeen prison. In 1988, Thompson suffered a broken leg after he was run over by a car and shot at, again outside his home. Underworld sources say there is a battle to control Glasgow's 300 million drug market which has spawned a wave of attacks and murders in the city. His death, coupled with the jailing of Paul Ferris on firearms charges in 1999, left a void which has generated a wave of violence. Three years later, Ferris was accused of the murder of the Fatboy who was shot three times outside of his home. Pensioner dies at Glasgow hospital a month after fatal city centre crash. Rita Thompson, 72, who had throat cancer, died on Tuesday. Kenyans who live in the slums carrying the body of a suspected Mungiki member. The documents cover the period from 1967 to 1969, when Thompson was in his late 30s and paint a picture of the criminal kingpin as a devious man used to getting his own way. She received three years in prison for the attack. One infamous recent incident occurred when a member in San Francisco killed a man and his two sons for the crime of briefly blocking his car. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please Glasgow's original Godfather: Walter Norval. Initially, the group was in favor of female circumcision and later adopted rituals such as wearing dreadlocks and swearing oaths like the Mau Mau rebels who fought against Britain in the 1960s. [4], On 18 August 1991 Thompson's son Arthur Jr (nicknamed "Fatboy") died after being shot three times[7] outside the family home,[8] "The Ponderosa". So the person in charge would have to have been something very special, and Arthur was certainly that.. The authority's suspicions of Thompson were not unjustified. He was also cleared of attempting to murder Arthur Thompson Snr by repeatedly driving a car at him and threatening to murder another man William Gillen by shooting him in the leg. His bullet-ridden body was rushed to Glasgow Royal Infirmary but he died a few hours later. He booked himself into a private clinic and told the police the injury had been caused by a drill bit which broke off. Single Use in context. It was rumoured to be fitted out with secret passages, hiding spots, and its own underground tunnel. The Thompson Gang was finished at this point, and Arthur died in his bed in 1993. If that was true then young Arthurs decision to take the night air was to prove fatal. In 1966 he had been involved in a high-value theft of clothes from a shop in Glasgow and was sentenced to four years in prison. Friends of Thompson say he was never the same after young Arthurs death. [4] Thompson then went on to invest his money into legitimate businesses, which grew more and more over the years, making him a very wealthy man. He was a very violent, ruthless, clever criminal and a real nasty piece of work. The iconic firm was formed back in 1965. Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. [5], His other son, Billy, was stabbed and seriously wounded 400 yards (350 metres) from the family home[8] in 2000, but survived. HP10 9TY. ', Tell-tale sign a coin is rare as expert urges Glaswegians to check change. By the 1980s, Glasgow was in the midst of a heroin epidemic as the drug flooded into the city in a market worth up to 30 million. Copyright 2023 Farlex, Inc. |
Teacher strikes suspended as union backs new Scottish Government pay offer. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. He is a consummate villain. It was just a way for the terrified owner to pay protection to Thompson. But when I was with Thompson I was safe and I could have had anything in the pub that I wanted that night.. The group has a total disdain for the modernization of their country and completely reject Western influences. After several escapes from camp he was sentenced to 18 months hard labour for slashing another soldier with shards of glass. Overall, around 100 people died in the violence. [14], Chasing Killers Joe Jackson ISBN978-1-84596-406-1. Download Glasgow gangster Arthur Thompson with his wife Rita Thompson, c.1970 (b/w photo) from Bridgeman Images archive a library of millions of art, Rita's husband, William Gunn, the biker, isn't so lucky, getting five years in jail for threatening to kill one of the leading witnesses. There was to be further drama that day as there was also a bomb scare at the cemetery where Thompson Jr was due to be buried. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. Thompson would also carry out hits for the Krays in London and they would do the same in return in Glasgow. One detective on the case said: 'He had been a dead man walking for years. Readers comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. In 1969 Thompson's wife, Rita, forced her way into the Welsh home, stabbed Patrick Welsh's wife in the chest, and was jailed for three years. He died from a heart attack in 1993 aged 61. Nine months later on March 13 1993, Thompson died from a heart attack at the age of 61. Norval made his name in local gangs, moving on to protection rackets, working pubs, clubs and bookies then, naturally, to armed robbery. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, Loudwater Mill, Station Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. His closing years were plagued by two bouts of cancer, first of the bowel and then the lung. Thompson lived with his family in Provanmill Road in Provanmill, Glasgow, in a garishly converted council house nicknamed The Ponderosa, after the 1960s cowboy TV series Bonanza. It may be one of the few occasions when the law had got the better of him. To survive, they formed their own group and called themselves Mara (Central American term for Gang) Salvatrucha (Salva comes from El Salvador, and Trucha means clever). If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can Family and friends can send flowers and/or light a candle as a loving gesture for their loved one. *** Local Caption *** Scottish gangs. The battle for Glasgow's underworld is being further complicated by the arrival of a new clan of Triad gangsters attempting to take over the drug trade. To quote from Norval's musical epitaph, My daddy was a bankrobber, but he never hurt nobody, he just loved to live that way, and he loved to steal your money.". It was now all about drugs and there Wattie drew the line. Further violence involving the Mungiki took place after the disputed Kenyan General Election in December 2007. At 1.30pm, five cars left her home in Provanmill Road in Glasgow's East End bound for nearby Riddrie Park Cemetery. Privacy policy |
On the day of Fatboys funeral, the bodies of two of Ferris associates were found in a car. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com. See Rita S Thompson's age, phone number, house address, email address, social media accounts, public records, and check for criminal records on Spokeo. Another local hard man, Paul Ferris, was charged with Fat Boy's murder, but cleared after Scotland's longest criminal trial. He saw little of his father and mother a mixed marriage in the Glasgow sense, father a Catholic, mother a Protestant romping around the area, avoiding school and police, whatever criminal mischief was afoot Wattie was at the heart of it. Rita Thompson, who had throat cancer, died in 2006 at the age of 72. Another police file from 1969 said: "Thompson is one of the leading criminal lights in Glasgow with connections in London.". The young Detective Constable got out his own car and ran to a nearby petrol station to phone the emergency services, where he also found Thompson who then sped off. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. [8] [7] Other children [ edit] Thompson's daughter, Margaret, died from a drug overdose in 1989. Arthur was charged with their murders, but he was set free because no witnesses came forward to testify. We found 1021 people named Rita S Thompson. In the photos, the three can be seen relaxing and having drinks on a balcony in Sydney after "an all-night party," the Daily Mail reported. Thompson is survived by Tracey Thompson, his last remaining child. At the tender age of nineteen, he had become the crime bosss feared enforcer, collecting debts on his behalf. Rita M. Glasgow, 89, of Galena, died Wednesday, February 22, 2023, at Galena Stauss Senior Care Community, Galena surrounded by her family. After a few years of relatively low-key activity, the gang escalated its violent activity in 2007. 74 members of the sect were arrested. His own death almost 30 years ago marked the end of an astonishing era in the history of the city's underworld. All rights reserved. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Rita Thompson is on Facebook. He even threatened to bomb the homes of two off-duty police officers after they saw him kill two men in Royston Road, Glasgow, in May that year. Arthur Thompson, known as the Godfather in the city, formed the gang and began his career as a money lender in a council estate. This luxury fortress was known as 'The Ponderosa'. There are 200+ professionals named "Rita Thompson", who use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. Arthur also enjoyed hobnobbing with celebrities. Lanarkshire mum loses scan picture of dead babies after 'heartless' council evict her. By 1966, Arthur Thompson was all-powerful in Glasgow. Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. His death was to prove the beginning of the end for the Thompson family fiefdom. A few days after the double murder, armed police raided his Ponderosa home looking for evidence but nothing was found. When fellow gang member Ronnie Biggs was asked shortly before his death in 2013 if Arthur was involved in the robbery, Biggs replied cryptically: I might be dying but Im not a grass.. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. Ferris, then 28, was found not guilty in June 1992 at the High Court in Glasgow after the longest-running murder trial in Scottish legal history. No one man had dominated organised crime in the city quite like Arthur Thompson and no one man ever would. "His depravity is veneered with conformity and deadly quietness, and he is difficult to undermine when he is on the alert. As a result the takeover never took place. Search for profiles by email and username. Menu Log In Sign Up Arthurs son Billy became a heroin addict, and his daughter Margaret died from a heroin overdose. While London had the Krays and the Richardsons to contend with in the 1960s, Glasgow had its own dominant group of street thugs in the form of The Thompson Gang. He was seen as the rising star of the Glasgow underworld and a man who could take over from Arthur Snr. Kathy Friend, 60, lost her battle with secondary liver and bone cancer on February 19 but she is remembered for touching the lives of many with her amazing community projects. Fraser, now dead, once recalled: Down south, we viewed Glasgow as the Wild West. Glasgow Live. Rangers vs Kilmarnock starting team news as Todd Cantwell and Nicolas Raskin in but no Malik Tillman. Rita Thompson building. In the United States, MS-13 is making its deadly mark. On April 16, she posted a pic of the director holding her in a matching Gucci sweater, while . The gunman, an IRA hitman, had been hired by a rival to kill him. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes. By the 1980s, Glasgow was in the midst of a heroin epidemic as the drug flooded into the city in a market worth up to 30 million. A Gannett Company. Both bodies are thought to have been stored at business premises not far from the Cottage Bar overnight, then driven to Darleith Street around mid-morning. It was started in California when large groups of people from El Salvador fled the country during its civil war. 'No one is going to say anything about him or the rest of the family.'. Nadiya Tkachenko compitiendo en la prueba de lanzamiento de peso en el pentatln olmpico de 1980, donde gan la medalla de oro. The lack of a dominant godfather figure means rival factions are fighting to fill the power vacuum, and police fear the violence may escalate further. Today, the Mungikis membership is approximately 500,000, and it is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the worlds deadliest gangs. Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. Arthur's son Billy became a heroin . While Arthur liked to make money and stay out of the limelight, Fatboy loved being known as a major player in Glasgow and reveled in showing off his wealth. [7] Paul Ferris was charged with Arthur Thompson Jr's murder and tried in 1992 but was found not guilty and released. Campbell, convicted of the 1984 Ice Cream Murders when six members of the Doyle family died in a blaze in Ruchazie, Glasgow, has, like Ferris, long accused McGraw of building his criminal empire. The recent stabbing of a gangland godfather's son has reignited the battle for control of a 300m drugs market. "He didnt care if he had money in his pocket. And in a summation which might bring a tear to the glassiest eye she said, Dad wasnt motivated by money. Tributes paid to 'vibrant' Glasgow community hero who tragically died after long cancer battle. Friendly with the likes of 'Mad' Frankie Fraser and Billy Hill, he was a leading underworld figure north of the border. photos. Copyright 2018 Global Image Works, LLC. The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) union has urged members to accept the offer. It was just a way for the terrified owner to pay protection to Thompson. Editors' Code of Practice. The term Mungiki means multitude or united people in the Kikuyu language. Theres also little doubt that Arthur Thompson Snr ordered the killings. There are rumors that the gang split up into two groups in 2007 and its leading members were killed in that year; possibly by government forces although it denies responsibility. In the 1960s, his wife Rita was employed as a singer, with one pub paying a fee of 200 for each performance - the equivalent of 4000 in today's money. Jurors also come under attack and are provided with police bodyguards for the duration. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please Norval's trial has a fiery hanselling. Kenyas security forces had to act and stormed into the Mathare region. He was friendly with another legendary London gangster too Mad Frankie Fraser. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. By now, his son Arthur Jr., also known as Fatboy, was in charge of the gang as Arthur Sr. took a backseat. Prison chiefs were also under no illusions about the kind of man they were dealing with. Arthur Thompson, Rita Thompson.Circa, Glasgow. Failure to pay him what you owed resulted in a painful punishment. Thirty years later no one has yet been charged with the murders or stood trial. The grim find was made by the pubs manager who was passing at the time on his way to open up. contact the editor here. You can make a complaint by using the report this post link . Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. The jailing of Fat Boy brought challenges from gangs hoping to take over the Thompson empire. As money rolled in, they converted their council home into a palace, buying the property next door and knocking the two together. By the Eighties, the Thompson clan had moved into the drug trade led by the Thompsons' eldest son, Arthur Jnr, known as Fat Boy, who operated out of Blackpool. Other papers record Thompson trying to stir up a hunger strike and pressing inmates to petition for better privileges and visiting rights. In August 1991, Arthur Jnr, 31, was shot dead outside the Thompson family home while on weekend leave from prison. Thompson received a not proven verdict, despite the eyewitness accounts of Joe and his brother. He avoided service in the war well he would, wouldn't he? When he was sent to Inverness after one escapade, a 21-inch metal cosh was found inside his pillow. In August 1991, Arthur Jr, 31, was shot dead outside the family home while on weekend leave from prison. MS-13 worked with Mexican drug cartels regularly and is becoming ever more active in the United States. Bankrobber, that was the song, and that was old Wattie's business. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 PM . According to underworld sources, Billy Thompson, who has served a number of prison sentences and has a heroin habit, wanted to regain the former prominence of the Thompson name, despite the fact that he has not inherited any of his father's business acumen. Three months later, Thompson narrowly escaped death when he was in a car that exploded outside his house. As the school's most distinguished benefactors . He died in March 2017, so at the time of writing, Tracey Thompson is Arthurs only remaining child. Thompson is survived by Tracey Thompson, his last remaining child. We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse. Police have confirmed that the body of Matthew Cosgrove was discovered in the Lesmahagow area on Friday afternoon. [8] Billy died on 4 March 2017 as a result of his drug addiction. In the 1960s, his wife Rita was employed as a singer, with one pub paying a fee of 200 for each performance the equivalent of 4000 in todays money. Ferris trial was the longest and most expensive in Scottish history up to that point, but he was acquitted. THE MOB'S REVENGE; 50TH BRITISH SOLDIER TO DIE SERVING IN IRAQ Troops ambushed after Islamic chief's arrest. She revealed her dying wish when she was told she was losing her battle with throat cancer, according to a former henchman of her late husband. Thank you to whichever member of staff was responsible! In his 2009 autobiography, legendary Scottish football commentator Archie Macpherson revealed he was paid up to 500 a time in the early 1980s to host events organised by Thompson. [8] The Peddie School community mourns the death of Leonore Annenberg, wife of our esteemed alumnus, the late Walter Annenberg '27. He gave evidence against the man accused of his sons murder, Paul Ferris, in 1992 at the High Court in Glasgow. It's now, as leader of what becomes known as the XYY Gang, that Norval becomes notorious. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. Copyright 2006 Gale, Cengage Learning. In his day, he said, "gangsters were hard men. One retired publican said: To stop trouble all the landlord or bar manager in one of those pubs needed to say was, This is Arthur Thompsons place.. [8] Billy had recently served a prison sentence for possessing a harpoon gun. In 1969 Thompson's wife, Rita, forced her way into the Welsh home, stabbed Patrick Welsh's wife in the chest, and was jailed for three years. Bridgeman Images
We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. One of its founders claims that the Mungiki began as a local militia in the 1980s. Get the latest crime news direct to your inbox with the Glasgow Crime and Courts newsletter. Glasgow comedian pokes fun at 'West End Mums' in hilarious Pet Shop Boys parody, Hilarious TikToker Zara has created a fantastic parody of Pet Shop Boys 80s classic 'West End Girls' taking aim at mums living in the west end of the city 'because being south's an anxiety trigger. Although Thompson wasnt a tall man, he was powerfully built with a chilling stare that could terrify both friend and foe alike. In dramatic scenes, Thompson and the Welshes both stood trial at the same time at the High Court in Glasgow. As we release the first episode of our Glasgow Crime Stories podcast, read the extended version of telling the story of infamous crime godfather Arthur Thompson and the murder of his son. Norval's daughter, Rita Gunn, is charged with conspiring to damage the court but acquitted. Although he has been dead for nearly eight years, the name of Arthur Thompson still induces instant amnesia or muteness in Provanmill residents. Thompson suspected both men of being involved in his sons murder and is said to have paid a hitman 20,000 to execute them. One of his main sources of income over the years was providing protection to pubs in the city. Let's take a critical look at the truth about Walter Norval, rather than the sepia-tinted mythology. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. THE widow of Arthur Thompson, the former Glasgow godfather, has died. There was understandable media speculation that Ferris now had a price on his head. Young Arthur - nicknamed Fat Boy by his detractors - had been released that Saturday morning from Noranside Prison in Angus on a weekend parole as part of a training for freedom programme.