By 1966, Arthur Thompson was all-powerful in Glasgow. Readers comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. [5] His other son, Billy, was stabbed and seriously wounded 400 yards (350 metres) from the family home [8] in 2000, but survived. She received three years in prison for the attack. [11][12][13], Thompson died at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary on 13 March 1993 from a heart attack at the age of 61. Ferris only escaped a similar fate because he was on remand at Barlinnie Prison awaiting trial. . She received three years in prison for the attack. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. While America is often deemed to have a high homicide rate compared to other Western nations, it pales in comparison to El Salvador where the murder rate is 22 times higher. Again, Arthur survived and refused to make any statement to the police. Thompson would also carry out hits for the Krays in London and they would do the same in return in Glasgow. The car was deliberately placed on the funeral route. Beatings and slashings were routinely inflicted on anyone who failed to pay up. Beatings and slashings were routinely inflicted on anyone who failed to pay up. As a result, they were given a police guard and their families moved to safety. Arthur Thompson, Rita Thompson.Circa, Glasgow. He was born in 1928 in Possil, three years before Old Arthur Thompson, a Godfather contemporary, but one whose criminal path diverged into drugs, whereas Norval preferred to do it the old fashioned way, with a mask and a gun in an armed robbery, never mind the occasional stabbing. He died from a heart attack in 1993 aged 61. But that was all in the past for Ferris as he savoured his dramatic acquittal on the High Court steps before a cheering crowd. View property details and household demographic information related to income, investments, and interests. One police file said: The overall picture of Thompson is that of a violent, vicious and active criminal who will stop at nothing to uphold his position in the underworld as a hard man and to gain his own ends". It was just a way for the terrified owner to pay protection to Thompson. Three shots at close range from a .22 pistol hit young Arthur. Feedback | 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. Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. It was also rumoured that Thompson was involved in the 1963 Great Train robbery when 2.6 million (equivalent to around 30m now) was stolen from the Glasgow to London mail train. By 1966, Arthur Thompson was all-powerful in Glasgow. Photos of Taika Waititi, Rita Ora, and Tess Thompson, Raising - Insider He was Glasgows equivalent of Don Corleone, the fictional New York crime boss immortalised by Marlon Brando in the classic Oscar-winning Godfather movie. Earlier this year, pitched battles broke out in Chinese restaurants between the Wo Sing Wo Triad and their rivals, the Tai Huen Chair or Big Circle Gang. Glasgows criminal underbelly was laid bare during three months of evidence and its hard-won City of Culture status took a battering. Scores of large ones involving hundreds of foot soldiers, secret weapons arsenals and explosives in safe houses across Glasgow, and over three years in the mid-70s they mob carried out dozens of armed robberies, usually of payrolls, often from hospitals and major works, but also from post offices across the country. The name sticks because in 1977 its members are involved in four different trials and to avoid cross-contamination the principals are given anonymous idents, Mr X, Mr Y, and so on. As his power and wealth grew, so did his influence. The gangster was always the same dealing with the police. Born in September 1931[1] in the industrial area of Springburn, Glasgow,[2] Arthur Thompson began his career as a money lender, and was said to crucify those who did not repay their debts, by nailing them to floors or doors. Widow of gangster Thompson dies | HeraldScotland 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. All rights reserved. Fairbairn was a ferocious right-winger who had married into the Scottish aristocracy, later became Solicitor-General appointed by Margaret Thatcher and died of cirrhosis of the liver. Its rumoured Thompson was present when Ronnie infamously shot George Cornell of the rival Richardson gang in Londons Blind Beggar pub in 1966. 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.. He drove his car directly at their van and forced it off the road. They fought in the streets, they fought in the pubs and they made names for themselves - but it was amongst themselves. [9] He was acquitted of all charges. Head of crime clan Arthur Thompson His father ruled Glasgow's crime scene and was rumoured to have raked in 100,000 a week from protection rackets. We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please There were 6,656 official murders in the nation in 2015 and in 2016; there was a homicide every hour in the first few months of the year. Bankrobber, that was the song, and that was old Wattie's business. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com. A few days after the double murder, armed police raided the Ponderosa home looking for evidence but nothing was found. Both had been dumped in the well of Hanlon's Ford Orion car parked in Darleith Street a few yards from it's entrance. The gang clashed with the owners of matatus (privately owned minibusses) and approximately 50 people died in the violence. Disaster struck in 1985 when Fat Boy was jailed for 11 years when he fell victim to a huge heroin bust. Arthur Snr suspected both men of being involved in his sons murder and is said to have paid a hitman 20,000 to execute them. A Young Arthur Thompson. 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. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can GALENA, Ill. Rita M. Glasgow, 89, of Galena, died Wednesday, February 22, 2023, at Galena Stauss Senior Care Community, Galena surrounded by her family. The first bullet grazed his cheek, the second smashed into his ribs, a lung, the third, tore through his gut and pierced his heart. One of its founders claims that the Mungiki began as a local militia in the 1980s. The myth has him dedicating himself to a life of crime after watching the movie Dillinger in a local fleapit. In August 1991, Arthur Jr, 31, was shot dead outside the family home while on weekend leave from prison. View the profiles of people named Rita. The young Detective Constable got out of his own car and ran to a nearby petrol station to phone the emergency services, where he also found Thompson who then sped off. 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. 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. Secret reports on Thompson from the late 1960s made public for the first time by the Scottish Government in 2010 present a chilling portrait of the man. The jailing of Fat Boy brought challenges from gangs hoping to take over the Thompson empire. Brothers Martin, George and Henry Welsh, 24, were charged with murdering Margaret and attempting to kill Arthur in the revenge attack. The Mungiki was linked to a triple murder in the United States and also mutilated and decapitated a 2-year old boy as part of a bizarre ritual. Whoever did that was taking a big chance as Hanlon's Ford Orion was well known to the police and was regularly stopped. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to In the United States, MS-13 is making its deadly mark. *** Local Caption *** Scottish gangs. He might have observed the criminal code but never the marital one. His own death almost 30 years ago marked the end of an astonishing era in the history of the city's underworld. They had been shot in the head and the anus. 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.. Friends of Thompson say he was never the same after young Arthurs death. Ferris trial was the longest and most expensive in Scottish history up to that point, but he was acquitted. 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. Death Notices | funeral-notices.co.uk Fatboy was very different to his father. In June, it began a reign of terror against matatu drivers and conductors while also targeting people who defected from the gang. It was also rumoured that Thompson was involved in the 1963 Great Train robbery when 2.6 million (equivalent to around 30m now) was stolen from the Glasgow to London mail train. Rita Thompson, who had throat cancer, died in 2006 at the age of 72. Thompson received a not proven verdict, despite the eyewitness accounts of Joe and his brother. Glasgow gangster Arthur Thompson, known as The Godfather, pictured with his wife Rita Thompson.Circa 1970. 3 - The Thompson Gang . Lanarkshire mum loses scan picture of dead babies after 'heartless' council evict her. ANNENBERG--Leonore. Drag your file here or click Browse below. See Rita S Thompson's age, phone number, house address, email address, social media accounts, public records, and check for criminal records on Spokeo. 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. Pentatln femenino. Thompsons name was enough to strike fear into anyone who crossed him. [14], Chasing Killers Joe Jackson ISBN978-1-84596-406-1. Uncover Rita's photos, videos, and more . It's not known what Thompson's views were when Ferris was cleared of murdering his son. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Extended: Glasgow's crime godfather Arthur Thompson and the murder of his son, The Glasgow crime story of the murder of Jackie Gallagher, The Glasgow crime story of the mysterious murder of wealthy Marion Gilchrist in 1908, The Glasgow Crime Story of Eleni Pachou who was murdered in her work Di Maggio's. His grandchildren and great grandchildren have to remain anonymous for the safety of the family. All planned teacher strikes have been suspended after a new pay offer was presented by the Scottish Government. Richard Thompson - Live Glasgow 1999 full concert HD - YouTube Join Facebook to connect with Rita Thompson and others you may know. When he was sent to Inverness after one escapade, a 21-inch metal cosh was found inside his pillow. Glasgow Crime Stories : The murder of Arthur Thompson Jnr As the school's most distinguished benefactors . 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. Although Thompson wasnt a tall man, he was powerfully built with a chilling stare that could terrify both friend and foe alike. In October 2016, the gang is believed to have murdered up to 6 people in the Brentwood area of New York including two teenage girls. Thompson himself had been known for punishing enemies or bad debtors by nailing their hands and feet to the floor crucifixion-style. However, Thompson said the pairs reputation would damage the bands career. His death was to prove the beginning of the end for the Thompson family fiefdom. Which was only partly true because he hurt many nobodies. As his power and wealth grew, so did his influence. In 1988, Thompson had another lucky escape when he was shot in the groin in a demolition yard he owned in the East End of Glasgow. However, Rita never sang a note. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. Ironically Ferriss incarceration by the authorities saved his life. READ MORE:The Glasgow crime story of the murder of Jackie Gallagher. THE MOB'S REVENGE; 50TH BRITISH SOLDIER TO DIE SERVING IN IRAQ Troops ambushed after Islamic chief's arrest. It was the end of an astonishing era. After several escapes from camp he was sentenced to 18 months hard labour for slashing another soldier with shards of glass. There was a massive turnout for young Arthurs funeral that afternoon with key members of the citys underworld there to pay their respects to both the victim and more importantly his father. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. In 1966, he narrowly escaped death when a bomb exploded under his car; his mother-in-law, in the passenger seat, was killed. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Brothers Martin, George and Henry Welsh, 24, were charged with murdering Margaret and attempting to kill Arthur in the revenge attack. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. His closing years were plagued by two bouts of cancer, first of the bowel and then the lung. [3] Protection rackets soon followed, and he was also involved in bank robberies and heists for a time. Nine months later on March 13 1993, Thompson died from a heart attack at the age of 61. HP10 9TY. Police are probing his links with a big dogfighting ring. Glasgow shop owner 'in tears' after store weeks away from opening hit by devastating blaze. Previously, Rita was a Perioperative Nursing Development Professional & Specialist at Huntington Hospital and also held positions at St. Mary's Medical Center, St. Mary's Medical Center, Desert Cities Dialysis [5], Thompson also survived two further attempts on his life; he was shot in the groin outside his home "The Ponderosa" in Provanmill, named after a ranch in the Western television series Bonanza in 1985. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. HP10 9TY. It was started in California when large groups of people from El Salvador fled the country during its civil war. Billy Thompson has now been taken off the critical list and looks set to make a full recovery. Norval's daughter, Rita Gunn, is charged with conspiring to damage the court but acquitted. Joe Jackson was with his older brother John when they saw Thompson, in his top-of-the-range Jaguar, force a van into a lamppost, killing the occupants, James Goldie and Patrick Welsh. A leading prosecution witness, in prison at the time, is provided with a constant police escort and kept in solitary confinement. 74 members of the sect were arrested. Urgent reappeal to find missing Glasgow man as disappearance 'very out of character'. There was understandable media speculation that Ferris now had a price on his head. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. We are doing this to improve the experience forour loyalreaders and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. Ironically Ferris was a former friend and ally of the Thompson family, said to be closer to the father than even his own son. He added: "Thompson is the leader of the hardcore of thugs in Aberdeen prison. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can Rita lives in Glasgow, KY in a single family house with Elisa. Disclaimer: Reference to these media outlets or TV shows should not be construed to imply an endorsement or sponsorship of Spokeo or its products.