Arthur Thompson, known as the Godfather in the city, formed the gang and began his career as a money lender in a council estate. 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 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. 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. He died from a heart attack in 1993 aged 61. As a result, they were given a police guard and their families moved to safety. He certainly knew who was responsible but would not be sharing that information any time soon with the police. Thompson died at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary on 13 March 1993 from a heart attack at the age of 61. 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, It was clear to everyone in the citys underworld what type of message was being sent out with the double murder. Some time afterwards he spotted them in their van. Rita, stabbed the wife of Patrick Welsh in the chest. By 1966, Arthur Thompson was all-powerful in Glasgow. As a consequence, many of the young men that arrived gravitated towards violence. He was Glasgows equivalent of Don Corleone, the fictional New York crime boss immortalised by Marlon Brando in the classic Oscar-winning Godfather movie. Results will return exact matches only.Any images with overlay of text may not produce accurate results.Details of larger images will search for their corresponding detail. In May, veteran gangland boss Frank McPhee was shot through the head on his doorstep, as his 11-year-old son looked on in terror. With 50 years experience providing images from the most prestigious museums, collections and artists. They could. THE MOB'S REVENGE; 50TH BRITISH SOLDIER TO DIE SERVING IN IRAQ Troops ambushed after Islamic chief's arrest. Feedback | There were plans at one stage to move Thompson from cushier Aberdeen to the tougher regime of Barlinnie but Rita bizarrely objected on the grounds that her husband might "fall in with a bad crowd.". Although he was aging, Old Arthur was still seen as a threat, so his enemies wanted to remove him from the picture permanently. 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". Discover work experience, company details, and more. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. 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. He forced their van off the road by driving his own car directly at it the van hit a lamp post and both men were killed. 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. On a quiet Sunday afternoon this month, as Billy strolled past his local post office in the tough Provanmill district of the city's East End, he was set upon by at least three men and stabbed repeatedly in his head and body. [5] Their bodies had been dumped on the route of Fatboy's funeral procession, so that his hearse passed their dead bodies. 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. Also known as MS-13, Mara Salvatrucha is arguably the most dangerous gang in the United States at present and they are apparently the gang that the FBI is most worried about. But nowadays, the people who call themselves gangsters don't do any hard work themselves. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's But when I was with Thompson, I was safe and I could have had anything in the pub that I wanted that night.. The goal was to protect Kikuyu farmers in their land disputes with the Maasai and local government forces dominated by the Kalenjin tribe. His other son, Billy died in 2017 as a result of his drug addiction. During his trips to London hed become friends with one of the ring leaders, Buster Edwards, who would later attend the funeral of Arthurs murdered son, Arthur Jr. He died in March 2017, so at the time of writing, Tracey Thompson is Arthurs only remaining child. Thompson in turn was accused of the culpable homicide of Goldie and Welsh. Rita's husband, William Gunn, the biker, isn't so lucky, getting five years in jail for threatening. But that was all in the past for Ferris as he savoured his dramatic acquittal on the High Court steps before a cheering crowd. Both men were bitter rivals of Thompson. Counts may not reflect the number of records that will appear in search results. A Young Arthur Thompson. AROUND a hundred mourners yesterday attended the funeral of gangster's wife Rita Thompson. On one occasion, the then BBC broadcaster accompanied Thompson to an underworld pub in London. 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. 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. His bullet-ridden body was rushed to Glasgow Royal Infirmary but he died a few hours later. Fraser, now dead, once recalled: Down south, we viewed Glasgow as the Wild West. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. MS-13 worked with Mexican drug cartels regularly and is becoming ever more active in the United States. Mirrorpix / GIW Photos. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. As well as terrorizing people in the United States, MS-13 still has a heavy presence in El Salvador. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the. [8] READ MORE:The Glasgow crime story of the mysterious murder of wealthy Marion Gilchrist in 1908. We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments. They had been shot in the head and the anus. [5] His other son, Billy, was stabbed and seriously wounded 400 yards (350 metres) from the family home [8] in 2000, but survived. 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.. 'You're wasting your time,' a shopkeeper said. Its rumoured Thompson was present when Ronnie infamously shot George Cornell of the rival Richardson gang in Londons Blind Beggar pub in 1966. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. . 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. Nothing befitted his life like the leaving of it. It was rumoured to be fitted out with secret passages, hiding spots, and its own underground tunnel. "His depravity is veneered with conformity and deadly quietness, and he is difficult to undermine when he is on the alert. 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. 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. McPherson wrote: It was straight out of a Guy Ritchie movie and was full of cockney hardmen. Joe, now 80, said: As far as I was concerned what my brother and I saw that night was murder. Menu Log In Sign Up The 56-year-old had been reported missing on Sunday. Thompson would also carry out hits for the Krays in London and they would do the same in return in Glasgow. We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can Thompson suspected both men of being involved in his sons murder and is said to have paid a hitman 20,000 to execute them. Arthur survived the bomb attack but his mother-in-law Margaret Johnstone was killed outright. Norval went down for 14 years. In 1989, Arthur's daughter, Margaret, died of a drugs overdose. [3] Protection rackets soon followed, and he was also involved in bank robberies and heists for a time. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. The 37-year-old was found seriously injured on his doorstep on Tuesday. As a result the takeover never took place. Around 10pm, on August 17, Arthur left his parents house to walk the short distance to his own home where he lived with his wife and young daughter. Editors' Code of Practice. Police are probing his links with a big dogfighting ring. Old Arthur was less feared than before and apparently had a fondness for booze. 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. 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. They were heavily involved in the violence in the ethnic Luos area which claimed the lives of several hundred people. For all advertising and other non-editorial uses contact the GIW office for further information. Born in September 1931 in the industrial area of Springburn, Glasgow he was destined for a life of crime. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself. Additionally, Ora has shared photos with both Waititi and Thompson. Readers comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. In the United States, MS-13 is making its deadly mark. Brothers Martin, George and Henry Welsh, 24, were charged with murdering Margaret and attempting to kill Arthur in the revenge attack. He was buried in the family plot at Riddrie Cemetery beside Arthur Jnr and daughter, Margaret, who suffered a drugs overdose in 1989. 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. The term Mungiki means multitude or united people in the Kikuyu language. In a bravura performance from the witness box, he denied he was Glasgows Godfather and criticised the police. So if you think you have a rare coin, here is what you need to know before selling. Glasgow gangster Arthur Thompson, known as The Godfather, pictured with his wife Rita Thompson.Circa 1970. [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. 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 other son, Billy died in 2017 as a result of his drug addiction. It may be one of the few occasions when the law had got the better of him. Rita M. Glasgow, 89, of Galena, died Wednesday, February 22, 2023, at Galena Stauss Senior Care Community, Galena surrounded by her family. Michael Beale will be looking for an immediate reaction from his side after suffering a first defeat in charge of the Light Blues in the League Cup Final defeat to Celtic. His account, as it was in all subsequent violent episodes, was that the red mist had come down and he couldn't remember a thing about it afterwards. Pentatln femenino. THE widow of Arthur Thompson, the former Glasgow godfather, has died. "He didnt care if he had money in his pocket. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to She sadly passed away on Wednesday, March 1. Shortly afterwards, he spotted two men he suspected of the attack, Patrick Welsh and James Goldie, members of the rival Welsh family Blackhill gang. Further violence involving the Mungiki took place after the disputed Kenyan General Election in December 2007. They fought in the streets, they fought in the pubs and they made names for themselves - but it was amongst themselves. Bear in mind that the population of El Salvador is approximately 6.12 million. Rita Thompson is on Facebook. He was caught and, as criminals did at the time, called for the legendary lawyer Joe Beltrami, who hired advocate Nicky Fairbairn to defend him. As the school's most distinguished benefactors . He then walked the few yards from one court to another to give evidence in the Welshes murder trial. Uncover Rita's photos, videos, and more . 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. Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. Prison chiefs were also under no illusions about the kind of man they were dealing with. 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. Supports are provided on site 24/7 including case workers from JHS and medical services provided by Ottawa Inner City Health (OICH) - a non-profit organization that provides health care to homeless and street involved people. ', Tell-tale sign a coin is rare as expert urges Glaswegians to check change. Thompson received a not proven verdict, despite the eyewitness accounts of Joe and his brother. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. 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. 17-19 Garway Road A sniper waited for him after he had been chased through Glasgow by another hitman. Fatboy was very different to his father. Fraser, now dead, once recalled: Down south, we viewed Glasgow as the Wild West. 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. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. However, Thompson said the pairs reputation would damage the bands career. Obituaries & obituary notices in Glasgow. The first bullet grazed his cheek, the second smashed into his ribs, a lung, the third, tore through his gut and pierced his heart. 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. The trial has to be delayed. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. Gillian Rooney was evicted from her Bellshill flat in February 2020 and claims the council threw away her belongings which included irreplaceable scan pictures of her late babies. Although Thompson wasnt a tall man, he was powerfully built with a chilling stare that could terrify both friend and foe alike. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 PM . A few hours before Fat Boy's funeral, the bodies of local hardmen Bobby Glover and Joe 'Bananas' Hanlon, widely thought to be responsible for Fat Boy's death, were found outside a bar in east Glasgow. However, Rita never sang a note. 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.