The continent of Africa is plagued by an infestation of machete wielding gangs, and the Mungiki originated in much the same way as most of these outfits. AROUND a hundred mourners yesterday attended the funeral of gangster's wife Rita Thompson. He graduated to forming protection rackets and like some other gangsters of the era, Arthur wisely invested his money in legitimate businesses and became an exceptionally wealthy man. The gunman, an IRA hitman, had been hired by a rival to kill him. However, Rita never sang a note. [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". These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. Along with rivals Barrio 18, they have ensured that El Salvador is the worlds murder capital. When they arrived in Los Angeles, they encountered an established system of Latin gangs and were not welcome. 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. Thompson suspected both men of being involved in his sons murder and is said to have paid a hitman 20,000 to execute them. Terms of use | Another police file from 1969 said: "Thompson is one of the leading criminal lights in Glasgow with connections in London.". Man charged in connection with death of Neil Canney in Greenock. Old Arthur testified against Ferris thus breaking the gangster code of silence. But nowadays, the people who call themselves gangsters don't do any hard work themselves. . contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. "He didnt care if he had money in his pocket. A funeral mass will be held at 11 AM, on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at St. Michaels Catholic Church, Galena where friends may gather after 10:30 AM until the time of mass. At an identification parade, he refused to identify the IRA suspect. For Norval the past was not just a different country but one with a language and culture he did not understand. Thompson would also carry out hits for the Krays in London and they would do the same in return in Glasgow. It's not known what Thompson's views were when Ferris was cleared of murdering his son. Arthur survived thebomb attack but his mother-in-lawMargaret Johnstone was killed outright. So the person in charge would have to have been something very special, and Arthur was certainly that.. 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. Rita Thompson, 72, who had throat cancer, died on Tuesday. It was the end of an astonishing era. Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. United Kingdom, {"event":"pageview","page_type1":"catalog","page_type2":"image_page","language":"en","user_logged":"false","user_type":"ecommerce","nl_subscriber":"false"}, {"event":"ecommerce_event","event_name":"view_item","event_category":"browse_catalog","ecommerce":{"items":[{"item_id":"MPX5165602","item_brand":"other","item_category":"photo","item_category2":"no_copyright","item_category3":"standard","item_category5":"not_balown","item_list_name":"search_results","item_name":"glasgow_gangster_arthur_thompson_with_his_wife_rita_thompson_c_1970_b_w_photo","item_variant":"undefined"}]}}. By the 1980s, the Thompson family had entered the drug trade, led by Thompson's son Arthur Jr.[5] It was rumoured that, by the 1990s, Thompson was earning some 100,000 a week as a loan shark (usurer). It was clear to everyone in the citys underworld what type of message was being sent out with the double murder. 541 court search results for people named "Rita Thompson" in the United States. HE was Glasgows equivalent of Don Corleone, the fictional New York crime godfather immortalised in his portrayal by Marlon Brando. One of its founders claims that the Mungiki began as a local militia in the 1980s. Arthur suspected that two men from the rival Welsh clan, Patrick Welsh and James Goldie, had planted the bomb. Rita Thompson is on Facebook. 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. Copyright 2018 Global Image Works, LLC. 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. At the time his parents lived in Provanmill Road, Blackhill, in a garishly converted former council house nicknamed The Ponderosa, after the 1960s cowboy TV series Bonanza. 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. A month later Norval sought Gibson out in a pub and stabbed him eight times before going on the run. It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of Rita M. Glasgow of Galena, Illinois, who passed away on February 22, 2023, leaving to mourn family and friends. However, Thompson said the pairs reputation would damage the bands career. Thirty years later no one has yet been charged with the murders or stood trial. Using JVC S-VHS VCR, at SP onto JVC SV-Master grade tape, tape A. "There is a real danger of him putting the screw on some of the locals in Aberdeen.". In the past, the journalists job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. 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. Although Thompson wasnt a tall man, he was powerfully built with a chilling stare that could terrify both friend and foe alike. [citation needed], Over 300 witnesses, including Thompson Sr,[11] were called to give evidence at a trial which lasted fifty four days and cost 4.1 million, at the time the longest[7] and most expensive trial in Scottish legal history. Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. The gang boss was out for blood, and he suspected two members of the rival Welsh gang, Patrick Welsh, and James Goldie, of the attack. Arthurs son Billy became a heroin addict, and his daughter Margaret died from a heroin overdose. Beatings and slashings were routinely inflicted on anyone who failed to pay up. Privacy policy | We found 2 records matching "Rita Thompson" in KY. * Historical, vital, and court records and search results may require an additional purchase. HP10 9TY. Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event. However, Rita never sang a note. Editors' Code of Practice. His father and younger brother Billy alerted by the shots found him dying on the pavement. *** Local Caption *** Scottish gangs This photo license is intended for editorial use only. Bear in mind that the population of El Salvador is approximately 6.12 million. 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. Glasgow Live. He died from a heart attack in 1993 aged 61. Further violence involving the Mungiki took place after the disputed Kenyan General Election in December 2007. Father Neil McGarrity has been placed on the sex offenders register after being found guilty of four sexual assaults and one charge of engaging in sexual activity. Failure to pay him what you owed resulted in a painful punishment. Anniversary. Jurors also come under attack and are provided with police bodyguards for the duration. A leading prosecution witness, in prison at the time, is provided with a constant police escort and kept in solitary confinement. As a result, they were given a police guard and their families moved to safety in another part of the city. Rita Thompson, 72, who had throat cancer, died on Tuesday. The acclaimed stylist, from Castlemilk, Glasgow, won multiple awards. 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. 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. Join Facebook to connect with Rita Thompson and others you may know. 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. Population Served Men who have experienced chronic homelessness Arthur also enjoyed hobnobbing with celebrities. 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. One of his main sources of income over the years was providing protection to pubs in the city. By the early 1980's Thompson - now in his 50's - was all-powerful in Glasgow and beyond. Perhaps a more fitting coda from the band might have been, I fought the law and the law won. Again, Arthur survived and refused to make any statement to the police. Readers comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. Friendly with the likes of 'Mad' Frankie Fraser and Billy Hill, he was a leading underworld figure north of the border. contact the editor here. 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. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 PM . She had lived in the same house in Provanmill since Mr Thompson died of a heart attack in 1993. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. We identified 2 records related to "Rita Thompson" in the state of Kentucky. He was friendly with another legendary London gangster too Mad Frankie Fraser. On one occasion, the then BBC broadcaster accompanied Thompson to an underworld pub in London. 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. In 1969 she was jailed for three years for stabbing a female member of the rival Welsh family in her home and even wrote letters to the Parole Board on Thompsons behalf while inside. 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.". According to legend, he introduced himself to the Kray brothers by bursting into a club they frequented with a gun and shouting: Im Arthur Thompson, from Glasgow, remember my name. Whether the story is true or not, he worked as an enforcer for the brothers. The 56-year-old had been reported missing on Sunday. It later transpired that they would have been better off inside prison. Both had been dumped in the well of Hanlon's Ford Orion car parked in Darleith Street a few yards from it's entrance. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. Arthur also enjoyed hobnobbing with celebrities. 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. His team, the Barlanark Gang, initially continued paying him a cut, but the two sides quickly fell out as the Gang found new paymasters. They continue to terrorize Kenyans, and it has been suggested that they might be the worlds largest gang regarding membership. Copyright 2023 Farlex, Inc. | BROOKS John to Elizabeth (McInally) on 19th June 1971, in the parish of the Immaculate Heart of. [8] Billy had recently served a prison sentence for possessing a harpoon gun. [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. Both men were bitter rivals of Thompson. McPherson wrote: It was straight out of a Guy Ritchie movie and was full of cockney hardmen. In 1969, Arthurs wife, Rita, stabbed the wife of Patrick Welsh in the chest. The gang clashed with the owners of matatus (privately owned minibusses) and approximately 50 people died in the violence. Today, there is an estimated 70,000 members throughout Central and North America. 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. 17-19 Garway Road This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Spokeo's database, while extensive, does not contain all U.S. warrant, arrest, court, or other related records. 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. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to He drove his car directly at their van and forced it off the road. Others probably organised the double execution as a favour to him and out of respect. 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. - but was later drafted for National Service, which he was determined to avoid, as he had much of school. His closing years were plagued by two bouts of cancer, first of the bowel and then the lung. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the. One of his main sources of income over the years was providing protection to pubs in the city. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. "His depravity is veneered with conformity and deadly quietness, and he is difficult to undermine when he is on the alert. On one occasion, the then BBC broadcaster accompanied Thompson to an underworld pub in London. The gang is sometimes referred to as the Kenyan version of the Yakuza, Mafia or Cosa Nostra due to its organization. Thank you to whichever member of staff was responsible! Arthur was also involved in legitimate enterprises such as pubs, demolition, corner shops, garages, and carpet showrooms to keep his assets hidden and launder money from his various criminal enterprises. 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. There was a time when Billy Thompson, youngest member of Glasgow's most infamous criminal clan, could rely on his family's reputation to protect him wherever he went. She was a graduate of the Fort Fairfield High School, class of 1963, and had been employed as a C.N.A . So if you think you have a rare coin, here is what you need to know before selling. Its rumoured Thompson was present when Ronnie infamously shot George Cornell of the rival Richardson gang in Londons Blind Beggar pub in 1966. A 22-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with the death of Neil Canney in Greenock. 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. Counts may not reflect the number of records that will appear in search results. For more than 30 years until his death in 1993 Thompson ruled Glasgows criminal underworld with an iron fist through his interests in extortion, money lending, illegal casinos, robbery, and drugs. Rita M. Glasgow Obituary. The goal was to protect Kikuyu farmers in their land disputes with the Maasai and local government forces dominated by the Kalenjin tribe. Copyright 2006 Gale, Cengage Learning. Old Arthur was less feared than before and apparently had a fondness for booze. You can make a complaint by using the report this post link . The judges in all four cases have to be constantly guarded by armed police. Whoever did that was taking a big chance as Hanlon's Ford Orion was well known to the police and was regularly stopped. No one man had dominated organised crime in the city quite like Arthur Thompson and no one man ever would. Rita Thompson is a Nursing Development Professional & Perioperative Specialist at Stanford Health Care based in Palo Alto, California. On the eve of it the north court of the High Court in Glasgow is set on fire by Norval's mob in attempt to burn all the files on the case they believe are held in the vaults. In 1985, he was arrested and charged with supplying heroin in what was probably a set-up; an 11-year prison sentence was the result. He is known to have blown up a bar and social club after one owner refused to comply. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Joe Jackson was with his older brother John when they saw Thompson, in his top-of-the-range Jaguar, force a van into a lamp post, killing the occupants, James Goldie and Patrick Welsh. Veterinary hospital McDonald Vets, in Scotstoun in the west of Glasgow, has resumed a full service after closing for several months following the blaze in August 2022. Pensioner dies at Glasgow hospital a month after fatal city centre crash. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Glasgow veterinary hospital forced to close after fire reopens its doors. Nine months later Thompson died in his bed from a heart attack. Family and friends can send flowers and/or light a candle as a loving gesture for their loved one. 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 Gannett Company. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, Loudwater Mill, Station Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. He might have observed the criminal code but never the marital one. Please note that only low-res files should be uploaded. Another underworld figure vying for control is a 65-year-old Scot, Billy Blackledge, who has been on the run from the FBI for 10 years for his involvement in a 10 million drugs deal involving Hell's Angels from Canada. 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.