Thompson later gave a personal undertaking to the police that he would not harm the two officers. 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. This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's 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. But nowadays, the people who call themselves gangsters don't do any hard work themselves. London, W2 4PH Brothers Martin, George and Henry Welsh, 24, were charged with murdering Margaret and attempting to kill Arthur in the revenge attack. *** Local Caption *** Scottish gangs. 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. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to But since the death of his father and brother that reputation is no more. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the. 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 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. 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. Thompson signed into a private clinic in the West End of Glasgow and told police the injury was caused by a broken drill bit. In August 2014 he died from pneumonia aged 85, cuing the high-profile exit at Maryhill Crematorium with musical accompaniment by the Clash. Thompson received a not proven verdict, despite the eyewitness accounts of Joe and his brother. Arthur Thompson, known as the Godfather in the city, formed the gang and began his career as a money lender in a council estate. His closing years were plagued by two bouts of cancer, first of the bowel and then the lung. You can make a complaint by using the report this post link . Legend has it that the crime boss later viewed the bodies and shot both men in the chest with another gun. 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. 3 - The Thompson Gang . However, Rita never sang a note. The young cop rose through the ranks to become head of the Strathclyde Police Serious Crime Squad and retired at the rank of Detective Superintendent in 1992. Ferris only escaped a similar fate because he was on remand at Barlinnie Prison awaiting trial. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. 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. The gang clashed with the owners of matatus (privately owned minibusses) and approximately 50 people died in the violence. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. As the school's most distinguished benefactors . Search by name or location to find online obituaries. [7], A former enforcer for the Thompson family, Paul Ferris, was arrested, charged with the murder[9] and remanded to HM Prison Barlinnie. Counts may not reflect the number of records that will appear in search results. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, Loudwater Mill, Station Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. She was born September 4, 1944, in Fort Fairfield, the daughter of Stephen Jr. and Rita (Theriault) Murphy. Pensioner dies at Glasgow hospital a month after fatal city centre crash. The judges in all four cases have to be constantly guarded by armed police. Had they lived both Hanlon and Glover would likely have stood trial alongside Ferris as alleged accomplices in Arthur Thompson Jnrs murder. [5] In 1969, Thompson's wife Rita forced her way into the Welsh home and stabbed Patrick Welsh's widow in the chest; she was jailed for three years. The company, based in Drumchapel, has reportedly ceased all trading with its annual results currently overdue by more than two months. 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. 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"}]}}. A month later Norval sought Gibson out in a pub and stabbed him eight times before going on the run. One police file said: The overall picture of Thompson is that of aviolent, 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.. 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.". Rita Thompson, 72, who had throat cancer, died on Tuesday. Copyright 2006 Gale, Cengage Learning. Jurors also come under attack and are provided with police bodyguards for the duration. Glasgow shop sign blunder warns customers against 'consummation of food and drink'. [14], Chasing Killers Joe Jackson ISBN978-1-84596-406-1. As his power and wealth grew, so did his influence. Single Use in context. He then walked the few yards from one court to another to give evidence in the Welshes murder trial. THE MOB'S REVENGE; 50TH BRITISH SOLDIER TO DIE SERVING IN IRAQ Troops ambushed after Islamic chief's arrest. [10] On the day of Thompson Jr's funeral a car was found containing the bodies of two friends of Ferris, Robert Glover and Joe Hanlon, who were also suspected of involvement in his death and had been killed by gunshots to the back of the head and the anus. Further violence involving the Mungiki took place after the disputed Kenyan General Election in December 2007. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. Arthur Thompson, Rita Thompson.Circa, Glasgow. No one man had dominated organised crime in the city quite like Arthur Thompson and no one man ever would. If located in the United Kingdom of Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Eire, kindly contact Mirrorpix directly at desk@mirrorpix.com. 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. Results for this person or the person you are looking for are not guaranteed to appear in search results. 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. New Glasgow west end venue The Wendy Bar opens its doors on Byres Road. 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. His father and younger brother Billy alerted by the shots found him dying on the pavement. It's not known what Thompson's views were when Ferris was cleared of murdering his son. 17-19 Garway Road Its rumoured Thompson was present when Ronnie infamously shot George Cornell of the rival Richardson gang in Londons Blind Beggar pub in 1966. A Gannett Company. The gangster was always the same dealing with the police. This 936 square foot home is the last known address for Rita. The myth has him dedicating himself to a life of crime after watching the movie Dillinger in a local fleapit. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. If you're in need of a Friday funny, this typo blunder spotted at TJ Hughes in Glasgow could be just the thing to cheer you up. Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. Rita Thompson - who left an estimated pounds 2million - told pals she wanted her will to pay for a gangland hit on former mobster Ferris, who was cleared of murdering her son Arthur jnr in 1992. The subsequent police investigation centred on his former protege Paul Ferris and two friends and associates Joe Hanlon, who was nicknamed `Joe Bananas, and Bobby Glover. At one time, he had at least 20 pubs in Glasgow paying him 4000 each week. 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. Glasgow Crime Stories : The murder of Arthur Thompson Jnr As a result the takeover never took place. The gunman, an IRA hitman, had been hired by a rival to kill him. You can send your sympathy in the guestbook provided and share it with the family. He gave evidence against the man accused of his sons murder, Paul Ferris, in 1992 at the High Court in Glasgow. His own death almost 30 years ago marked the end of an astonishing era in the history of the city's underworld. Arthur survived, but his mother-in-law was killed. By 1966, Arthur Thompson was all-powerful in Glasgow. He died from a heart attack in 1993 aged 61. The trial has to be delayed. How Fat Boy and the Apprentice unleashed Glasgow's gang wars The group has a total disdain for the modernization of their country and completely reject Western influences. El pentatln o pentatln femenino es un evento combinado de atletismo en el que cada mujer compite en cinco eventos separados durante un da (anteriormente dos das). So if you think you have a rare coin, here is what you need to know before selling. Three months later, Thompson narrowly escaped death when he was in a car that exploded outside his house. In spite of this, he is scalded with boiling water. Rita Thompson is a Nursing Development Professional & Perioperative Specialist at Stanford Health Care based in Palo Alto, California. Registered in England and Wales as company number 01056394. The recent stabbing of a gangland godfather's son has reignited the battle for control of a 300m drugs market. Thompson survived - just - and two men have since appeared in court in connection with the attack, which police are treating as attempted murder. Rita Thompson, 72, who had throat cancer, died on Tuesday. Rita Thompson building. In August 1991, Arthur Jnr, 31, was shot dead outside the Thompson family home while on weekend leave from prison. He was Glasgows equivalent of Don Corleone, the fictional New York crime boss immortalised by Marlon Brando in the classic Oscar-winning Godfather movie. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to ', Tell-tale sign a coin is rare as expert urges Glaswegians to check change. View Rita Thomson results including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. 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. However, he survived an assassination attempt in 1985 and another one in 1988. The driver also failed a roadside drug wipe for cannabis. How Rita Ora and Dua Lipa have mirrored each other over . Perhaps a more fitting coda from the band might have been, I fought the law and the law won. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. She received three years in prison for the attack. Three years later, Ferris was accused of the murder of the Fatboy who was shot three times outside of his home. ), added to the myth of the occasion by telling the world that her good old Da was determined not to leave the world until he know that his 'lassies' could look after themselves. The young cop who took on the Godfather rose through the ranks to become head of the Strathclyde Police Serious Crime Squad and retired at the rank of Detective Superintendent in 1992. By now, his son Arthur Jr., also known as Fatboy, was in charge of the gang as Arthur Sr. took a backseat. Rita M. Glasgow | Obituaries Dubuque | telegraphherald.com The eyewitnesses who did not speak up at the trial were not bad people, they were just terrified of Thompson and what he might do to them.. Pentatln femenino. Old Arthur testified against Ferris thus breaking the gangster code of silence. We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments. Rita Thompson Obituary. Even when his own son was murdered outside his front door, he ordered his family not to give them statements or tell what they had seen. 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. Arthur Thompson, Rita Thompson.Circa, Glasgow - Global ImageWorks On the morning of young Arthur's funeral, a month after his murder, their bodies were discovered outside the Cottage Bar, in Shettleston, Glasgow. Body of missing man Matthew Cosgrove discovered by police in Lanarkshire. The first bullet grazed his cheek, the second smashed into his ribs, a lung, the third, tore through his gut and pierced his heart. They fought in the streets, they fought in the pubs and they made names for themselves - but it was amongst themselves. 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.