His grandchildren and great grandchildren have to remain anonymous for the safety of the family. Rita Thompson is a Nursing Development Professional & Perioperative Specialist at Stanford Health Care based in Palo Alto, California. Although Thompson wasnt a tall man, he was powerfully built with a chilling stare that could terrify both friend and foe alike. 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. In the United States, MS-13 is making its deadly mark. Old Arthur was less feared than before and apparently had a fondness for booze. Add up to 5 colours and slide the dividers to adjust the composition, Click for a quote that fits your requirements. [11] Ferris claimed the younger Thompson had been shot by a hit man known only as "The Apprentice". 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. Glasgow's original Godfather: Walter Norval. Feedback | 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. McPherson wrote: It was straight out of a Guy Ritchie movie and was full of cockney hardmen. Are you sure you want to delete this comment? But when I was with Thompson, I was safe and I could have had anything in the pub that I wanted that night.. [3] Protection rackets soon followed, and he was also involved in bank robberies and heists for a time. For webmasters |, COPYRIGHT 2006 Scottish Daily Record & Sunday. He added: "Thompson is the leader of the hardcore of thugs in Aberdeen prison. His bullet-ridden body was rushed to Glasgow Royal Infirmary but he died a few hours later. Find census, military, and other historical records.*. In 1989, Arthur's daughter, Margaret, died of a drugs overdose. 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. We found 2 records matching "Rita Thompson" in KY. * Historical, vital, and court records and search results may require an additional purchase. Another local hard man, Paul Ferris, was charged with Fat Boy's murder, but cleared after Scotland's longest criminal trial. Nothing befitted his life like the leaving of it. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. 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. Tributes have been paid to Rita Rusk, once dubbed Scotland's first lady of hairdressing, after her death at the age of 75. On one occasion, the then BBC broadcaster accompanied Thompson to an underworld pub in London. 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.. It may be one of the few occasions when the law had got the better of him. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Veteran crime reporter Ron McKay tells the story of Walter Norval, the former boss of Glasgow's infamous XYY Gang. 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. 5 Notorious Gangs that Terrorized City Streets Around the World AROUND a hundred mourners yesterday attended the funeral of gangster's wife Rita Thompson. He died from a heart attack in 1993 aged 61. 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. She had lived in the same house in Provanmill since Mr. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, Loudwater Mill, Station Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. The London Euston to Glasgow train was forced to come to an emergency stop; . Today, there is an estimated 70,000 members throughout Central and North America. The company, based in Drumchapel, has reportedly ceased all trading with its annual results currently overdue by more than two months. The Peddie School community mourns the death of Leonore Annenberg, wife of our esteemed alumnus, the late Walter Annenberg '27. Glasgow Live. However, Rita never sang a note. photos. 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. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. 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. At one time, he had at least 20 pubs in Glasgow paying him 4000 each week. You can make a complaint by using the report this post link . One of its founders claims that the Mungiki began as a local militia in the 1980s. 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. Please note that only low-res files should be uploaded. 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. READ MORE:The Glasgow crime story of the mysterious murder of wealthy Marion Gilchrist in 1908. However, Rita never sang a note. This 936 square foot home is the last known address for Rita. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. So if you think you have a rare coin, here is what you need to know before selling. John and Elizabeth Brooks Published on18/06/2021. Search the Bridgeman archive by uploading an image. 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. It was now all about drugs and there Wattie drew the line. [7], A former enforcer for the Thompson family, Paul Ferris, was arrested, charged with the murder[9] and remanded to HM Prison Barlinnie. The gang is sometimes referred to as the Kenyan version of the Yakuza, Mafia or Cosa Nostra due to its organization. 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. 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. Beatings and slashings were routinely inflicted on anyone who failed to pay up. The authority's suspicions of Thompson were not unjustified. Rita M. Glasgow | Obituaries Dubuque | telegraphherald.com Jessie Kay Thompson - Address & Phone Number | Whitepages We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories. Joe, now 80, said: As far as I was concerned what my brother and I saw that night was murder. 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. He was jailed three years ago for carrying a knife and, a week after his release, was jailed again for carrying a harpoon gun. Brothers Martin, George and Henry Welsh, 24, were charged with murdering Margaret and attempting to kill Arthur in the revenge attack. The gunman, an IRA hitman, had been hired by a rival to kill him. It was common for Arthur to crucify his victims by nailing their hands and feet to furniture. 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. His own death almost 30 years ago marked the end of an astonishing era in the history of the city's underworld. Family and friends gathered in Motherwell to pay their respects to little Isabella Grace Docherty and lit lanterns for the five-year-old who died hours after complaining of feeling sick. They just pay someone a couple of grand to go and hurt people for them.. contact IPSO here, 2001-2023. In time-honoured tradition, Thompson failed to speak out against the brothers and they were cleared of all charges. He would have given his last penny to anybody, and he often did., Trouble was it was someone else's money. Arthur was charged with their murders, but he was set free because no witnesses came forward to testify. The Mungiki was banned in 2002 after its involvement in extreme violence in Kenyas capital, Nairobi. 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. Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. 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.". We found 1021 people named Rita S Thompson. The presence or absence of records for any individual is not a guarantee of any kind. However, despite the murder of his son, the Godfather wasn't quite finished yet. 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. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. [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. [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. Theres also little doubt that Arthur Thompson Snr ordered the killings. Readers comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. When he came out his era had passed. Norval's daughter, Rita Gunn, is charged with conspiring to damage the court but acquitted. The myth has him dedicating himself to a life of crime after watching the movie Dillinger in a local fleapit. Isgho Votre ducation notre priorit . These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. He has since been jailed for involvement in a firearms conspiracy. 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. He started young around the Garscube Road. 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. His father and younger brother Billy alerted by the shots found him dying on the pavement. See Photos of Rita Ora & Tessa Thompson Cuddled Up With Taika Waititi 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. Glasgow mum and daughter duo launch interiors shop in heart of Shawlands. Although he was aging, Old Arthur was still seen as a threat, so his enemies wanted to remove him from the picture permanently. The trial has to be delayed. As a result the takeover never took place. As a consequence, many of the young men that arrived gravitated towards violence. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Join Facebook to connect with Rita Thompson and others you may know. [8] He had been given two-and-a-half years, reduced on appeal to 18 months. Billy Thompson has now been taken off the critical list and looks set to make a full recovery. As money rolled in, they converted their council home into a palace, buying the property next door and knocking the two together. [8] [7] Other children [ edit] Thompson's daughter, Margaret, died from a drug overdose in 1989. They fought in the streets, they fought in the pubs and they made names for themselves - but it was amongst themselves. 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. The Mungiki sect emerged from Kenyas biggest ethnic group; known as the Kikuyu. Some time afterwards he spotted them in their van. When they arrived in Los Angeles, they encountered an established system of Latin gangs and were not welcome. The story of Glasgow's original Godfather, Walter Norval Thompson himself had been known for punishing enemies or bad debtors by nailing their hands and feet to the floor crucifixion-style. [5] Their bodies had been dumped on the route of Fatboy's funeral procession, so that his hearse passed their dead bodies. 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. 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. He was buried in the family plot at Riddrie Cemetery beside Arthur Jnr and daughter, Margaret, who suffered a drugs overdose in 1989. Two weeks later Joe learned of Thompsons plans to blow up both his and Johns homes in Glasgow. 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. 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. His rivals tried and failed to eliminate him in 1966 when a bomb exploded under his car. It was rumoured to be fitted out with secret passages, hiding spots, and its own underground tunnel. Brian Lundie, 41, is missing from the Baillieston area of Glasgow with officers issuing an urgent reappeal to find him, saying his disappearance is "very much out of character". 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. The violence was on a much, much higher level. 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. Spokeo's database, while extensive, does not contain all U.S. warrant, arrest, court, or other related records. Kenyas security forces had to act and stormed into the Mathare region. Old Arthur testified against Ferris thus breaking the gangster code of silence. There was understandable media speculation that Ferris now had a price on his head. 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. The 64-year-old woman was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital following the crash on Elmbank Street last month. contact the editor here. Arthur Thompson (September 1931 13 March 1993) was a Scottish gangster who was active in Glasgow from the 1950s and took charge of organised crime in the city for over thirty years. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Population Served Men who have experienced chronic homelessness The jailing of Fat Boy brought challenges from gangs hoping to take over the Thompson empire. Arthur Thompson, Rita Thompson.Circa, Glasgow Image ID: MX116351 Glasgow gangster Arthur Thompson, known as The Godfather, pictured with his wife Rita Thompson.Circa 1970. He recognised them immediately as they and Ferris were regulars. Arthur Thompson, Rita Thompson.Circa, Glasgow - Global ImageWorks THE widow of Arthur Thompson, the former Glasgow godfather, has died. The Godfather was reportedly able to use his prison contacts to have steaks, alcohol and chocolate delivered to him each day in his cell. Souhila and her husband were almost ready to open Adam Supermarket before the Napiershall Lane business was hit with a devastating inferno on Wednesday night. In time-honoured tradition, Thompson failed to speak out against the brothers and they were cleared of all charges. Announcements and Notices | Glasgow Times Glasgow priest found guilty of abusing four young girls walks free from court. He died in his father's arms. He gave evidence against the man accused of his sons murder, Paul Ferris, in 1992 at the High Court in Glasgow. 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. It was just a way for the terrified owner to pay protection to Thompson. Rita Thompson is on Facebook. Beatings and slashings were routinely inflicted on anyone who failed to pay up. Thompson himself had been known for punishing enemies or bad debtors by nailing their hands and feet to the floor crucifixion-style. The gang clashed with the owners of matatus (privately owned minibusses) and approximately 50 people died in the violence. As his power and wealth grew, so did his influence. Arthur survived, but his mother-in-law was killed. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. Both men were bitter rivals of Thompson. With Fatboy in prison, Old Arthur had to return before his rivals picked his empire apart. [8] She received three years in prison for the attack. In August 1991, Arthur Jnr, 31, was shot dead outside the Thompson family home while on weekend leave from prison. But when I was with Thompson I was safe and I could have had anything in the pub that I wanted that night.. But nowadays, the people who call themselves gangsters don't do any hard work themselves. Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. [14], Chasing Killers Joe Jackson ISBN978-1-84596-406-1. *** Local Caption *** Scottish gangs. He was a very violent, ruthless, clever criminal and a real nasty piece of work. He hobbled into the Sheriff Court to plead guilty to having 15 of cannabis which he claimed he used to alleviate arthritis. HP10 9TY. Editors' Code of Practice. Thank you to whichever member of staff was responsible! Search for birth, death, marriage, divorce, US Census, and military records. Are you sure you want to delete this comment? One of his main sources of income over the years was providing protection to pubs in the city. PDF Rita Thompson building was built comprised of Building safety and A 22-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with the death of Neil Canney in Greenock. The iconic firm was formed back in 1965. 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. She sadly passed away on Wednesday, March 1. Arthur survived thebomb attack but his mother-in-lawMargaret Johnstone was killed outright. Single Use in context. At 1.30pm, five cars left her home in Provanmill Road in Glasgow's East End bound for nearby Riddrie Park Cemetery. 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. After a few years of relatively low-key activity, the gang escalated its violent activity in 2007. Secret reports on Thompson from the late 1960s, made public for the first time by the Scottish Government in 2010 under Freedom of Information, present a chilling portrait of the man. Glasgow shop owner 'in tears' after store weeks away from opening hit by devastating blaze. He drove his car directly at their van and forced it off the road. One theory is that McPhee had tried to muscle in on the drug trade controlled by former Irish terrorists. Glasgow veterinary hospital forced to close after fire reopens its doors. When it comes to selling coins, there is a lot to consider and if you aren't too sure about what collectors are after, selling it can be quite tricky. However, Thompson said the pairs reputation would damage the bands career. contact the editor here. 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. 17-19 Garway Road Ferris only escaped a similar fate because he was on remand at Barlinnie Prison awaiting trial. *** Local Caption *** Scottish gangs This photo license is intended for editorial use only. He is known to have blown up a pub and social club after one owner refused to comply. They can be seen laughing and seemingly kissing each other. 'You're wasting your time,' a shopkeeper said. 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. The first bullet grazed his cheek, the second smashed into his ribs, a lung, the third, tore through his gut and pierced his heart. But since the death of his father and brother that reputation is no more. Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |. His death was to prove the beginning of the end for the Thompson family fiefdom. A month later Norval sought Gibson out in a pub and stabbed him eight times before going on the run. 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. In the past, the journalists job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. A leading prosecution witness, in prison at the time, is provided with a constant police escort and kept in solitary confinement. The Godfather was able to use his prison contacts to have steaks, alcohol and chocolate delivered to him each day in his cell. Search 2009 Obituaries | Legacy.com 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. He had been responsible for negotiating between dealers in the North and the rest of England. 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. inaccuracy or intrusion, then please Anniversary. 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. You can make a complaint by using the report this post link . Pensioner dies at Glasgow hospital a month after fatal city centre crash. Three years later, Ferris was accused of the murder of the Fatboy who was shot three times outside of his home. However, Rita never sang a note. 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 1966, he narrowly escaped death when a bomb exploded under his car; his mother-in-law, in the passenger seat, was killed. 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. Results for this person or the person you are looking for are not guaranteed to appear in search results. He was Glasgows equivalent of Don Corleone, the fictional New York crime boss immortalised by Marlon Brando in the classic Oscar-winning Godfather movie. Ironically Ferris was a former friend and ally of the Thompson family, said to be closer to the father than even his own son. Gang members are prone to psychotically violent behavior. It was the end of an astonishing era. 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. Arthur Thompson was one of 300 people called to give evidence. 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. gemini and scorpio parents gabi wilson net worth 2021. rita thompson glasgow. Rita Rusk: Scotland's first lady of hairdressing dies aged 75 inaccuracy or intrusion, then please 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 is going to say anything about him or the rest of the family.'. Kenyans who live in the slums carrying the body of a suspected Mungiki member. Copyright 2006 Gale, Cengage Learning. 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. Two years later Fat Boy was gunned down outside The Ponderosa just six hours after coming home from prison on weekend leave. 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. The acclaimed stylist, from Castlemilk, Glasgow, won multiple awards. 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. 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.