Eddie Richardson, the last of the 1960s ‘gangsters’, died in August 2026 at the age of 90. He died peacefully in hospital in Orpington, south London, from pneumonia.
Richardson was born in Camberwell, south London, in 1936. He grew up during the Second World War with his older brother, Charlie. The two brothers came from the back streets of south London and made their way through a mix of wits and muscle. Both showed promise as amateur boxers, and both had a knack for building profitable businesses.
The Richardsons owned several scrapyards across south London. Charlie owned a diamond mine in South Africa. Eddie joined ‘Mad’ Frankie Fraser to set up Atlantic Machines, a lucrative cash business that supplied fruit machines to pubs and clubs. The brothers ran their businesses away from the spotlight.
Many stories have circulated about a supposed rivalry between the Richardsons and the Kray brothers in east London. Unlike the Krays, the Richardsons avoided publicity.
Richardson gained notoriety at what became known as the ‘Torture Trial’ at the Old Bailey in 1967. Several witnesses told the court that the Richardson Gang had tortured them, including with electrocution. Eddie received a 15-year prison sentence. Charlie, who died in 2012, received 25 years.
In 1990, Richardson received a 25-year sentence after his conviction for involvement in a £70 million cocaine and cannabis heist. He came out after 12 years. In total, he spent 23 years in prison.
One man who was his neighbour in a prison on the Isle of Wight remembered him as quiet and serious. Richardson stayed out of prison trouble and spent his time on art, painting strikingly lifelike portraits. The same man believes the Iranian Embassy in London bought one of his portraits, of the Ayatollah of Iran.
Away from crime and prison, Richardson was a family man, loved and respected by many. His family and friends will feel his loss.
