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When you think of the Kray twins, their notorious gangster reputation likely springs to mind before any philanthropic endeavours. Identical twins Ronnie and Reggie, along with their gang The Firm, imposed a reign of violence in East London during the 1960s, becoming two of the UK's most infamous criminals for their involvement in murder, armed robbery, arson, and assault. However, what is less known about these infamous figures is their generous donation following the Aberfan disaster. Even within the community devastated by the events of October, 21 1966, the identity of the major donors to a Cardiff charity gala event only came to light when a letter from the Krays was published for the first time over four decades later. In January 1967, the immense and overwhelming aftermath of the Aberfan disaster was just beginning. It was merely three months after the collapse of tip number seven, which resulted in the deaths of 144, including 116 children. An inquiry, led by the local and respected Welsh judge Lord Justice Edmund Davies, was already underway but was still months away from concluding in April that year before publishing its report on August 3. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here . The life of the Kray twins took a dark turn in a year that saw Reggie commit the murder of English criminal and Firm hit man Jack 'the Hat' McVitie, an act that is now recognised as the catalyst for their eventual imprisonment. However, amidst all this, Reggie Kray received a letter from Bill Meilen, the organising secretary of the Cardiff Committee for Aid to Aberfan. In his letter dated January, 2 1967, Mr Meilen expressed: "May I, on behalf of the above committee, thank you for all the kind help you gave us during the period of our Aberfan appeal." He further added: "Thank you also for the kind gift of £100 given by you and your brother at the evening show. This was the largest single amount given by any individual to our appeal." Today, that generous donation would be equivalent to nearly £3,000. It appears that on that December night in 1966, the brothers had enjoyed an all-star event at Cardiff's New Theatre, following a charity football match between television personalities and Welsh internationals. Mr Meilen's brother John Mudd, who attended the gala as a guest, remembered how the pair successfully bid on a signed football and a painting before generously donating the items back to the auctioneer for resale, with auction attendees oblivious to the fact that the brothers were infamous criminal figures. He said: "They were charming. They were there to get a bit of positive publicity I suppose. They certainly got that as they were quite generous in their contributions. At that time it was an awful lot of money. "It went down well – people thought they were very generous businessmen, though I don't think anyone was truly aware of the nature of their business." But what motivated the Krays, whose criminal activities by then already encompassed years of protection schemes and Ronnie's shooting of fellow gangster George Cornell in a Whitechapel pub, to assist bereaved families in south Wales? John Pearson, who penned the twins' biography and offered the letter for sale as part of a collection of 160 letters and photographs in 2010, has his own explanation. Speaking during the auction period, Mr Pearson, who had personal acquaintance with the twins, said the brothers were both substantial charitable contributors before adding: "How much of it was done for cynical reasons I don't know, frankly. They certainly realised it generated a lot of sympathy and support for them and would explain why they were so popular right up until the end." The author suggested that charities likely wouldn't have known the source of the twins' income, despite their current notoriety, stating: "In Wales they wouldn't have known who the Krays were from one lot of East Enders to the other." Regarding donations received for Aberfan, it seems the Krays' contribution was part of a broader pattern. Cliff Minett, 2010 chairman of the Aberfan and Merthyr Vale Cemetery Memorial Fund, who tragically lost his children Carl and Marylyn in the 1966 disaster, said funds had poured in from around the globe. "It took quite a lot of funds", he previously stated. "That money was sent in for those in need, for those that suffered." Jeffrey Edwards, now Deputy Lieutenant of Mid Glamorgan Lieutenancy and a survivor of the Aberfan disaster , concurred, adding: "The donation demonstrates how the disaster and its aftermath affected people across the nation and their willingness to contribute to the regeneration of the community through their contributions." Aaron Dean, an auctioneer for the letter and valuer at Gorringes, in East Sussex, also supported Mr Pearson's theory about the Krays' motives. Speaking before the auction, he suggested the Kray twins continued to make grand gestures to keep themselves in the news, even up to the point they were finally imprisoned – with both men receiving life sentences in 1969 and minimum terms set at 30 years. Mr Dean commented: "They were obsessed with celebrity and their presence and how they were perceived in the public eye." On October, 10 2010, a letter penned by the infamous Kray twins was sold for £110. The buyer, David Sallis, then 57, from Brighton, believed the letter revealed "another side" to the notorious criminals. He commented: "It's a piece of interesting social history. They are perceived as a certain type of people and for the most part they were but the cliche was that they always had a soft spot." Mr Dean, who was a 13 year old schoolboy in 1966, shared that the Aberfan disaster had left a profound impact on him. He expressed: "It resonated with me because I was at school myself and, although I didn't live near any slag heaps, there was still that connection to those kids who had been in school too just like me. "I will be keeping the letter for a while and just enjoying it. It certainly shows another side to the Krays." However, historical records reveal that the Krays' visit to South Wales wasn't limited to the Aberfan auction. Rhuanedd Meilen, the first wife of Mr Meilin from the Cardiff Committee for Aid to Aberfan, recounted in 2010 how her then husband, an actor and screenwriter, became acquainted with the twins through one of their associates who visited Aberfan following the disaster. After the auction, the gangsters had two requests – to visit Jimmy Wilde, the Welsh boxer who was in a Whitchurch hospital, and to descend into a coal mine. Both requests were fulfilled. Ms Meilen recalled: "After visiting Jimmy they came to our house in Bartlett Street for afternoon tea before going down the mine – I think it was Abertridwr but can't be sure. "My mother was very impressed by their fine manners and expensive suits and found them to be real gentlemen, as indeed I did, having no knowledge of their nefarious activities. "They were both very softly-spoken and polite and brought a bouquet of flowers and a large box of Black Magic chocolates. It was in 1969 after we had emigrated to Canada that we heard they had been arrested for the murder of George Cornell." Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here . We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice
