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{{Short description|British criminal (1931–1994)}}
⚫ '''Ronald Christopher Edwards''' (27 January 1931<ref name="D"/> &ndash; 28 November 1994), known as '''Buster Edwards''', was a ] criminal who was a member of the gang that committed the ]. He had also been a ] and ] owner.
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox criminal
| name = Buster Edwards
| image = Buster Edwards.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
⚫ | birth_name = Ronald Christopher Edwards
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1931|01|27}}
| birth_place = ], ], England
| residence =
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1994|11|28|1931|01|27}}
| death_place = Lambeth, London, England
| resting_place =
| alias = Buster
| allegiance =
| motive = Financial
| charge =
| conviction = ]
| conviction_penalty = 15 years
| conviction_status = Released in 1975 after serving nine years
| occupation = Barman, florist
| spouse = June Rose Rothery (1952-1994; his death)
| parents = <!--Do not include parents unless notable or they are relevant to the crime.-->
| children = 1
⚫ }}
⚫ '''Ronald Christopher''' "'''Buster'''" '''Edwards''' (27 January 1931 – 28 November 1994) was a British criminal who was a member of the gang that committed the 1963 ]. He had also been a ], and owned a ] and a ].


==Early and private life== ==Early life==
Edwards was born in ], the son of a barman. He worked in a sausage factory after leaving school, where he began his criminal career by stealing meat to sell on the post-war ]. During his ] in the ], he was detained for stealing cigarettes. When he returned to south London, he ran a drinking club and became a professional criminal.<ref>Richard Hobbs, ‘Edwards, Ronald Christopher (1931–1994)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004 </ref> Edwards was born in ], the son of a barman. After leaving school, he worked in a sausage factory, where he began his criminal career by stealing meat to sell on the post-war ]. During his ] in the ], he was detained for stealing cigarettes. When he returned to south London, he ran a drinking club and became a professional criminal.<ref>Richard Hobbs, 'Edwards, Ronald Christopher (1931–1994)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004 </ref>


⚫ He was involved in the theft of ]62,000 (]{{Format price|{{Inflation|UK|62000|1962}}}} today) from Comet House, the headquarters of ] at ], in 1962. Many of the gang were captured, but Edwards escaped arrest. Many from the same gang were involved in the Great Train Robbery in August 1963.
He married June Rose in 1952. They had a daughter, Nicky.{{citation needed|date=December 2010}}

⚫ He was involved in the theft of ]62,000 from ], the headquarters of ] at ], in 1962. Many of the gang were captured, but Edwards escaped arrest. Many from the same gang would go on to undertake the Great Train Robbery in August 1963.


==Great Train Robbery== ==Great Train Robbery==
The Great Train gang intercepted the Glasgow–London ] in ] in the early hours of 8 August 1963. After tampering with the track-side signal lights, they stopped the train at Sears Crossing and moved the engine and high-value carriage to Bridego Bridge, near ], and they escaped with £2,600,000 of ]. The driver, ], was beaten over the head and suffered from related complications for the rest of his life - opinion is divided as to whether the injury was a factor in his death. The gang's temporary hideout at Leatherslade Farm was quickly found. Most of the gang were captured, tried, and imprisoned, but Edwards evaded arrest with his £150,000 share of the stolen money. The Great Train gang intercepted the Glasgow-London ] in Buckinghamshire in the early hours of 8 August 1963. After tampering with the track-side signal lights, they stopped the train at Sears Crossing and moved the engine and high-value carriage to Bridego Bridge, near ], escaping with £2,600,000 of ] (the equivalent of ]{{Format price|{{Inflation|UK|2600000|1963}}}} today). The driver, Jack Mills, was beaten over the head and suffered from related complications for the rest of his life: opinion is divided as to whether the injury was a factor in his death. The gang's temporary hideout at Leatherslade Farm was quickly found. Most of the gang were captured, tried and imprisoned, but Edwards evaded arrest with his £150,000 share of the stolen money.


Edwards and another gang member, ], took their families to Mexico. The money ran out, and Edwards' family became homesick, so he negotiated his return to England in 1966. He was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in jail. Edwards and another gang member, ], took their families to Mexico. The money ran out, and Edwards' family became homesick, so he negotiated his return to England in 1966. He was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in jail.


==Later life== ==Later life==
⚫ Edwards spent 9 years in prison. After his early release in 1975, he ran a flower stall outside ] in London. He gave interviews to writer ], persuading him to write in his 1978 book ''The Train Robbers'' that the robbery was led by German commando ], and that Edwards was the person responsible for hitting Jack Mills. Edwards later retracted these claims. '']'', a film about his role in the Great Train Robbery, was made in 1988, with Edwards played by ].


⚫ Edwards spent nine years in prison.<ref name=bbc>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-21619150|title=The Great Train Robbers: Who were they?|work=BBC News|date=18 December 2013}}</ref> After his early release in 1975, he ran a flower stall outside ] in London.<ref name=bbc/> He gave interviews to writer ], persuading him to write in his 1978 book ''The Train Robbers'' that the robbery was led by German commando ], and that Edwards was the person responsible for hitting Jack Mills. Edwards later retracted these claims. '']'', a film about his role in the Great Train Robbery, was made in 1988, with Edwards played by ].<ref name=bbc/>
==Theft by Dexter Fletcher==

In 1991, Edwards was the victim of a theft, albeit of a more mundane nature. On 15 June, at about 3pm, British actor ] ran along Mepham Street and scooped up two bunches of ]s valued at £5 from Edwards' stall. Edwards declined to chase Fletcher for fear of leaving his stall unattended. Fletcher was seen to run off on to ] with the flowers. Edwards reported the theft to the police, identifying his assailant as being, “That lad out of ]”. Fletcher was unlucky in the timing of his theft because Edwards had seen the film for the first time only days before. Fletcher was arrested and charged with theft. The following week Fletcher appeared at ] and pleaded guilty. He was given a ] for 12 months and ordered to pay £30 costs. In mitigation, Fletcher said that the flowers were for his girlfriend and '']'' co-star ], but that he had lost his ] and was unable to obtain funds to pay for the flowers. Fletcher subsequently apologised to Edwards and compensated him for the flowers.<ref>], <cite> The Autobiography of a Thief </cite> (Virgin Books, 2005),p.193.</ref>
Buster Edwards can be seen making a cameo appearance in the film ''Buster'' alongside Phil Collins' wife Jill in the scene in which Buster and June land in Mexico, he and Jill walk out of the airport in front of Buster and June Edwards.

==Personal life==
Edwards married June Rothery in 1952. They had a daughter, Nicolette.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/sep/13/great-train-robbery-buster-edwards-police-1963|title=Police seek great train robber Buster Edwards – archive, 13 Sep 1963|author=Guardian Staff|date=13 September 2016|website=The Guardian}}</ref>


==Death== ==Death==
Edwards died in ], ], at the age of 63.<ref name="D"/> He was found hanging from a steel girder inside a lock-up garage in Greet Street, Lambeth, by his brother.<ref>, The Independent, 30 November 1994</ref><ref name="nytimes"/><ref name="D"></ref><ref name="nytimes">, New York Times, 5 December 1994</ref> At the ] following Edwards' death, a panel recorded an ], based on testimony that the deceased was too intoxicated to form an intent to kill himself.<ref>, The Independent, 10 February 1995</ref> However, at the time of his death, he was being investigated by the police as part of an inquiry into a suspected large-scale fraud and it is speculated that fear of being re-imprisoned could have led to a ] attempt.<ref>http://www.bernardomahoney.com/rrmurders/articles/pfdbthh.shtml</ref> Edwards died in ], London, at the age of 63. His body was found by his brother, Terence, hanging from a steel girder inside a lock-up garage in Leake Street, Lambeth.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/train-robber-edwards-is-found-hanged-1440017.html|title= Train robber Edwards is found hanged|first=Steve|last=Boggan|work= ]|date= 30 November 1994}}</ref><ref name="nytimes">{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/12/05/obituaries/ronald-buster-edwards-great-train-robber.html|first=Eric|last=Pace|title= Ronald (Buster) Edwards, Great Train Robber|work=]|date= 5 December 1994}}</ref> At the ] following Edwards's death, a panel recorded an ], based on testimony that the deceased was too intoxicated to form an intent to kill himself.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/buster-edwards-too-drunk-to-have-committed-suicide-1572324.html|title= Buster Edwards `too drunk' to have committed suicide|first=Mary|last=Braid|work= ]|date= 10 February 1995}}</ref> At the time of his death, he was being investigated by the police as part of an inquiry into a suspected large-scale fraud and it is speculated that fear of being re-imprisoned could have led to a suicide attempt.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bernardomahoney.com/rrmurders/articles/pfdbthh.shtml |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2009-11-01 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090101110409/http://www.bernardomahoney.com/rrmurders/articles/pfdbthh.shtml |archivedate=1 January 2009 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
Edwards was survived by his wife and their daughter.


== References == == References ==
{{reflist}} {{Reflist|2}}
{{navigation great train robbery}} {{navigation great train robbery}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see ] -->

| NAME = Edwards, Buster
⚫ | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Ronald Christopher Edwards
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = British criminal
| DATE OF BIRTH = 27 January 1931
| PLACE OF BIRTH = London, UK
| DATE OF DEATH = 28 November 1994
| PLACE OF DEATH = London, UK
⚫ }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Edwards, Buster}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Edwards, Buster}}
] ]
] ]
]
⚫ ]
]
]
]
] ]
]
] ]
]
]
] ]
⚫ ]

Latest revision as of 15:14, 22 July 2024

British criminal (1931–1994)

Buster Edwards
BornRonald Christopher Edwards
(1931-01-27)27 January 1931
Lambeth, London, England
Died28 November 1994(1994-11-28) (aged 63)
Lambeth, London, England
Other namesBuster
Occupation(s)Barman, florist
Criminal statusReleased in 1975 after serving nine years
SpouseJune Rose Rothery (1952-1994; his death)
Children1
MotiveFinancial
Conviction(s)Great Train Robbery
Criminal penalty15 years

Ronald Christopher "Buster" Edwards (27 January 1931 – 28 November 1994) was a British criminal who was a member of the gang that committed the 1963 Great Train Robbery. He had also been a boxer, and owned a nightclub and a flower shop.

Early life

Edwards was born in Lambeth, the son of a barman. After leaving school, he worked in a sausage factory, where he began his criminal career by stealing meat to sell on the post-war black market. During his national service in the RAF, he was detained for stealing cigarettes. When he returned to south London, he ran a drinking club and became a professional criminal.

He was involved in the theft of £62,000 (£1.67 million today) from Comet House, the headquarters of British Overseas Airways Corporation at Heathrow Airport, in 1962. Many of the gang were captured, but Edwards escaped arrest. Many from the same gang were involved in the Great Train Robbery in August 1963.

Great Train Robbery

The Great Train gang intercepted the Glasgow-London mail train in Buckinghamshire in the early hours of 8 August 1963. After tampering with the track-side signal lights, they stopped the train at Sears Crossing and moved the engine and high-value carriage to Bridego Bridge, near Cheddington, escaping with £2,600,000 of used banknotes (the equivalent of £68.8 million today). The driver, Jack Mills, was beaten over the head and suffered from related complications for the rest of his life: opinion is divided as to whether the injury was a factor in his death. The gang's temporary hideout at Leatherslade Farm was quickly found. Most of the gang were captured, tried and imprisoned, but Edwards evaded arrest with his £150,000 share of the stolen money.

Edwards and another gang member, Bruce Reynolds, took their families to Mexico. The money ran out, and Edwards' family became homesick, so he negotiated his return to England in 1966. He was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in jail.

Later life

Edwards spent nine years in prison. After his early release in 1975, he ran a flower stall outside Waterloo station in London. He gave interviews to writer Piers Paul Read, persuading him to write in his 1978 book The Train Robbers that the robbery was led by German commando Otto Skorzeny, and that Edwards was the person responsible for hitting Jack Mills. Edwards later retracted these claims. Buster, a film about his role in the Great Train Robbery, was made in 1988, with Edwards played by Phil Collins.

Buster Edwards can be seen making a cameo appearance in the film Buster alongside Phil Collins' wife Jill in the scene in which Buster and June land in Mexico, he and Jill walk out of the airport in front of Buster and June Edwards.

Personal life

Edwards married June Rothery in 1952. They had a daughter, Nicolette.

Death

Edwards died in Lambeth, London, at the age of 63. His body was found by his brother, Terence, hanging from a steel girder inside a lock-up garage in Leake Street, Lambeth. At the Inquest following Edwards's death, a panel recorded an open verdict, based on testimony that the deceased was too intoxicated to form an intent to kill himself. At the time of his death, he was being investigated by the police as part of an inquiry into a suspected large-scale fraud and it is speculated that fear of being re-imprisoned could have led to a suicide attempt.

References

  1. Richard Hobbs, 'Edwards, Ronald Christopher (1931–1994)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004 accessed 21 Sept 2010
  2. ^ "The Great Train Robbers: Who were they?". BBC News. 18 December 2013.
  3. Guardian Staff (13 September 2016). "Police seek great train robber Buster Edwards – archive, 13 Sep 1963". The Guardian.
  4. Boggan, Steve (30 November 1994). "Train robber Edwards is found hanged". The Independent.
  5. Pace, Eric (5 December 1994). "Ronald (Buster) Edwards, Great Train Robber". New York Times.
  6. Braid, Mary (10 February 1995). "Buster Edwards `too drunk' to have committed suicide". The Independent.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 1 January 2009. Retrieved 1 November 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
Great Train Robbery (1963)
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Aylesbury
Train Robbery Squad
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