Mad about town

[webofevil]

But who’s this, spotted on Saturday taking tea in top Walworth watering hole, the Star Café? None other than celebrity thug “Mad” Frankie Fraser, taking time out from his hectic gangster schedule to relax with his mystery lady friend. He paid his debt to society—but we wonder if he paid a tip!

This isn't the first time I've found myself in the erstwhile Kraynik’s presence. Seven years ago I was with a group of school-leavers and foreign students being given a tour of the London College of Printing with a view to doing a foundation course, when suddenly “Mad” Frankie appeared at the back in a camelhair coat, along with a girl wearing a frankly amazing leopardskin. He interrupted the lecturer gruffly:

“I want this young lady to learn to type,” he said.

The lecturer kept his irritation on the leash. “Well, she should see someone at reception on the ground floor,” he said levelly. “They should be able to tell her who to speak to.”

“Mad” Frankie was wary of being fobbed off. “And she can definitely learn to type?” he said suspiciously.

“Of course,” said the lecturer. “They'll be able to help at reception.”

I had recognised him as soon as he turned up. I have rarely felt so alone as at the moment I realised, being surrounded by seventeen-year-olds and foreigners, that I was the only person in the group—barring, I presumed, the lecturer—who knew who the hell “Mad” Frankie Fraser was. I ended up having to hide behind a pillar, biting my knuckle to stop myself laughing, as “Mad” Frankie led his—daughter? niece? companion—downstairs again.

The London College of Printing does a lot of graphic design courses, photography, film, animation etc. It really, really doesn’t do typing courses.

Comments

[g0ldt00th.livejournal.com]

They cancelled the printing courses, ooh, about 7 years ago. And changed the name to London College of Communication last year some time.

[webofevil.livejournal.com]

> changed the name to London College of Communication


Presumably to stave off any more visits from confused gangsters wanting the best for their "princess"...

[chiller.livejournal.com]

It really, really doesn't do typing courses.

I bet it did, that time.

[webofevil.livejournal.com]

For the benefit of anyone like cornfedpig who can’t face the above link to “Mad” Frankie’s website, here’s one of my favourite bits:

Rumour has it that [George Cornell] called Ronnie a big fat poof. Not true, not true at all. Cause at that stage over thirty years ago, the word poof or homosexuality was non-existent. And nobody dreamt a gangster was one. I’m not knocking them, don’t get me wrong, if that’s a guy’s way of life then that’s his business. But nobody dreamt!! If anyone had said to me Ronnie was a poof, I would have chinned ‘em. Because that would have been an insult at that time.

But... you just said it didn’t exist... oh, never mind. Please don’t kill me.

Also, here’s “Mad” Frankie meeting a fan at a book signing:

[(Anonymous)]

I'd love to spend an evening with these two.

[ex-cornfedpi814.livejournal.com]

He said, anonymously.