Buster Edwards
Encyclopedia
Buster Edwards was a British
criminal who was a member of the gang that committed the Great Train Robbery
. He had also been a boxer
and nightclub
owner.
, 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 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 married June Rose in 1952. They had a daughter, Nicky.
He was involved in the theft of £
62,000 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 would go on to undertake the Great Train Robbery in August 1963.
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
, and they escaped with £2,600,000 of used banknotes. 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.
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
.
ran along Mepham Street and scooped up two bunches of Nasturtiums 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 York Road
with the flowers. Edwards reported the theft to the police, identifying his assailant as being, “That lad out of The Rachel Papers
”. 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 Horseferry Road Magistrates' Court and pleaded guilty. He was given a conditional discharge
for 12 months and ordered to pay £30 costs. In mitigation, Fletcher said that the flowers were for his girlfriend and Press Gang
co-star Julia Sawalha
, but that he had lost his cash card and was unable to obtain funds to pay for the flowers. Fletcher subsequently apologised to Edwards and compensated him for the flowers.
, London
, at the age of 63. He was found hanging from a steel girder, inside a lock-up garage in Greet Street, Lambeth by his brother. At the Inquest following Edwards' death, a panel recorded an open verdict
, based on testimony that the deceased was too intoxicated to form an intent to kill himself. 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 suicide
attempt.
Edwards was survived by his wife and their daughter.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
criminal who was a member of the gang that committed the Great Train Robbery
Great Train Robbery (1963)
The Great Train Robbery is the name given to a £2.6 million train robbery committed on 8 August 1963 at Bridego Railway Bridge, Ledburn near Mentmore in Buckinghamshire, England. The bulk of the stolen money was not recovered...
. He had also been a boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
and nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
owner.
Early and private life
Edwards was born in LambethLambeth
Lambeth is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated southeast of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
, 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 black market. During his National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
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 married June Rose in 1952. They had a daughter, Nicky.
He was involved in the theft of £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
62,000 from Comet House, the headquarters of British Overseas Airways Corporation
British Overseas Airways Corporation
The British Overseas Airways Corporation was the British state airline from 1939 until 1946 and the long-haul British state airline from 1946 to 1974. The company started life with a merger between Imperial Airways Ltd. and British Airways Ltd...
at Heathrow Airport, 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
The Great Train gang intercepted the Glasgow–London mail train in BuckinghamshireBuckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
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
Cheddington
Cheddington is a village and civil parish in the Aylesbury Vale district of Buckinghamshire. The parish has an area of . The village is about 5 miles north-east of Aylesbury and three miles north of Tring in Hertfordshire...
, and they escaped with £2,600,000 of used banknotes. The driver, Jack Mills
Jack Mills
Jack Mills was the driver of the train that was robbed in the Great Train Robbery in 1963.- Great Train Robbery :...
, 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
Bruce Reynolds
Bruce Richard Reynolds was part of the gang behind the 'Great Train Robbery' in 1963 in £2.6 million was stolen....
, 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 9 years in prison. After his early release in 1975, he ran a flower stall outside Waterloo StationWaterloo station
Waterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....
in London. He gave interviews to writer Piers Paul Read
Piers Paul Read
Piers Paul Read, FRSL is a British novelist and non-fiction writer.-Background:Read was born in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire...
, persuading him to write in his 1978 book The Train Robbers that the robbery was led by German commando Otto Skorzeny
Otto Skorzeny
Otto Skorzeny was an SS-Obersturmbannführer in the German Waffen-SS during World War II. After fighting on the Eastern Front, he was chosen as the field commander to carry out the rescue mission that freed the deposed Italian dictator Benito Mussolini from captivity...
, and that Edwards was the person responsible for hitting Jack Mills. Edwards later retracted these claims. Buster
Buster (film)
Buster is a 1988 comedy-drama film starring musician Phil Collins, Julie Walters, Larry Lamb and Sheila Hancock. The soundtrack featured two Phil Collins singles which eventually topped the Billboard 100 singles chart.-Plot:...
, a film about his role in the Great Train Robbery, was made in 1988, with Edwards played by Phil Collins
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
.
Robbery 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 Dexter FletcherDexter Fletcher
Dexter Fletcher is an English actor. He is best known for his role in Guy Ritchie film, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels as well as television roles in such shows as the dramedy Hotel Babylon, the critically acclaimed HBO series Band of Brothers and earlier in his career, the children's show...
ran along Mepham Street and scooped up two bunches of Nasturtiums 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 York Road
York Road, Lambeth
York Road is a road in Lambeth, London running between Westminster Bridge Road and Waterloo Road . To the west is the old County Hall, Shell Centre, Jubilee Gardens and, beyond, the London Eye and the River Thames. Waterloo Station is located on the road's eastern edge, as well as the former...
with the flowers. Edwards reported the theft to the police, identifying his assailant as being, “That lad out of The Rachel Papers
The Rachel Papers
The Rachel Papers is a 1989 British film based on the novel of the same name by Martin Amis. It stars Dexter Fletcher and Ione Skye as the two main characters, and a number of famous names in supporting roles such as Jonathan Pryce, Bill Paterson, James Spader, Jared Harris, Claire Skinner, and...
”. 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 Horseferry Road Magistrates' Court and pleaded guilty. He was given a conditional discharge
Conditional discharge
A discharge is a type of sentence where no punishment is imposed. An absolute discharge is unconditional: the defendant is not punished, and the case is over. In some jurisdictions, an absolute discharge means there is no conviction despite a finding that the defendant is guilty...
for 12 months and ordered to pay £30 costs. In mitigation, Fletcher said that the flowers were for his girlfriend and Press Gang
Press Gang
Press Gang is a British children's television comedy-drama consisting of forty-three episodes across five series that were broadcast from 1989 to 1993...
co-star Julia Sawalha
Julia Sawalha
Julia Sawalha is an English actress well known for her roles as Saffron Monsoon in Absolutely Fabulous, Lynda Day, editor of The Junior Gazette in Press Gang and Lydia Bennet in the 1995 television miniseries of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. She also played Dorcas Lane in the BBC's costume...
, but that he had lost his cash card and was unable to obtain funds to pay for the flowers. Fletcher subsequently apologised to Edwards and compensated him for the flowers.
Death
Edwards died in LambethLondon Borough of Lambeth
The London Borough of Lambeth is a London borough in south London, England and forms part of Inner London. The local authority is Lambeth London Borough Council.-Origins:...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, at the age of 63. He was found hanging from a steel girder, inside a lock-up garage in Greet Street, Lambeth by his brother. At the Inquest following Edwards' death, a panel recorded an open verdict
Open verdict
The Open verdict is an option open to a Coroner's jury at an Inquest in the legal system of England and Wales. The verdict strictly means that the jury confirms that the death is suspicious but is unable to reach any of the other verdicts open to them...
, based on testimony that the deceased was too intoxicated to form an intent to kill himself. 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 suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
attempt.
Edwards was survived by his wife and their daughter.