Bert Rossi: Clerkenwell ‘gangland boss’ laid to rest following service at St Peter’s Italian Church
Bert Rossi with his autobiography, Bert Battles Rossi. Picture: Rossi family - Credit: Archant
The Clerkenwell funeral of self-proclaimed “gangland boss” Bert Rossi, once a key mentor of the Kray twins, took place on Monday.
Bert Rossi. Picture: Rossi family - Credit: Archant
Mr Rossi, 94, died on July 2 after a fall at home. He’d just released an autobiography and planned a book tour.
A service took place at St Peter’s Italian Church in what was once London’s Little Italy, followed by a ceremony at Islington Crematorium.
Grandson Frankie said: “He was a good man, an honest man, a very respected man and a family man, I was proud of him. If you needed any money he’d always help a friend out.”
Frankie has fond memories of being taken to boxing matches by his grandfather as a boy. He said of the book: “He wanted to tell his story and obviously he couldn’t have written it in the old days. People should read it because it’s interesting.”
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Frankie said Mr Rossi went out the way he would have wanted – with Italian music, including some from The Godfather.
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