Brian "Little Legs" Clifford

Brian Benham "Little Legs" Clifford (29 February 1940 - 28 September 1985) was a south London criminal and club owner who was murdered at home as he slept. His murder has never been solved.

Early life

Brian Clifford was born on 29 February 1940[1] in Lambeth, London.[2] In 1960, he married Rhoda R. Katz in Stepney, London.[3] The couple had children Karon (born 1961),[4] Deborah (born 1962)[5] and Bernard (Bernie) (1968-2017) who was the manager of the Groucho Club in Soho.[6]

Career

Bernie Katz described his father as "a real villain with a heavy clout around south London."[6] His nickname came from his short stature.[7] According to professional thief Shirley Pitts, he had to attach wooden blocks to the pedals of his Rolls-Royce car in order to drive it.[8] Stephen Smith, who knew Clifford well, described him as handsome with wavy black hair combed back but an uncontrollable temper.[7]

Shirley Pitts said in her memoirs that Clifford ran several night clubs in London's West End[8] while "Mad" Frankie Fraser described him as a "mover, a buyer of gear" (a fence) who shot Johnny Mangan twice in the head in 1979 and was tried for attempted murder but acquitted.[9] Stephen Smith described an occasion on which he flew with Clifford to Switzerland and successfully exchanged forged U.S. dollars for genuine British currency in the banks there.[7]

Death

Clifford was killed by a masked assailant or assailants while he slept at his home of 126 Kennington Road, London, on 28 September 1985.[10][11] According to Shirley Pitts, he was killed by Italians after a deal relating to a lot of Capodimonte porcelain went bad[8] but the crime has never been solved. According to official records he left an estate not exceeding £40,000.[12] In December 1985, Stuart Holland MP revealed in a parliamentary debate that the house had been bought for Clifford in the false name of Mrs Robinson for less than £17,000 in 1984 and the police were investigating the connection between Clifford and a number of sales of property by the St Olave charity, from whom Clifford had bought number 126.[10]

References

1. Brian Benham Clifford England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007. Family Search. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
2. Brian B Clifford England and Wales Birth Registration Index. Family Search. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
3. Brian B Clifford mentioned in the record of Katz and Brian B Clifford. Family Search. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
4. Karon A Clifford England and Wales Birth Registration Index. Family Search. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
5. Deborah R Clifford England and Wales Birth Registration Index. Family Search. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
6. Bernie Katz. The Times, 7 September 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2017. (subscription required)
7. Smith, Stephen. (1997). ADDICT. London: Westworld International. p. 115. ISBN 978-0-9573185-5-7.
8. Gamman, Lorraine. (2013). Gone shopping: The story of Shirley Pitts, Queen of thieves. London: Bloomsbury. p. 121. ISBN 978-1-4482-0971-2.
9. Fraser, Frankie & James Morton. (2007). Mad Frank's underworld history of Britain. London: Virgin Books. p. 192. ISBN 978-0-7535-1275-3.
10. Adjournment (Christmas). HC Deb 18 December 1985 vol 89 cc350-92, Hansard. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
11. London Gangland Figure Brian 'Little Legs’ Clifford. Court News UK. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
12. 1985 Probate Calendar. p. 1652.