Alfred Henry White (1887–1942), better known as Big Alf White was an English gangster, who headed the White Family street gang.

Biography

He was born in Copenhagen Street,

Islington Islington () is a district in the north of Greater London, England, and part of the London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the ar ...

, London, to Alfred White, a drinking club proprietor), and Victoria Bayford. White became one of the most ruthless and vicious London gangsters between the World Wars and was the main force behind the Sabini gang of

Clerkenwell Clerkenwell () is an area of central London, England. Clerkenwell was an ancient parish from the mediaeval period onwards, and now forms the south-western part of the London Borough of Islington. The well after which it was named was redisco ...

, which he partnered in terrorising bookmakers on racecourses and street corners. He was also a local protection racketeer who extended his operations into West End clubland. In his youth, White had been a member of the

Bemerton Street Bemerton Street is a street in Barnsbury, Kings Cross, London, King's Cross, in the London Borough of Islington. It runs from Bingfield Street in the north to Copenhagen Street in the south. It is joined on its eastern side by Twyford Street and ...

Boys, who were constantly battling the Clerkenwell Boys and White Lion Street gang in local hooligan wars. In 1908, he led the Titanics in the "First Battle of the Nile" against the Sabinis. He supported the McCausland brothers' West End gang in its struggle with the Elephant gang for supremacy in Soho and, after the McCauslands were jailed, he became a leading light in the

pickpocketing Pickpocketing is a form of larceny that involves the stealing of money or other valuables from the person or a victim's pocket without them noticing the theft at the time. It may involve considerable dexterity and a knack for Misdirection (magic ...

Titanic gang, together with his brother-in-law Charlie Wooder. Both were convicted in 1913 of picking the pocket of a traveller on the West Coast Corridor train on its way to

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. In 1919, the Titanic was crushed by the

Elephant and Castle Mob The Elephant and Castle Mob were one of the many independent street gangs active in London's underworld during the interwar years. A rival of mobster Charles "Darby" Sabini along with the Birmingham Boys and the Cortesi brothers of Saffron Hill, ...

. White went on to form the King's Cross Boys and combined with the Sabinis and Alf Solomon's Yiddishers to form a counterbalance to the Elephant, Camden Town and Finsbury gangs, and their Birmingham Boys allies led by Billy Kimber. Years of racecourse warfare followed. In 1922, White was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for his part in the shooting of George Sage and Freddie Gilbert outside the Southampton Arms in Mornington Crescent, Camden. Joe Sabini and others of the White-Sabini gang were also jailed. When George Sage's wife withdrew her evidence at his appeal hearing, White was released. White was involved in numerous fights where coshes, razors and guns were used. In 1925, he was badly beaten in a Paddington gambling club by a combination of Elephant Boys led by Tommy Benneworth and Bethnal Green Boys led by Dodger Mullins. In 1935, he was jailed for 12 months for a vicious assault in which his victim lost an eye. White tired of his association with the Sabinis, transferred his operations to greyhound tracks and became a part owner of Hackney Wick Stadium. He was married to Caroline Wooder and their three children, Alf junior, Harry and Billy, took over leadership of the gang until they were crushed by Jack Comer in 1947. Big Alf White died in

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, London in late 1942.

References

* Brian McDonald, ''Gangs of London'', Milo Books 2010. {{DEFAULTSORT:White, Alf English gangsters Gang members London crime history 1887 births 1942 deaths