PARKHURST PRISONERS: BRITAIN’S MOST NOTORIOUS INMATE – CHARLES ARTHUR SALVADOR AKA CHARLES BRONSON

Britain’s Most Notorious Inmate – Charles Bronson – has had 4 spells of imprisonment on the Isle of Wight between incarceration in the UK’s most fearsome high-security prisons and psychiatric hospitals. Bronson was born Michael Gordon Peterson in Luton on 6th December 1952. He became known as ‘Charles Bronson’ in 1987 (after the American actor) when he took up a bare-knuckle boxing career during the first of 2 short spells of freedom in 1987. The name was suggested by his close friend Reggie Kray, whom he had got to know in Parkhurst. Britain’s Most Notorious Inmate was also known as Charles Ali Ahmed when he briefly converted to Islam in 2001 after marrying Bangladeshi-born Fatema Rehman. In 2014, he again changed his name, this time to Charles Salvador, in honour of Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dali. He has spent close to half a century behind bars. He was first jailed in 1974 for armed robbery and sentenced to a term of 7 years imprisonment. During his time detained in a variety of secure institutions, he is said to have attacked 20 or more prison officers plus countless fellow inmates, held 11 people hostage and to have caused £500,000 pounds worth of damage to prison roofs. The most infamous example of Bronson’s hostage taking came in 1999 when he threatened an art teacher – who had criticised his ability – with a broken bottle and homemade spear, before tying him up with a skipping rope, which led to his being given a life term. However, there is far more to Charles Bronson than violence and psychosis. He is an author (with 11 books to his name), poet and artist. His works have been displayed on the London Underground and have raised several thousand pounds for charity at auction. He has won 11 Koestler Awards for art and poetry. Bronson is also the author of ‘Solitary Fitness’ and has broken numerous prison records despite not having access to a gym for many years. In 2000, he claimed:

“I once did 25 press-ups with 2 men on my back, and I’ve squatted with 3 men on my shoulders. Show me another man – a man half my age – who can pick up a full-size snooker table.”

But what of Bronson’s time on the Island…? One incident involving Britain’s Most Notorious has been described by former screw David Berridge in his book ‘Inside Parkhurst, Stories of a Prison Officer’, showcasing the strength and determination of the man. Berridge wrote:

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“On a warm summer’s day, Britain’s Most Notorious Inmate (BMNI) was on the compound, which was packed. Suddenly, the on-duty prison officer noticed a group had surrounded an inmate who was on the ground, struggling to get to his feet. “BMNI was on the floor, covered in claret. He wanted nothing to do with any first aid. He slowly got to his feet, grabbed a handful of soil and began rubbing it into his numerous, very obvious stab wounds. His ego and his hardman reputation would not allow anyone to treat him – that’s what mere mortals did. “Once he got back to his cell, he collapsed in peace — and only then would he be taken to hospital. He had at least 15 stab wounds, and there were no guarantees he would survive. “A contract had been taken out on BMNI. Most of the other prisoners were terrified of his fearsome reputation and unpredictability. There would be consequences when he returned”.

The atmosphere in Parkhurst in the 1970s has been described by Bronson himself when he wrote:

“In 1976, I landed in Parkhurst. To give you an idea of what “The Big House” – the number one jail at the time, which housed the monarch’s of the villain world – was really like, I’ll say it was full of men you didn’t f*** with! Hard Men! Fearless! Men I admire, real men, not like the maggots of today.”

Bronson was put in C unit, known as ‘Cooper’s Troopers’ Nutters Wing’ (Dr Cooper was the Psychiatric Medical Officer). It was here that Bronson met the Kray Twins for the first time. The lifer described their first encounter in his book, ‘The Krays and Me’:

“A tap came on the door. In walked this guy with a jug of coffee and a packet of chocolate biscuits. He put them down on the table and put his hand out, ‘I’m Reg Kray. nice to meet you.’ “There was another tap on the door. In walked Reg again, with a battery record player and a good 20 LPs! ‘Hi, I’m Ronnie Kray.’ (Well, he was dressed the same as Reg, so at the time I thought it was Reg). “Ron was to end up the greatest friend I ever had.”

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In 2023, Charles Bronson was denied parole. He remains in prison to this day, at the age of 71. A film of his life – ‘Bronson’, starring Tom Hardy – was released in 2009. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2VM7UTy1xw Bronson – who claims never to have raped or murdered anyone – has spent almost his entire adult life behind bars. Is it time for the septuagenarian to be released…?