The Dixon and Tibbs Families.

These two families hit the headlines in the early seventies, when they were brought down by Commander Bert Wickstead, a cop who became known as "The Old Grey Fox".  Wickstead operated as a cop for a number of years in the East End of London.  A major investigation for him was to look into the activities of a group of men known as the Dixon Gang.  This comprised of Brothers Alan, George & Brian Dixon, Mike Young, Mike Bailey, Leo Carlton & Philip Jacobs as their leader.  Jacobs was a small man whom it was said was dubbed "Little Ceasar".  Wickstead investigated claims of extortion, blackmail and intimidation.  A trial put all of them away for varying lengths of sentencing.  Alan Dixon later claimed that he had been an armed robber, and he and his brother George, had at one time been associated with the Krays, before they had a falling out. 

    During this period, Wickstead had another investigation thrust upon him;  The Tibbs Family.  This was a much more serious job for Wickstead as violence was getting dangerously out of control.  The Tibbs` had animosity towards the Nicholls family after one of the Nicholls` hit one of the elder Tibbs men.  The result was violence that involved guns, knives, and clubs.  Numerous attacks on the Nicholls brothers continued.  An associate of theirs called Len Kersey was attacked and left for dead.  Kersey was lucky to survive.  One of the Tibbs sons had his throat slashed.  Eventually, arrests followed and a couple of Tibbs Brothers were convicted of attempted murder.  One father, Big Jim Tibbs, received fifteen years for perverting justice. 

     Wickstead, in his memoirs, said that he researched into the background of the Tibbs Family, and discovered that the Krays NEVER tried anything with them, they kept clear of them.  The Tibbs` offered and accepted allegiance from nobody.  It could be why the Krays stayed clear of them.  If they had a problem, they dealt with it themselves, they did not look for support.  Jimmy Tibbs, the son of Big Jim, is one of the top boxing trainers in the UK.