James ‘Banjo’ Cross
January 20, 2011
Resting outside a shop on Whitechapel Road, 1982
This gentleman was a familiar site around Whitechapel until he was murdered in 1987 by three boys.
Banjo on Whitechapel Road, 1982
I realised who he was many years later when I read ‘Rodinsky’s Room’ by Rachel Lichenstein and Iain Sinclair. In the afterword Rachel gives an account of a meeting with Nicholas Johnson a former resident of Fournier Street. Johnson knew ‘Banjo’ and passed on a photograph of him to Rachel which appeared in subsequent editions of the book.
Banjo on Brick Lane, 1983
When I saw the photograph of him in the book I realised that these photographs were of James Cross.
Banjo on Brick Lane, 1983
Banjo on Brick Lane, 1983
4 Responses
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that’s a very moving story
don’t forget…he was murdered by a group of school kids in 1986. The jury couldnt decide if the kids caused the actual death or they just injured him and he died of natural causes!!!! I had THE photo (cough cough..hehehehahhaha) that the police took from me to give to his family at his funeral!!!and there we were thinking he was alone!!!???i did get a phone call if I remember…thanks
We were never told anything about photo,i am sure my father would have liked to recieve that,we also did not know about the wake that had been arranged to say farewell,after the service at spitalfields the undertakers whisked all away to the private cremation and we were unaware that a wake was on ,arranged by the local police and people from the local community.Thank you for thinking about the family at that very sad time.
Banjo was my late fathers youngest brother James Cross.I had to identify him after he was murdered,i was shown the hunk of hardcore that split his head open like a ripe watermelon,but because he was a vagrant and the boys so young,CPS thought it was not in the nations interest to take it to court,So wrong.He was a much respected member of the folks around brick lane,Especialy the local police force who knew him well.He was also a gifted man,playing many instruments.I had not seen him since i was 11 years of age and felt very guilty that he was so close to me and my family as i lived in Croydon at the time of his death and possibly could have assisted him.He led the party of children into Covent Garden after it was saved from development.Playing the Gazoo.this was shown on tv and i recall it and think it was In Town Tonight with Bill Grundy and Monty Modlin,Justice was not served by the CPS and no doubt those boys have gone on to commit further crimes,after getting away with murder,They had watched the film A Clockwork Orange in which a vagrant got stoned to deathThats what gave the the idea to commit this horrific act..Yes he was a troubled man who had lived on the road for many years,yes he had problems with alcohol.but he was a craing person who did not deserve the end he got.R.I.P.Banjo.aka uncle Jimmy,