14 Facts About Jack Comer

Jack "Spot" Comer was a Jewish gangster who rose to rule London's underworld.

Jack Comer grew up in a Jewish ghetto street in Fieldgate Mansions, Whitechapel, along the west side of Myrdle Street, across from the Irish in terraced houses along the east side.

At the age of seven, Jack Comer joined his first gang, which was made up of boys from the Jewish side of Myrdle Street who fought their Catholic rivals from the other end of the street.

Jack Comer gained a reputation amongst Jews as a someone to call on for protection.

Jack Comer often found himself in violent encounters with antisemites, sometimes being paid but at other times getting involved out of principle.

Jack Comer was involved in the Battle of Cable Street and other attacks on Oswald Mosley's Blackshirts.

Jack Comer's discharge was formally for 'mental instability,' but in fact he had beaten an antisemitic superior officer, and continued to make himself a nuisance until he was released.

Billy Hill was a talented and smart thief who had written to Jack Comer asking to work for him whilst Hill was serving time.

Jack Comer took a shine to Hill and on his release from prison Hill was picked up, taken to Savile Row for a suit and then on to meet Jack Comer.

Trouble with the law and a systematic attack on his sources of income by Hill and others led to Jack Comer being squeezed out.

Jack Comer was cleared of a charge of stabbing; he said it was because of "the greatest lawyer in history", his barrister Rose Heilbron.

Whilst Jack Comer was recovering from his injuries, his enemies "grassed him up" to the police for attacking and cutting a petty criminal, Tommy Falco.

Jack Comer died in Isleworth at 83; his ashes were spread in Israel.

Jack Comer is a major character in the 2019 film Once Upon A Time In London.