The criminal Cortesi family originated in Italy, although the men, who would become part of the London underworld were all born in Paris, France. Augustus ‘Gus’ Cortesi (1886–1949) is buried in St Mary’s Catholic Cemetery, Kensal Green. Enrico ‘Frenchie’ (1884–1954) died in Hackney. Paolo ‘Paul’ (1891–1938) died in Islington. George (1888–1972) died in St Pancras. Their mother, Angele Cortesi, who brought her sons to England somewhere between 1891 and 1901, was born in Italy, about 1848, and died in 1935. In 1901, the family is listed at Little Saffron Hill, Clerkenwell, close to their friends the criminal Sabini family – until they fell out over protection racketeering when the Cortesi brothers believed they were being denied a fair share of proceeds from West End gambling clubs and money wrung from bookmakers by threats and blackmail. The Cortesi gang allied itself to Freddie Gilbert’s Finsbury Boys, enemies of both the Sabinis and the premier Jewish gang led by Alfie Solomon.
Gus and George Cortesi had criminal records for assault in the 1910s.
The Cortesi brothers came to wide public notice in 1922 after Harry Sabini had pointed a revolver at them during a row in the Fratellanza Social Club at 23 Great Bath Street, Clerkenwell, after hearing they had teamed up with Gilbert’s Finsbury gang. The inevitable follow-up came on 20 November 1922, when Darby and Harry Sabini arrived at the club, probably to talk peace. Three women occupied one table and the only others present were the four Cortesi brothers and Alex Tomaso (also called Sandy Rice). Words were exchanged and tempers boiled over – Paul threw a cup of hot coffee in the face of Harry and they started to fight. On this occasion it was the Cortesis who were armed with revolvers. Gus went to shoot Darby Sabini, but his hand was knocked aside by one of the three women, young Louisa Doralli, daughter of the secretary of the club. The shot went through a window and Darby was floored by a fully charged wine bottle in the hands of Alex Tomaso. Louisa then jumped in front of Harry Sabini as Frenchie went to shoot him, but was pushed aside by Harry, allowing his adversary to shoot him in the stomach.
When police officers attempted to arrest the Cortesi brothers at their homes they were prevented from doing so by a large gathering of Anglo-Italian sympathisers, who appear to have preferred them to the Sabinis. Gus, Enrico, George and Paul Cortesi, with Alex Tomaso, surrendered themselves to the police. Gus and Enrico (Frenchie) were jailed for three years for attempted murder. George and Paul Cortesi and Tomaso were found not guilty of assault and discharged. A judge commended Louisa Doralli for her bravery.
Louisa is something of a mystery woman, who appears to have given evidence under an assumed name. She does not exist in public records, other than newspaper reports of the shooting.
Harry Sabini recovered from his wound and took over leadership of the Sabini gang when Darby Sabini retired to live in Hove, Sussex.
The Cortesi gang seems also to have retired, although their partner Freddie Gilbert continued the racecourse wars with the Sabinis in partnership with George Sage’s Camden Town gang and the Elephant and Castle gang led by the McDonald brothers.
The history of the ‘Racecourse Wars’ can be found in Brian McDonald’s reliable Gangs of London.