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Buster Edwards (born Ronald Christopher Edwards; 27 January 1931 — 28 November 1994) was a former boxer, nightclub owner, and member of the gang that committed the Great Train Robbery.

He was captured in 1966 and sentenced to 15 years in jail. After his early release in 1975 he ran a flower stall outside Waterloo Station.

In 1988 a film was made about his role in the Great Train Robbery. His character was played by Phil Collins, the film named after his adopted first name: Buster.

He is believed to have committed suicide by hanging in Lambeth, London,^[1] at the age of 63. He was found by his brother.^[2] At the inquest following Edwards' death, a panel recorded an open verdict, based on testimony that the deceased was too intoxicated to form an intent to kill himself.^[3] However, at the time of his death he was being investigated by police during an inquiry into a suspected large-scale fraud and speculation has led that a fear of being re-imprisoned led to a suicide attempt^[4].

Dexter Fletcher

In 1991, Buster Edwards was himself the victim of a theft, albeit of a more mundane nature. On Saturday 15th June at about 3:00pm, British actor Dexter Fletcher ran along Mepham Street and scooped up two bunches of Nasturtiums valued at £5.00 from Edwards’ stall. Edwards declined to chase Fletcher for fear of leaving his stall unattended. Fletcher was seen to run off on to York Road with the flowers. Edwards reported the theft to the police, identifying his assailant as being, “That lad out of The Rachel Papers”. Fletcher was unlucky in the timing of his theft because Edwards had seen the film for the first time only days before. Fletcher was arrested and charged with theft. The following week Fletcher appeared at Horseferry Road Magistrates’ Court and pleaded guilty. He was given a Conditional Discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £30.00 costs. In mitigation Fletcher said that the flowers were for his girlfriend and Press Gang co-star Julia Sawalha, but that he had lost his cash card and was unable to obtain funds to pay for the flowers. Fletcher subsequently apologised to Edwards and compensated him for the flowers.^[5]

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