Family vigil at home of Tam McGraw’s wife more than a decade after Licensee’s death

FRIENDS and family gathered at the home of the widow of Tam “The Licensee” McGraw yesterday amid reports of her death.

The underworld was rife with claims that Margaret “Mags” McGraw’s health had rapidly deteriorated while battling throat cancer.

Friends received news of 66-year-old Margaret’s grave condition in the early hours of yesterday. It came more than a decade after the sudden death of gangland mastermind McGraw.

An underworld source said: “She’s a woman who is feared and respected and she helped Tam build up his fortune.

“She’s worth millions and it’s not clear who would inherit the money and the property.”

Relatives would not comment on reports she had succumbed to her illness.

Margaret – nicknamed The Jeweller for her love of expensive BY SALLY HIND & STEPHEN STEWART gold trinkets – has one grandchild, Connor, who she doted on after the 2013 death of William, her only child with McGraw.

The blinds were drawn and the storm doors closed at the McGraw home in Glasgow’s Mount Vernon yesterday.

Later, the security gates were closed but a number of cars and a van were parked in the driveway and on the street outside.

A family member answered the door but refused to speak to us.

Margaret married childhood sweetheart McGraw in 1971 and the pair stayed together for 36 years before a heart attack killed him.

He had been one of Scotland’s most feared gangsters and had a long-running feud with rival Paul Ferris and was thought to have built up a £30million empire.

McGraw – who tried to keep his real name, McGrow, secret – was involved in crime by his teens.

He began his crime career as an armed robber with the notorious Barlanark Team in Glasgow in the 70s but he soon branched into other areas, including drug dealing and extortion.

He was dubbed “The Licensee”