The gang earned its chilling nickname through the practice of sewing razor blades into the peaks of their flat caps, so that they could blind rival gangsters by headbutting them.
They ruled the industrialised areas of Bordesley and Small Heath from the 1880s through to the early 1900s, when the city was one of the world's most important manufacturing hubs.
But theft and muggings was by no means the only illegal activity of the Peaky Blinders, who built a criminal empire on illegal betting, protection rackets and Birmingham's black market.
The were known to fight with rival gangs, and at times would even turn on the police.
Here's some wonderful newspaper clippings on the gang.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41743235/peaky_blinders/
CLIPPED FROM
Birmingham Daily Post
Birmingham, West Midlands, England
30 Jul 1900, Mon • Page 7
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41743507/peaky_blinders/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41743561/peaky_blinders/
The Peaky Blinders were an urban street gang based in Birmingham, England, that operated from the end of the 19th century and after the First World War. The group, which grew out of the harsh economic deprivations of working class Britain, was composed largely of young men of lower to middle-classes.
Although the television drama is set during the 1920s and '30s, the actual Birmingham group rose to prominence closer to the 1890s.
This is my favorite series I have watched all of them on netflix.
The Shelby's are a family a crime family, their gang are the Peaky Blinders. Staring the sexy Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby and Sam Neill as the detective who wants them all locked up or dead.
Here's a short clip about the real Peaky Blinders:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-j_yIVkYBQ
Peaky Blinders Show a clip from Season 2
They derived social power from robbery, violence, racketeering, illegal bookmaking and the control of gambling. Members of this gang wore a signature outfit that included tailored jackets, lapel overcoats, button waistcoats, silk scarves, bell-bottom trousers, leather boots, and peaked flat caps. The gang was highly organised with its own systems of hierarchy.
The Blinders’ dominance came about from beating rivals, such as the "Sloggers", whom they fought for territory in Birmingham and its surrounding districts. They held control for nearly 20 years until 1910, when a larger gang, the Birmingham Boys led by Billy Kimber, overtook them. However, even though they had disappeared by the 1920s, their "Peaky Blinders" name became a slang synonym for any street gang in Birmingham.
What a time in history! I live for this stuff. If you haven't seen the series yet I strongly suggest you watch season 1.Here's the Peaky Blinders theme song..chilling, I love it and sing with it everytime I watch..
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