Thomas Shelby gazes out over the smoky skyline of post-war Birmingham, his eyes filled with ambition and vengeance. The streets are alive with the clinking of beer glasses and the whispers of betrayal. The Peaky Blinders, with their razor-lined caps and ironclad codes, have a grip on the city—a criminal empire rising from the ashes of World War I. It’s a gripping narrative of power, violence, and survival. But behind the dark glamour of the Shelby clan, one question often lingers in the minds of viewers: Is Peaky Blinders based on a true story
The Origin of the Peaky Blinders: Fact or Fiction?
At the heart of the Peaky Blinders television series is the Shelby family, a fictional creation of screenwriter Steven Knight. The show’s central characters—including Tommy Shelby, his brothers Arthur and John, and their Aunt Polly—are entirely fictional. However, they operate within a real historical backdrop. The setting, early 20th-century Birmingham, is accurate, and there was indeed a gang known as the Peaky Blinders that ruled the streets of Birmingham during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Historically, the original Peaky Blinders were not the powerful, highly organized crime syndicate we see on the screen. Instead, they were a more modest street gang, mainly composed of young, lower-class men. Their criminal activities ranged from petty theft and street fighting to illegal bookmaking and protection rackets.
The actual Peaky Blinders got their name from the distinctive way they dressed. Contrary to the show’s portrayal, historians debate whether their caps really had razors sewn into them. As Carl Chinn, a historian who has extensively studied Birmingham’s gangs, explains, “The razor blade was an expensive luxury item in the late 19th century, and it is highly unlikely that these street thugs could afford to place them in their caps” (Chinn, Peaky Blinders: The Real Story). The more likely origin of the name is the gang members’ practice of wearing “peak” caps with a sharply-angled brim, which, combined with their tendency to engage in street violence, made them visually and physically intimidating.
Gangs and the Social Climate of Birmingham
The Peaky Blinders emerged from the poverty-stricken streets of Birmingham, a city that was growing rapidly due to industrialization. The rise of the gang is a direct reflection of the socio-economic conditions of the time. After the Industrial Revolution, Birmingham’s working-class neighborhoods were rife with unemployment, poverty, and crime. In this climate of instability, street gangs like the Peaky Blinders thrived, often filling the vacuum left by an overstretched and inefficient police force.
The real gang operated between the 1890s and the early 1910s, whereas the Peaky Blinders TV show is set in the 1920s and later. By that time, the real Peaky Blinders had largely dissolved or been replaced by more violent and powerful gangs like the Birmingham Boys, led by Billy Kimber, and later, the Sabini gang. Interestingly, Billy Kimber, who appears in the show as one of Thomas Shelby’s rivals, was indeed a real figure in British criminal history. Kimber controlled racetracks and racecourse bookmaking in the early 20th century, and his operations spanned much of England (Chinn, 2019).
Were the Shelbys Real People?
The Shelby family, who are central to the Peaky Blinders series, are purely fictional. Thomas Shelby and his brothers do not have any direct historical counterparts. However, their characteristics and the gang’s operations reflect an amalgamation of various historical criminal figures from Birmingham and beyond.
The show’s creator, Steven Knight, has admitted that his inspiration for the Shelbys came from stories he heard as a child. His father told him tales of local gangsters in Birmingham who carried themselves with an air of glamor and authority, traits that can certainly be seen in the fictional Thomas Shelby. While there is no real-life Thomas Shelby, the Shelby family and their rise to power in post-war England draw on the very real history of organized crime during that period.
The Razor Caps: Myth or Reality?
One of the most iconic elements of the Peaky Blinders gang is the razors sewn into the peaks of their caps. However, this is more legend than fact. Historian Carl Chinn has pointed out that such an accessory would have been highly impractical and costly for street-level gang members in Birmingham in the late 19th century. Razor blades were not widely available or affordable at the time, and there is little historical evidence to support this widely-circulated myth. The image of razor-tipped caps likely emerged more from imaginative storytelling than historical fact.
What the gang was known for, however, was using their hats as weapons. The caps themselves were hardened and often used to headbutt rivals during street fights. The gang members also frequently employed brass knuckles, knives, and other weapons, lending to their fearsome reputation.
The Role of Women in the Peaky Blinders’ World
One of the show’s more progressive aspects is its portrayal of women, particularly Aunt Polly, as key players in the gang’s operations. While the real Peaky Blinders operated in a patriarchal society where men predominantly ran criminal enterprises, the women of Birmingham were far from passive bystanders.
Many women in Birmingham’s slums worked in factories or as market traders. Some even ran illegal businesses such as backstreet gambling or smuggling, often alongside their male counterparts. Although they may not have held positions of overt power within gangs like the fictional Polly Gray does, women were integral to the survival and functioning of working-class families and communities. Their strength and resilience, as depicted in the show, is not entirely fictional.
World War I and Its Aftermath
The first season of Peaky Blinders begins just after World War I, a conflict that deeply impacted British society and gave rise to an entire generation of men who returned home physically and mentally scarred by the experience. The character of Thomas Shelby, a war hero who struggles with PTSD, is a reflection of this broader historical reality.
Many soldiers who returned from the war found that their previous jobs had either been taken by others or no longer existed. With few options for employment and a lack of support for veterans, some men turned to crime. In this sense, the portrayal of the Shelby brothers as war veterans-turned-gangsters is plausible, although the Peaky Blinders gang itself predates the war by several decades.
The Rise of Organized Crime in Britain
While the original Peaky Blinders were a small-time street gang, the early 20th century saw the rise of much more sophisticated criminal organizations in Britain. The TV show reflects this shift, with the Shelby family evolving into a more professionalized criminal enterprise over the course of the series.
In reality, British organized crime in the 1920s and 1930s was largely centered around gambling, protection rackets, and the burgeoning black market. Figures like Billy Kimber and Charles “Darby” Sabini controlled large portions of the country’s racetrack betting and clashed with rival gangs over territory, as depicted in the series.
Popularity and Legacy
Since its debut in 2013, Peaky Blinders has become a cultural phenomenon, attracting millions of viewers worldwide. Its stylish portrayal of 1920s Birmingham, combined with strong performances and intricate storylines, has helped the show become one of the most popular British TV exports of recent years.
The show’s impact has gone beyond television, influencing fashion trends with its sharp suits and flat caps, and even inspiring music, as the show’s eclectic soundtrack has introduced many viewers to lesser-known artists. But perhaps more importantly, Peaky Blinders has reignited interest in a largely forgotten chapter of British history—the world of street gangs and the socio-economic conditions that gave rise to them.
Conclusion
While Peaky Blinders takes significant creative liberties in its portrayal of the Shelby family and their criminal empire, the show is rooted in real historical events and figures. The original Peaky Blinders were a real gang that once terrorized the streets of Birmingham, though they were far less influential than their fictional counterparts. By blending fact and fiction, Peaky Blinders offers a stylized, dramatic look at a tumultuous period in British history, reflecting the struggles of a nation recovering from war and grappling with social and economic change.
