Peaky Blinders
hijacking and robbery | |
Rivals | Sabinis; Birmingham Boys; the Sloggers |
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The Peaky Blinders were a
The Blinders' dominance came about from beating rivals, including the "Sloggers", "a pugilistic term for someone who could strike a heavy blow in the ring",[1] whom they fought for territory in Birmingham and its surrounding districts. They held "control" for nearly 30 years until 1920, when a larger gang, the Birmingham Boys, led by Billy Kimber, overtook them. Although they had disappeared by the 1920s, the name "Peaky Blinders" became synonymous slang for any street gang in Birmingham.
In 2013, the name was reused for a BBC Television series entitled Peaky Blinders. The series, which stars Cillian Murphy, Paul Anderson, Sam Neill, Helen McCrory and Joe Cole, is a crime story about a fictional crime family operating in Birmingham just after World War I.
Etymology
The
Birmingham historian Carl Chinn believes the name is actually a reference to the gang's sartorial elegance. He says the popular usage of "peaky" at the time referred to any flat cap with a peak.[2] "Blinder" was a familiar Birmingham slang term, still used today, to describe something or someone of dapper appearance.[5] A further explanation might be from the gang's own criminal behaviour. They were known to sneak up from behind, then pull the hat peak down over victims' faces so they could not describe who robbed them.[6][7]
Youth violence
Economic hardship in
The most violent of these youth street gangs organised themselves as a singular group known as the Peaky Blinders. They were likely founded in Small Heath, possibly by a man named Thomas Mucklow, as suggested by a newspaper article entitled, "A murderous outrage at Small Heath, a man's skull fractured", printed in the 24 March 1890 edition of The Birmingham Mail.[12] This article is possibly the earliest evidence of the Peaky Blinders in print:
A serious assault was committed upon a young man named George Eastwood. Living at 3 court, 2 house, Arthur Street, Small Heath, on Saturday night. It seems that Eastwood, who has been for some time a total abstainer, called between ten and eleven o'clock at the Rainbow Public House in Adderly Street, and was supplied with a bottle of gingerbeer. Shortly afterwards several men known as the "Peaky Blinders" gang, whom Eastwood knew by sight from their living in the same neighborhood as himself, came in.
After some gangsters attacked a man in 1890, they sent a letter to various national newspapers declaring themselves as members of this specific group.[8] Their first activities primarily revolved around occupying favourable land, notably the communities of Small Heath and Cheapside, Birmingham.[4] Their expansion was noted by their first gang rival, the Cheapside Sloggers, who battled against them in an effort to control land.[13]
After Peaky Blinders established controlled territory in the late 19th century their criminal enterprise began expanding. They diversivied into
The group was known for its violence, not only towards rival gangs, but also against innocent civilians and constables. Gang wars between rival gangs frequently erupted in Birmingham, which led to brawls and shootouts.[15] The Peaky Blinders also deliberately attacked police officers, in what became known as "constable baiting".[16] Constable George Snipe was killed by the gang in 1897,[17] as was Charles Philip Gunter in 1901.[18][19] Hundreds more were injured, and some left the force because of the violence.[16]
Soon, the term "Peaky Blinder" became a generic term for young street criminals in Birmingham.
Notorious members
The most powerful member of the Peaky Blinders was a man known as Kevin Mooney. His real name was Thomas Gilbert, but he routinely changed his last name.
Other prominent members of the gang were David Taylor, Earnest Haynes, Harry Fowles, and Stephen McNickle.[21][13] Harry Fowles, known as "Baby-faced Harry", was arrested at age 19 for stealing a bicycle in October 1904.[13] McNickle and Haynes were arrested at the same time, for stealing a bicycle and home invasion, respectively. Each was held for one month for their crimes. West Midlands police records described the three arrested as "foul-mouthed young men who stalk the streets in drunken groups, insulting and mugging passers-by".[13] Taylor was arrested at age 13 for carrying a loaded firearm.[13]
Many gang members later fought in the
Gangster Billy Kimber was a former Peaky Blinder.[16]
Weapons and fashion
In addition to guns, the Peaky Blinders used an assortment of melee weapons, such as belt buckles, metal-tipped boots,
Gang members frequently wore tailored clothing, which was uncommon for gangs of the time. Almost all members wore a flat cap and an overcoat. The Peaky Blinders wore tailored suits usually with bell-bottom trousers and button jackets.[4][26] Wealthier members wore silk scarves and starched collars with metal tie buttons. Their distinctive dress was easily recognisable by city inhabitants, police, and rival gang members. The wives, girlfriends, and mistresses of the gang members were known for wearing lavish clothing. Pearls, silks, and colourful scarves were commonplace.[4][21][26]
Decline
After nearly a decade of political control, their growing influence brought on the attention of a larger gang, the
Other elements such as education, discipline, and harsher policing and sentencing contributed to the decrease of the Blinders' influence and, by the 1920s, they had disappeared.[30] As the specific gang known as the Peaky Blinders diminished, their name came to be used as generic term to describe violent street youth.[4] The gang's activities lasted from the 1880s until the 1920s.[3][8]
In popular culture
The
The song "Cheapside Sloggers" (2019) by the Danish hard-rock band Volbeat was written about the rivalry between the two gangs.
Further reading
- OCLC 1136540063.
- OCLC 1291506049.
- OCLC 1309300519.
- Kirby, Dick (7 July 2002). "The Race Track Gangs". The Peeler. Friends of the Met Police Museum – via Epsom & Ewell History Explorer.
References
- Birmingham Live. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
- ^ a b Chamberlain, Zoe (15 October 2014). "The TRUTH Behind the Peaky Blinders". Birmingham Mail. Archived from the original on 29 January 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
- ^ a b c "Peaky Blinders: Was there a real-life Tommy Shelby?". The Week UK. Archived from the original on 15 November 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Halls, Eleanor. "The Peaky Blinders are a romanticised myth". GQ. Archived from the original on 15 November 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
- ^ Ugolini, Laura (2007). Men and Menswear: Sartorial Consumption in Britain 1880–1939. Ashgate. p. 42.
- ^ Bradley, Michael (12 September 2013). "Birmingham's real Peaky Blinders". BBC News. West Midlands. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
- from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
- ^ a b c d "Carl Chinn – The real 'Peaky Blinders'". History West Midlands. Archived from the original on 2 August 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
- ^ Chinn, p. 21
- ^ Eric Moonman (1987). The Violent Society. F. Cass. p. 36.
- ^ Paul Thompson (1992). Edwardians: The Remaking of British Society. Routledge. p. 50.
- OCLC 780029664. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Nick McCarthy (11 September 2013). "Meet the real Peaky Blinders". Birmingham Mail. Archived from the original on 30 December 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
- ^ Michael Bradley (12 September 2013). "Birmingham's real Peaky Blinders". BBC News. Archived from the original on 25 August 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
- ISBN 9781789461725.
- ^ a b c Louise Rhind Tutt (7 September 2019). "Real Peaky Blinder: Truth Behind the Legend". I Love Manchester. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
- ^ Chinn, p.164
- ^ Chinn, p.185
- ISBN 9781903854884.
- ^ Chinn, p. 99
- ^ a b Larner, Tony (1 August 2010). "When Peaky Blinders Ruled Streets with Fear". Sunday Mercury. p. 14.
- ^ Chinn, pp. 155–159
- ^ Cormier, Roger (30 May 2016). "12 Eye Opening Facts About the Peaky Blinder". Mental Floss. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
- ^ Chinn p. 179
- ^ Chinn, p. 192
- ^ a b Solly, Meilan. "Who Were the Real 'Peaky Blinders'?". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
- ^ "UK Chaps". Archived from the original on 12 October 2007. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
- ^ Barley, Nick (2001). "London A-Z Series No.1 (A Sample....) 'G for Gangland London'". The Times. Archived from the original on 30 December 2006. Retrieved 6 December 2006.
- .doc) on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 6 December 2006.
- ^ Chinn, p. 108, 116, 194
- ^ "Game of Thrones star joins Peaky Blinders cast". The Independent. 29 March 2017. Archived from the original on 18 October 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
- ^ "Peaky Blinders". bclm.co.uk. Black Country Living Museum. Archived from the original on 2 June 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
External links
- Birmingham's real Peaky Blinders (BBC News, 2013-09-12)
- Birmingham's Peaky Blinders – in fact... and fiction (Birmingham Mail, 2013-09-12)