New Delhi: The Netflix series ‘Peaky Blinders’ starring Cillian Murphy in the lead role has garnered tremendous traction and has become one of the most popular web series in the world. It has six seasons, all of which are gripping, edge-of-the-seat and full of suspense. The series’ popularity has also led people to inquire if the characters are real. While the characters in the series are fictional, there was indeed a gang named Peaky Blinders in England once upon a time.
Who were Peaky Blinders in real life?
The Peaky Blinders were a street gang in England’s Birmingham. It was in operation from the 1880s until the 1920s and had mostly young criminals from lower- to working-class backgrounds. Their crimes pertained to violence, robbery, illegal bookmaking, gambling and racketeering. Their signature outfits included tailored jackets, buttoned waistcoats, lapelled overcoats and bell-bottom trousers with leather boots. Also, yes, they used to wear peaked flat caps but it is unlikely they had razor blades sewn into them.
Why did they become criminals?
One of the main reasons why Peaky Blinders was formed and why it had its share of criminals was the high level of financial struggle in Birmingham at that time. Youths had no work and hence they engaged in robbery and pickpocketing. They did so through battery, assault and stabbing. In the 1850s, when the police in Birmingham led a crackdown on such activities, the youth fought back and joined together to become slogging gangs. During the 1890s, the youth street gangs had boys and men between the ages of 12 and 30.
Who formed the Peaky Blinders and how did they operate?
The Peaky Blinders was reportedly founded by a man named Thomas Mucklow. In the late 19th century, the Peaky Blinders established control over the territory and they began to diversify their criminal activities. They formed protection rackets and perpetrated land grabbing, fraud, smuggling, robbery, truck hijacking, and bookmaking but they were not really an organised crime group. Not just rival gangs, but the group was also violent towards innocent civilians and constables and sometimes, the gang members deliberately attacked police officers. In Birmingham, soon the name ‘Peaky Blinder’ became a generic term for young criminals on the street.
Who were the popular members of the gang?
The most powerful member of the gang was Kevin Mooney, whose real name was reportedly Thomas Gilbert. Other prominent members of the gang were David Taylor, Earnest Haynes, Harry Fowles, and Stephen McNickle.
One of the main reasons behind the decline of the Peaky Blinders was the backlash of a larger gang, the Birmingham Boys. Also, other factors like discipline, education, and harsher policing and sentencing led to their decrease in influence and they disappeared by the 1920s. After that, the name became a generic term to describe violent street youth.
The Peaky Blinders were a street gang in England’s Birmingham. It was in operation from the 1880s until the 1920s and had mostly young criminals from lower- to working-class backgrounds. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
