Is 'Peaky Blinders' based on true story? Details about the real Peaky Blinders gang

Set in Birmingham England post World War 1 is the BBC series Peaky Blinders. It revolves around a Romanian/Irish gang of the same name, led by their leader Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy). Simultaneously, Winston Churchill sends Chief Inspector Major Chester Campbell (Sam Neill) to wipe out all the criminal activities in the Irish Republican Army city. Throughout the series, fans see the Shelby family grow into a global phenomenon as they face dangers that put their lives on the line. With the crime thriller having such a captivating plot, there is always one question in the viewers’ mind - is Peaky Blinders based on a true story? 

Is Peaky Blinders based on a true story? 

The gangster drama Peaky Blinders on Netflix is in fact based on a gang of the same name. Of course, parts of Peaky Blinders real story have been changed for the purpose of entertainment. For one, the gang lived in a different period than the one portrayed in the series. They existed during the 1890s. 

Carl Chinn, who researched the Peaky Blinders true story for his book The Real Peaky Blinders, broke down the facts and fiction of the series. Speaking to Birmingham Live, he said that Tommy Shelby never existed. He added that there is no way the gang used razor blades as shown in the series. At their time, the razor blades were considered a luxury item so the gang would have not been able to afford it. According to Jessica Brain who wrote the Peaky Blinders true story for History UK, the gang actually originated due to England’s “poor living conditions and economic hardships'' at that period. As reported by Graham Knight for the West Midlands Police Heritage Project, Stephen McHickle started off by stealing products worth £6 at a shop because he was broke and facing financial difficulties with his family. 

In her article detailing the Peaky Blinders real story, Brain mentions some of the real members of the gang. Thomas Gilbert, who was famously called Kevin Mooney, Harry Fowles who was called ‘baby-faced-Harry’, Stephen McNickle, David Taylor and Earnest Haynes. The gang became infamous for their activities “after dominating the crime scene in Birmingham for several years.” In this same article that tells the Peaky Blinders real story, Brain mentioned that the gang was involved in “smuggling, robbery, bribery, forming protection rackets, fraud and also hijacking.” They ruled the crime scene in Birmingham for 20 years. In short, is Peaky Blinders based on a true story? The answer is yes but not every detail depicted is true.

Peaky Blinders Review

Since its release, the period gangster drama gained so many fans including some famous ones like Brad Pitt, Julia Robert, Snoop Dogg and David Bowie. Many are even waiting for a sixth season as the last season ended with a cliffhanger. Some of the critics who gave a positive Peaky Blinders review include Tilly Pearce and Sarah Hughes.

Photo Courtesy: BBC