The Fascinating True Story That Inspired 'Peaky Blinders'

Who were the real Peaky Blinders? On the BBC show, boss Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) violently dominates the streets of Birmingham, England, while wearing tailored, fashionable clothes. And in reality, the gang members did wear a signature dressy look, complete with silk scarves, to class up their extralegal enterprise. But they also sewed razor blades in their caps to injure the faces of their rivals and victims, causing a crime wave that infuriated the police. The Peaky Blinders were one of many groups in Birmingham that resorted to their enterprises because of the city's industrialized poverty, but their tactics made them the most feared gang in all of Britain
#PeakyBlinders #VictorianEngland #WeirdHistory

[@CowgirlSamurai]

Quote of the day! "... an idiot in fancy clothing is still just an idiot."

[@ShelbySteele23]

Based on everything going on in the world lately this is the quote of the decade

[@freedcrypto]

To be fair, bbc never put "based on true events" or "based on true story" on Peaky Blinders' covers so they are free to change history however they wish

[@overlord3850]

yeah kind of like how Quentin Tarantino did it with inglorious bastards and once apon a time. as long as it isn't slander or too modern I think its fine

[@Siixks.]

to be faaiirrr

[@elperrodelautumo7511]

Peaky blinders deserve to have their own gta style video game

[@topgtate4750]

“Peaky”

[@trashcanhands19]

@@topgtate4750 Apparently you were never robbed & beaten by those Pesky Blinders lot ; ]

[@broughton90]

That would be amazing

[@mrducky179]

well the closest you can get is by playing mafia 1

[@broughton90]

@@mrducky179 and GTA 5

[@raeniedai9706]

Can we see one on the real gangs of New York?

[@jlshel42]

I second this! Scorsese's movie did reference real people, just in a wacky fun story

[@Iburn247]

They had one I think

[@neymar1970]

Moody Cinematic Video / Drone Shots with using Cinematic Black LUTs! ://kzbin.info/www/bejne/enrJdoxvaLyInq8

[@thedudeabiding1582]

Dead Rabbits!

[@monkeygraborange]

@@thedudeabiding1582 The Plug Uglies!

[@TheWifeRottenRomance]

You should do a video on serial killer Jack Unterweger. He was an Austrian murderer who wrote poetry, children’s stories, and books while imprisoned. Celebrities, writers, even Nobel winners petitioned for his release on the grounds that his articulate, educated writings proved he was rehabilitated. They secured his release after serving the minimum sentence, and Unterweger went on a tour, talking about his “successful” rehabilitation. He was then discovered to be killing sex workers in several countries he visited, including the US. He stayed at the famous Cecil Hotel, which is another interesting connection.

[@zoso1up]

It is a crazy story worth a video

[@TheWifeRottenRomance]

@@zoso1up it really is. The fact that all these people tried to get him out even EARLIER than the minimum sentence is just mind boggling to me. Just because someone writes well doesn’t mean they’re a good person.

[@donovanchilton5817]

The last podcast on the left covered Unterweger. Worth a listen.

[@gabbyparr6099]

@@donovanchilton5817 I came here to say the same thing! It’s an unnerving and unbelievable case.

[@beemelonhead1]

We need a parody sequel called "Stabby Cappys." 😆

[@teklegion]

oh yes, that's my next screen name lol

[@thomasburt4422]

Oh boy. With Simon Pegg as Stabby Cappy leader Shomas Tellsby.

[@thegeneralofsound]

I love when history and tv combine

[@talldave1000]

I wish the show didn't end with Season 6. Fantastic writing, acting, plot, scenery, everything

[@majunche12]

I think there’s a movie coming out

[@chadrickmansfield]

The real life gang was pretty much disbanded by the late 1920's and series 6 takes place in 1929 so the writers essentially wrote themselves out of a show.

[@zeusathena26]

This is my favorite show, & I'm glad you covered this. I knew what was true, & false already, but still enjoyed this!

[@belongtobill]

Seeing the photos from the actual show makes me so happy, and then Helen showed up and I started crying. This is one of my favourite videos of yours. Thank you for this!

[@Only.D.G.]

*Consoom intensifies*

[@_dylansaeed]

You need to touch some grass

[@Henry-ms1sl]

My home city! Birmingham is still as rough as it was back then maybe worse now. I work in the city centre too and you see some mad stuff happening. Our city has had a lot of different gangs over the years, but the history behind these and the show is something which is hard not to be drawn to, thanks for the video

[@fanfam]

Is it not a lot of muslims today? I live in Holland. Just asking. Thx.

[@mikitz]

Did you have Hell's Grannies at some point?

[@tombruner9634]

Mine too! Only mine is in Alabama. Other than that they seem to be pretty much the same.

[@jamaljohnson1948]

London is for the Muslims now, RIP

[@fanroche8573]

@@fanfam what an idiotic comment..

[@donjon123]

Another interesting fact is Billy Kimber (the antagonist in the first season of peaky blinders) was actually a peaky blinder in real life.

[@johanfehr9743]

" like Elton John going to work in a coal mine " had my tea flying on the screen. unexpectedly. best laugh in a while. Thank you.

[@coupdsantana206]

Stabby cappys or the slice hats hahahaha 😆

[@jlshel42]

Oddjob approves of the latter. And Random Task.

[@snakey319]

Have to admit that these gangs were better dressed and better looking than the ones in NYC at the same time. there's an old book on them called Gangs of NY, they stole the name for the movies. The gang Pug Uglies is true advertising.

[@rileyzalbert8696]

Best episode in a while

[@erikaclifton3730]

I have heard of sharpened pennies being sewn into cap brims.

[@NewMessage]

I'd tip my cap, but the razor I keep there keeps cutting my thumb.

[@ashleelarsen5002]

How does that make sense?

[@broughton90]

@@ashleelarsen5002 because if you've seen peaky blinders they keep razors sawen to beaks to slash people wen needed so he's saying wen he grabs his beak he cuts his fingers 🙄

[@ashleelarsen5002]

@@broughton90 oh! Sorry, ya I like non-fiction. Documentaries and such. Happy Weekend!!

[@christyluvs80sXo]

😆

[@funbumskum]

Shit mine been cutting me up too thought I was the only one

[@GuppyCzar]

Someone recommended Peaky Blinders to us, and I'm so thankful they did! What a great show! Now when I'm suffering from Insomnia I have a show I can put on that has me sleeping like a baby within fifteen minutes.

[@joy5816]

Thank you for this video! This is my favorite show right now!

[@marcusmoonstein242]

The combination of an expensive tailored suit worn with a working-class cloth cap would have been very distinctive at the time. Back then your clothes really said a lot about your social class, and your social class mattered a lot more than it does now. Working men wore a cloth cap with cheap and practical clothes, while the better off wore proper hats with tailored suits. Mixing cloth caps with tailored suits would have looked bizarre, especially when combined with the working-class accents these men would have spoken with.

[@robertraymond762]

Interesting. I wonder what combinations of clothing would reproduce the same effect in today's world? Could it, even?

[@marcusmoonstein242]

@@robertraymond762 Steve Jobs wearing jeans and a sweater. Any middle-class person in America could wear exactly the same thing if they wanted to. Alternatively, rap stars with diamond studded gold teeth and speaking with a ghetto accent, but wearing tailored suits.

[@jpmitchell925]

@@robertraymond762 probably like wearing a baseball cap with a tuxedo.

[@6idangle]

@@robertraymond762 that’s a very good question, I suspect no combination of clothing would do so. Fashion now specifically for men is very ironic, and influenced by urban culture to begin with. Mens street wear of the 90 and 2000s came to Paris and American fashion houses via the likes of Virgil abloh and all high fashion takes it cues from street wear, this is in the casual wear context then there is the question of suits and business contexts. That being said business culture has its own high class form of dress and I assume it would be like mixing cheap suits with Gucci? An often “low class” thing to do when wearing a suit is to do loud colors like red and over accessorize so maybe something like that would be a dead give away

[@TheCrapman50]

imagine a group of swingers calling themselves "kinky binders"🤣😂

[@zoso1up]

An actual lol

[@neilpuckett359]

Go to your room lol

[@kurtporter4796]

Keep up the great work guys love your videos,even the narrator love how he makes a joke now and then ,lol.

[@Heygoodlooking-lk9kg]

I hate that, get an english narrator, it's English history

[@000luvrnhatr000]

You don’t f*ck with the Peaky Blinders!!! -Arthers voice. If you know you know 🎩

[@donHooligan]

peaky fookin blinders

[@akramgimmini8165]

Great Content as Always 👌

[@gregkral4467]

Odd what strikes me as interesting, and when i wonder, here you are..... thanks, wonderful research and explanation vids. love your work, all.... always do seem to find ya in suggestions, when i am in the mood to really hear it.... awesome.

[@IDidntAskU]

Thomas Gilbert is really Dr. Phil 2:28

[@jhernandez891]

I don't watch this show but I definitely will be keeping an eye out now.

[@quasi405]

Would love to see one on the “Dead Rabbits” street gang of New York

[@ladytron1724]

A great book to read is No mean city by H Kingsley Long set in Glasgow during the early 20th century.gangs,slums and violence it’s got it all.

[@Myriako]

Thank you for this video! 😀🌺

[@JudeNance]

I love the history, the stories and their clothes 😍

[@MelissaJones-lj5de]

Excellent video! Thanks!

[@PresidentFunnyValentine]

Wasnt expecting that Warriors reference, but I'm not complaining.

[@Hamnah2002]

Ahhhhhhhh my favorite channel and my favorite show all in one!!

[@jgallardo7344]

Can you do a video on the real events that inspired “Gangs of New York”? Maybe even a video on Tammany Hall and Political bosses

[@glitchito5961]

Yeah it could be interesting to see more of the new york society in this era

[@quanbrooklynkid7776]

@@glitchito5961 yea

[@darraghmcconn]

Loving these guys. Keep up the great content

[@uppityglivestockian]

This is a great channel. So glad I'm a subscriber.

[@lisac2106]

As someone from Birmingham uk , never heard a blinder being someone dressed well , more something done well

[@pinkdiamonds9137]

Love Birmingham! Lived there for 3 years, so much character. I went to the Black Country Living Museum a couple times, where a lot of Peaky Blinders scenes were filmed, so cool. Brum will always be home to me. Impressed to hear an American pronounce it correctly 😂

[@bonitamojica5254]

Hm.. I assumed it was when people peaked out of their blinds to look and see what the fuss was about 🤣

[@craigfazekas3923]

Ace Frehley (guitarist in Kiss) was in a gang called The Ducky Boys in The Bronx. 🚬😎

[@riacena2866]

YOOO IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ONE

[@nickd3157]

If i got head-butted and robbed my ronald mcdonald, well, i would probably check myself into a hospital and quit drinking.

[@sleeping4cat]

Slice hats sounds cool! 😂

[@Holly-Pocket]

I could listen to this narrator talk about anything - I wish he had been my history teacher

[@browning_hi_pwr]

Thank you, ty so much

[@therealdarklizzy]

"Industrial boom led to poverty" Funny how that works out...

[@natascha5864]

@Dark Lizzy ; Easy. Industry only works when "someone works in the industry". But whose "life vision" is working in a factory??? So you always had to force people to work in the factory...and poverty will do the trick! That´s the same in Russia in the 1930s; Stalin confiscated and burnt the harvest and thus forced the farmers to leave for the cities and either starve to death or work in the factories...many died in the streets! My father was born in 1924, he was only a kid in Charkov at that time, but everybody was starving, since the harvest had been destroyed, so my father and our family was also struggling to survive back then. Stalin was a ruthless murderer, even to his own people! We know what we are talking about! And everyone who lived at that time and survived will tell you the same!

[@jilltagmorris]

This was super great!!!

[@lerneanlion]

I've recently come across an interesting information about Western Xia! If this channel interested, please check out how peoples in Western Xia dressed themselves! And you guys will see that the Qing dynasty was not the first one to introduce the idea of "Cut your hair, keep your heads. Keep your hairs, you will lose your heads" to its peoples!

[@mikeyfn-a6684]

SO psyched for this next and final season 😁

[@adnanomer9089]

Hold up. It's not finished?

[@Epochal_Enigmas]

@@adnanomer9089 Pretty sure it's finished, but they are making a movie which is gonna be some sort of an epilogue of the last season. I'm not sure

[@mount-of-olives]

Where is Peaky Blinders found? I'd like to watch it :-)

[@adnanomer9089]

@@Epochal_Enigmas yeah because that looked like an ending to me even though they left some things behind. A movie sound more reasonable than a whole season

[@mikeyfn-a6684]

Oh wow! I didn't realize this, I was expecting a genuine season, but alrite! 😎👍

[@redfive5856]

How many different ways can one person pronounce "Birmingham"? Is Birmingham in London? Narrator seems to think so.

[@aleriomurillo2239]

And anyone British pronouncing a city in the United States you’d think it was in England.

[@jon77834]

@@aleriomurillo2239 probably because many American cities are named after English towns and cities

[@aleriomurillo2239]

@@jon77834 You’re missing the point of my original comment but yes, there are communities whose name derived from other countries.

[@belongtobill]

BER-MING-UM

[@christophermatthews9181]

I think a lot of Americans think England is just London

[@andershaukoos]

Dude at 2:50 actually looks like Tommy haha

[@grapeshot]

The Gangs of New York the UK Edition.

[@danielmimms3774]

The gangs of old york

[@jonathancornah2245]

You weren't familiar with the term 'fishmonger' until this script? America continues to amaze.

[@GuppyCzar]

Its not an American thing, its a "this particular American should probably get out more" thing. I grew up knowing what mongers were be they fish, cheese, or any other goods.

[@Boru06]

The razorblades in the peaks is true. They did it in Dublin too.

[@BonShula]

This is a myth that Carl Chinn, author of Peaky Blinders The Real Story, who was also born and bred in Brum, remembers from his youth.

[@ladytron1724]

Same in Glasgow,the saying was 2 with the head and one with the bunnet (cap)

[@jackhackett80]

haha "The Slicehats"

[@rhino5100]

"Apparently, people would feel better about being robbed, if they could see how the money was being spent." Nice! That's the type of content I return for, time and time again!

[@mikitz]

'Hell, at least I was mugged and robbed and not fucked by the government...'

[@Hamnah2002]

“By the Order of the Peaky Blinders” says Arthur.

[@garybenjaminjr7664]

You should do an episode on the bikie wars in Australia

[@Henry.58]

Can't wait for the final season to start !

[@pelnarius2446]

For something that only happened 130 years ago, you would think they would know exactly where the name came from.

[@josephlemmon706]

Do a story on Porter Rockwell, please!!!

[@faridarridho8620]

bro why my bedroom feel so cold right now? oh yeah, there is thomas slebew right there 🥶🥶

[@questfortruth665]

These guys seemed to have differentiated each other's members by their choice of hats! They were pretty good dressers as well! I wouldn't be able to tell a banker from a thug!

[@Leppymusic]

I still can't tell that to this day 🤣

[@juanpablosaenz9037]

You played yourself with the last phrase mate. 🤣

[@kristiskinner8542]

3:10 yes they do know, its the way they wore their caps down over one eye.

[@pierreblaise9433]

Can you make an episode about the second pacific squadron and the infamous Kamchatka ?

[@dewananda_dn]

This video is so COLD🥶🥶🥶🥶🥶

[@Kennygrhm1]

It’s cinematic entertainment… Let it go, it’s a work of art. Let it be what it is…Golden.

[@flicka25]

How about a video about the Kray brothers....I love videos about gangs. Never watched Peaky Blinders but now I might just do that.

[@majuuorthrus3340]

My ancestors (I think great or great-great grandparents) left Birmingham because of Peaky Blinders activity. Apparently if you walked too close to the buildings, you were likely to get stabbed from an alley.

[@salesse84]

I've always found the term 'fish monger' amusing as well. 😅

[@satanofficial3902]

"Fish are fishy because they're fished with fishiness." ---Albert Einstein

[@mermaidmersea7113]

Just stopped in for Tommy! He makes me weak!❤‍🔥❤‍🔥❤‍🔥

[@BrokenDread]

I wanna see something on famous comedian George Carlin.

[@jeremiahmcfetridge4688]

I'd like to see one about being a stage coach shotgun man.

[@reginleif6703]

I’m shocked. A TV show isn’t accurate?

[@SidharthPriyadarsh]

Tommy Shelby is literally a meme nowadays

[@Casket_Music]

What music is being used in that background? That organ and the drums are beautiful

[@Mikupigeon]

One peaky blinders historian who is also a direct desendent of real peaky blinder members said that they didn't have razer blade in their hats.

[@pipa8471]

The Most depressing programme I've ever watched 😳 dark skies the rain the factorys the fog and more so the poverty

[@lawtonloraine4144]

You are right I lived there 50 years ago and that is how it was, miserable violent place and the show is pretty true. You would go months and never see the sky for dirty black clouds. The Shelby are based on the sheldons who still existed in the 70s. I’m from Dora road small Heath.

[@zach7193]

Michael Franzese just did a review on this Monday.

[@mickrussell7198]

I'd like to see some about Detroits gangs!

[@manicmechanic448]

"Yer killin me, Smalls!"

[@bushcraftdudes1500]

Gilbert looking like dr Phil

[@auntvesuvi3872]

Thanks for this! 👲🏻

[@jacobzaranyika9334]

Exactly how I feel and have felt Friday after Friday for a year and a half. Too bad right!?

[@skylerpartridge8570]

I have an idea for 5 episodes! 1.The Gonzalez sisters 2. The kray twins, (you may have done this one already) 3. Fred and Rose West 4. The Harpe brothers 5. The bloody benders Hope one or all makes the cut, thanks!

[@jacktheobalt8362]

Members of the OSS used to sew razors into their hats.

[@terrafirma9052]

this dude is pretty funny, cool video

[@mariamerrill5875]

Love the humour made me 😂

[@foxmccloud7055]

Can we see the magazine article that inpired "Top Gun" and "Top Gun: Maverick"?

[@scottnotpilgrim]

So the true story behind the gang with all those quotes full of things they never said

[@bwines16]

Stephen McHickie be looking fiiiiine tho

[@charlesmiller3667]

Hello 👋, and how are you?

[@reidsummers8183]

An episode on the pimps of harlem would be tight!

[@The7Reaper]

Modern day gangs definitely have cooler names now that's for sure

[@claytonfrag]

im from birmingham, razor blades in the hat did happen. a couple of older chaps told me in the pub in the mid nineties when they were young. would have been 50's though. so not exactly peakies

[@electricden]

This is what probably fed into the stories from Steven Knight's Birmingham grandparents, the stories which first influenced him into writing the show in the first place, rather than the ACTUAL historical Victorian members so named, which I guess is something he discovered in his research. Then, wanting a more fashionably attractive period, he transplanted his fictitious veterans of the WWI trenches into powerful gang leaders of the 1920s, rather than pesky troublemakers of the 1890s, which further allowed him to equally feed in fictitious connections from them to REAL though small bits of Birmingham and English history during that time, though sadly due to Birmingham apart from the Black Country Museum just outside of it in Dudley NOT having ANY historical locations of the period, so filming the first series anyway mainly in Liverpool (Ringo Starr's original home as the exterior for the Shelbys) and Manchester, but still using REAL place names in the city for these locations (which confused me, a born citizen of the city!). So, to me, with its horses and gunplay, and playing around with history and characters of the time the series in its original form is more of a FANTASY URBAN WESTERN, which gradually morphs, for the better once a good part of the story leaves Birmingham in later series, into a pretty good twenties and thirties British gangster series which I enjoy more (ironically, there was ANOTHER show actually called 'Gangsters', which was set in Birmingham and this time actually shot there, including using Duran Duran's original 70s nightclub, The Rum Runner, which was a big hit at the time, so if you want to see gangs in the real city I suggest you watch that!).

[@lowellwalker361]

Will u do one on the history of golf please

[@feresmourali5783]

Please make a video about Emma Goldman!

[@timothydurkan]

I kinda like the Slice Hats.

[@yankeecarolyn376]

Can you do the Real Lester Gillis aka George Nelson aka Babyface Nelson?