Separating fact from fiction

The TV series is set in the 1920’s whereas the really Peaky Blinders were around in the 1890’s. The Birmingham born writer of Peaky Blinders Steven Knight came up with the idea for the drama years ago and is based on stories told to him by his parents who grew up in Small Heath Birmingham.

Many believe the name ‘Peaky Blinders’ derived from the gang stitching razor blades into their flat caps and using them as weapons as seen in the TV series.  However Professor Carl Chinn believes this is an unlikely scenario as razor blades had only just emerged and were a luxury and expensive item. ‘Peakys’ was a common nickname for popular flat caps with peaks which the gangs did ware. The gang were however the more stylish of gangs at the time. They dressed distinctively with peaked baps, cravats, bell-bottom trousers and silk scarves tied around their necks. This set them apart from other gangs such as the Birmingham Boys also known as the Brummagem Gang.

Records of the gang members and crimes can be seen at Sparkhill’s West Midlands Police Museum

Gang Members

There was no real Tommy Shelby back in the day. It is still being debated whether Peaky Blinders were a single gang or a local Birmingham term for the gangs. The author of The Gangs of Birmingham Philip Gooderson, states that the Peaky Blinders originated as one gang but the term later became generic.  Details of the Peaky Blinders’ crimes are preserved in the West Midlands Police Museum showing images of Harry Fowler, Ernest Bayles, Stephen McHickie and Thomas Gilbert who are today referred to as the real peaky blinders.  Many gang members were as young as 12 such as baby faced Charles Lambourne and David Taylor 13.  The gang were referred to by court reports at the time as ‘foul mouthed young men who stalk the streets in drunken groups, insulting and mugging passers-by.’ But is was the older gang members who ruled the roost as it were, mainly Stephen McHickie, Harry Fowler and Tom Gilbert. Today the names of the gang members are all but forgotten, however their reputations are cemented in Birmingham’s history.  It is only recently the gang are being remembered thanks to the hit BBC drama Peaky Blinders.

To learn more about the gangs read Carl Chinn’s book, The Real Peaky Blinders and The Gangs of Birmingham by Philip Gooderson.  Records of the gang members and their crimes are preserved in Sparkhill’s West Midlands Police Museum.

Filming Locations of Peaky Blinders

Despite the fact that the drama is set in 1920s Birmingham, very little of Peaky Blinders is actually filmed in the city. The Black Country Living Museum  was used to recreate the scrap metal yard of Charlie Strong and where Tommy Shelby stored his illicit goods and kept his race horse. Also the blacksmith’s forge was the location used for filming the dramatic scene when Tommy was forced to shoot dead an IRA sympathiser in the first episode of the second series. The rest of Peaky Blinders is filmed in Manchester, Leeds, Bradford but mainly Liverpool. Interestingly the street where the Shelby’s live, which is supposed to represent a terraced street in Small Heath, was actually the street where Ringo Starr from the Beatles grew up in Liverpool.

Peaky Blinders is currently on a break between its fifth and sixth season. However if you can’t get enough of Peaky Blinders and can’t wait that long, why not join us on tour and hear lots anecdotes about the making of all three series of the show. You can visit this street on our very own Peaky Blinders Tour and also visit more than 10 filming locations in and around Liverpool. The tour lasts for 6 hours and costs £60, private and group tours available.. Click here to book for Peaky Blinders Tour

Cult Status

Peaky Blinders has achieved cult status and is popular around the world. The style of the Peaky Blinders has been copied by millions that watch the show. The trademark flat cap has been reborn and there are peaky blinders lookalikes and events cropping up all around the country.

For those that haven’t watch the show it centers around the rise of Birmingham-based gang leader Tommy Shelby and his family and highlights the lengths that he will go to in order to build a business unlike any other.  Peaky Blinders’s main character, Tommy Shelby, is played by the brilliant Cillian Murphy.  Tommy came back from the First World War suffering from PTSD.  His family and the rest of the gang are as violent as they are lovable. This is what makes the show.

The post Separating Fact from Fiction – The Real Peaky Blinders appeared first on Brit Movie Tours.

The tour guide was great and he gave us lots of anecdotes which got us all giggling.  He pointed out the monuments and buildings which have some interesting history.  It was great to see the street where the Shelby family lived in series 1 and 2. The area is in Toxteth’s Welsh Street area, where all roads have Welsh names.  Today row after row are derelict and in disrepair. The actual road of houses used in Peaky Blinders (Powis Street ) was secured for filming and painted black.  This was the first stop where we got off and could take a walk around.  You can read more about my experience on this Peaky Blinders Tour here.

The tour is a great way to see some of the beautiful architecture which Liverpool has to offer as well as meeting likeminded fans of the show.  I found it really enjoyable driving from location to location and seeing some of the Georgian and Neo-Classic architecture.  The Georgian houses are beautiful, the Victorian buildings stunning.

Liverpool’s origins date back as far as the 11th century, with the earliest building probably being Liverpool Castle.  There are a couple of Tudor and Elizabethan buildings in Liverpool today.  Speke Hall is a Grade I building and a popular tourist attraction in Speke, owned today by the National Trust.  Also Croxteth Hall is the other building from that era which is well worth a visit.

There is some Stuart architecture in Liverpool with Woolton Hall being a fine example.  It is a grade I listed manor house south of the city.  Tuebrook house is probably the oldest from this era and was built in 1615 as a farmhouse.  Today owned by a local family so you cant go inside, but you could do a drive by, its found on 695 West Derby Road.

The 17th century and the expansion of the port brought lots of wealth to Liverpool.  This was the time when Georgian houses began popping up, with many still preserved toay.  Liverpool Town Hall was designed by John Wood the Elder and today is a fabulous example of Georgian architecture.  Rodney Street is known as the ‘Harley Street of the North’ due to the number of doctors living there.  It’s a stunning example of Georgian architecture and today these buildings fetch a high sale price.

Neo-Classic architecture is in abundance today in Liverpool. A number of neo-classical buildings can be found around William Brown Street.  It has been labelled the city’s “Cultural Quarter” and houses the town’s central library and museum.  St Georges Hall on Limes walk is another great example of this era and it’s where we meet for our Peaky Blinders Tour.

So if you are a fan of Peaky Blinders and want to visit the locations up close and see some of the great architecture Liverpool has to offer, why not book a tour with us today. We offer a 4 hour Peaky blinders tour which takes you to Powis Street which was the home of the Shelby’s before they hit the big time. You can also see the outside of Polly’s home and the waterways museum used as Camden Town in the show and much  more..  The tour costs £30 per person and is run on Sunday at 9:30am on the following dates: 16 & 30 July, 20 August, 17 Sep, 1 & 22 October.  If you want an all singing and dancing tour why not book our Peaky Blinders Tour plus Tommy’s Mansion.  You see all of the locations but the highlight is to take a stroll around Tommy’s mansion.   This tour costs £60 and is taking place on 13^th August.  Next year the tour runs on 1st April, 17th June, 15th July, 19th August.   We keep tour groups to a maximum of about 30 so everyone can hear the guide and enjoy the day.  We also can arrange private tours so get in touch if you want to have your own private group tour.

Click here for more details and to book our 4 Hour Peaky Blinders Tour.

Click here for more deails and to book our 9 hour Peaky Blinders Tour with Tommy’s Mansion.

The post See Liverpool’s Stunning Architecture on our Peaky Blinders Tour appeared first on Brit Movie Tours.