As many know, the Peaky Blinders, the protagonists of the series that receives the same name, existed in real life, and gave life to Tomas Shelby and theirs. In this post we tell you that it is real and that it is not, in history.
The Peaky Blinders really existed as an urban band of workers in full industrial revolution, whose purpose was to profit from illegal activities such as street bets. There were many similar bands, but this specifically became very popular not only because of the power they achieved, but because of their characteristic outfits. They used to dress with custom jackets, flap coats, vests with buttons, silk scarves, bell pants, leather boots and flat caps with visor.
Also known as "Slogging Gangs", the Peaky Blinders in the series are known by that name, because they blinded their victims with a blade they introduced into their caps. This is entirely false, since the blades were luxury items that were not available to the working class as they were. They were called this because of the way to cover one of their eyes with the cap that gave them an air of chulería and charisma.
All this is told by historian Carl Chinn, grandson of an authentic Peaky Blinder, and son of a Birmingham illegal betting corridor, in his book: Peaky Blinders. The true story. In which it tells the lights and shadows of what was really an urban band that conquered the streets of the English city. According to the official synopsis, the book "is based on unpublished material and interviews with descendants of the band members to offer a fascinating story about the boom and fall of the infamous mafia that sowed chaos in England at a time when the working class of the British empire was on a war footing."
Do you like "Slogging Gangs"? Stop to see our best parodies in Peaky Blinders T -shirts.