Peaky Blinders became one of the most popular historical crime dramas in recent years. The story of the Shelby family and their rise in post war Birmingham captured audiences around the world.
The show is inspired by a real gang that operated in England during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Their reputation for violence and influence made them a well known name in the city’s criminal history.
However, historians and even some relatives of people connected to the real events say the television series took many creative liberties.
A family member of one of the historical figures behind the story has recently shared details about what life was actually like for the real people involved.
According to those accounts, the real Peaky Blinders were not exactly the same as the characters seen on television. Their activities, lifestyle, and influence were very different from the dramatic version portrayed on screen.
The famous razor blades hidden in caps, for example, are often debated by historians who say there is little evidence the gang actually used them the way the show suggests.
While the series captured the spirit of a dangerous time in Birmingham’s past, many experts say the real story behind the Peaky Blinders is more complex than the one told on screen.
Even so, the show helped revive global interest in the history of the gang and the city where their legend began.
