Thomas Shelby from Peaky Blinders: Did he really exist?

Thomas Shelby is the protagonist of the British drama series “Peaky Blinders”. Although Tommy Shelby is fictional, much is based on a real background

Thomas Shelby: Real-life background of the Peaky Blinders

The BBC series “Peaky Blinders – Gangs of Birmingham” is a huge success on Netflix. With his leading role as Thomas “Tommy” Shelby, Cillian Murphy became one of the most sought-after actors. The sixth and final season of the series, set in 1920s England, was released in 2022. Although director Steven Knight took many liberties, the core of the story is based on real events and people.

• A total of six seasons of “Peaky Blinders” were broadcast between 2013 and 2022, set between the 1920s and early 30s. The series revolves around the Shelby gangster family, whose head of the family Thomas wants to get them out of the illegal business and give the family a better reputation.

• The Peaky Blinders are actually based on a gang of the same name, which was made up of young criminals and is now synonymous with street gangs in Birmingham. The gang’s name comes from their elegant style of dress and the typical peaked cap.

• In contrast to the series, the real Peaky Blinders were active from around 1880 until the 1910s. They were then replaced by another mafia street gang, the Billy Boys. This gang was named after its leader Billy Kimber, who also appears in the BBC series.

• Members of the real gang even included children as young as 13 years old. These youth gangs were particularly active in the city’s slums, where violent gang fights and robberies took place. The Peaky Blinders also engaged in illegal gambling and business

• Thomas Shelby is also based on a real person. Thomas Gilbert was one of the most powerful supporters of the Peaky Blinders, who organized numerous land takeovers. Gilbert was also known as Kevin Mooney, as he often changed his name.

• In character, however, Kevin Mooney was nothing like Thomas Shelby and the real gang bore little resemblance to the Shelby family. The Peaky Blinders’ main interest was in fighting brutal street battles with rival gangs. Other crimes for which arrests were made included house break-ins and bicycle thefts.