The Peaky Blinders were a Birmingham, England-based street gang active from the 1880s to the 1920s. Comprised of young criminals from lower and working classes, they were involved in various illegal activities like robbery, violence, racketeering, illegal bookmaking, and gambling control. The gang was known for their distinctive attire: tailored jackets, overcoats, waistcoats, silk scarves, bell-bottom trousers, leather boots, and peaked flat caps worn tilted over one eye, which gave them their name, contrary to the popularized notion of razor blades sewn into their caps.
June 1900: Percy Langridge Stabs Police Constable
Percy Langridge, a Peaky Blinder, used a knife to stab Police Constable Barker in June 1900, illustrating the gang's violent methods.
1901: Peaky Blinders Kill Constable Charles Gunter
The Peaky Blinders killed Constable Charles Philip Gunter in 1901, adding to their history of violence against law enforcement.
1903: Gillette Introduces Replaceable Safety Razor
The Gillette company introduced the first replaceable safety razor system in the United States in 1903.
October 1904: Prominent Peaky Blinders Arrested
Several key members of the Peaky Blinders, including Harry Fowles, Stephen McNickle, and Earnest Haynes, were arrested in October 1904 for various offenses.
September 1905: William Lacey Kills Rival Gang Member
In September 1905, Peaky Blinder William Lacey shot and killed a member of the Summer Hill gang, highlighting the use of firearms in gang conflicts.
1908: Gillette Begins Manufacturing in Britain
In 1908, the first factory manufacturing Gillette's replaceable safety razor system opened in Great Britain.
1916: Henry Lightfoot Fights in Battle of the Somme
Henry Lightfoot, the first identified Peaky Blinder, fought in the Battle of the Somme in 1916, having joined the British Army multiple times.
1920: Peaky Blinders Lose Dominance
After nearly 30 years of power in Birmingham, the Peaky Blinders were overtaken by a larger gang, the Birmingham Boys, led by Billy Kimber in 1920.
September 2013: "Peaky Blinders" TV Series Premieres
The BBC television series "Peaky Blinders", starring Cillian Murphy, debuted in September 2013, portraying a fictionalized account of the gang's activities in post-World War I Birmingham.
2013: "Peaky Blinders" TV Series Premieres
A BBC television series titled "Peaky Blinders", featuring Cillian Murphy, Paul Anderson, and others, premiered in 2013, depicting a fictional crime family operating in post-World War I Birmingham.
2019: Volbeat Releases Song About Peaky Blinders
Danish hard-rock band Volbeat released a song titled "Cheapside Sloggers" in 2019, chronicling the rivalry between the Peaky Blinders and the Cheapside Sloggers.