'' Peaky Blinders'' is a British period crime drama television series created by

Steven Knight Steven Knight (born 1 April 1959) is a British screenwriter, film director and film producer. Knight wrote the screenplays for the films ''Closed Circuit'', '' Dirty Pretty Things'', and ''Eastern Promises'', and also wrote and directed the f ...

. Set in Birmingham, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath of the First World War. The fictional gang is loosely based on a real urban youth gang of the same name who were active in the city from the 1880s to the 1910s. The programme began on 12 September 2013, broadcast on

BBC Two BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream an ...

until the fourth series (with repeats on

BBC Four BBC Four is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was launched on 2 March 2002

), then moved to BBC One for the fifth and sixth series. The following is a list of characters from the series.

Cast table

Main characters

Tommy Shelby

Thomas Michael Shelby (also known by his alias Tommy Shelby) (played by Cillian Murphy) is the main

protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...

of the ''Peaky Blinders'' series. He is the son of Arthur and Mrs. Shelby, brother of Arthur, John,

Ada Ada may refer to: Places Africa * Ada Foah, a town in Ghana * Ada (Ghana parliament constituency) * Ada, Osun, a town in Nigeria Asia * Ada, Urmia, a village in West Azerbaijan Province, Iran * Ada, Karaman, a village in Karaman Province, Tur ...

and

Finn Shelby ''Peaky Blinders'' is a British period crime drama television series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath of the First World War. The fictional gang is lo ...

, and father of Charles and Ruby Shelby. He was married to Grace and later to Lizzie Shelby. He is the leader of the Peaky Blinders, a criminal gang in Birmingham, and the patriarch of the Shelby family. Thomas served as a Sergeant Major in World War I and received medals for gallantry, which he threw away in a canal after returning from the war. His experiences in World War I left him disillusioned and gave him recurring nightmares. He becomes determined to increase his family's social rank to prevent his family from being mistreated. After the vendetta with the New York Mafia, and during the year of the Wall Street Crash, Thomas Shelby became a Member of Parliament as a member of the Labour Party, while lending the chair of the

legal business Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vari ...

to his older brother, Arthur Shelby. Tommy is respected in his local community and is seen as dangerous by his enemies. Under his leadership, the Peaky Blinders have risen from a local Birmingham

street gang A gang is a group or society of associates, friends or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over territory in a community and engages, either individually or collectivel ...

to a national enterprise that has gone toe-to-toe with the New York Mafia. His experiences in World War I have made him fearless and almost impossible to intimidate. Despite being a gangster, Tommy is not heartless, as he has shown remorse for his actions. By Season 5, Tommy has become depressed and unhappy in life, causing him to be suicidal, as he almost kills himself several times in Season 5. After the death of

Polly Gray ''Peaky Blinders'' is a British period crime drama television series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, England, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath of the First World War. The fictional ga ...

, Tommy becomes sober and quits drinking. Later, he is falsely diagnosed of inoperable tuberculoma due to which he demolishes his house, bids farewell to his family and goes off to live alone in the wild. After returning and watching his wagon and remaining possessions burn, Tommy rides away.

Arthur Shelby Jr.

Arthur Shelby Jr. (played by Paul Anderson) is another main

of '' Peaky Blinders''. He is the eldest son of Arthur and Mrs. Shelby, older brother of Thomas, John,

and

, as well as being the father of Billy Shelby. He was married to

Linda Shelby '' Peaky Blinders'' is a British period crime drama television series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath of the First World War. The fictional gang i ...

, and is a member of the Peaky Blinders. He is also Deputy Vice President of Shelby Company Limited and member of the ICA, acting as his brother's assistant. Arthur has drug addiction, which affects him more over time. Arthur is loyal to his family. He has great remorse over his actions, but he cannot always control himself, as he gets aggravated easily, especially over things that, as he feels, are meant to attack his or his family's pride.

Ada Thorne

Ada Thorne (née Shelby) (played by Sophie Rundle) is the fourth and only female of the Shelby siblings and the only sibling initially not involved with the Peaky Blinders. By the end of 1924, however, Ada assumes a leading position in the United States branch of Shelby Company Limited, dealing only with legal acquisitions, unlike her brothers in Birmingham. She is the widow of known

communist Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...

Freddie Thorne ''Peaky Blinders'' is a British period crime drama television series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath of the First World War. The fictional gang is loo ...

, with whom she had a son, Karl Thorne—named after Karl Marx.

Polly Gray

Elizabeth Pollyanna "Polly" Gray (née Shelby) (played by Helen McCrory) was the mother of

Michael Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name "Michael" * Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian an ...

and Anna Gray, and the aunt of Arthur, Thomas, John, Ada and Finn Shelby, as well as being the matriarch of the Shelby Family. She is part of the Peaky Blinders and is a certified accountant and company treasurer of Shelby Company Limited. While the Shelby brothers were absent during World War I, Polly managed the Peaky Blinders business. Since her

nephews In the lineal kinship system used in the English-speaking world, a niece or nephew is a child of the subject's sibling or sibling-in-law. The converse relationship, the relationship from the niece or nephew's perspective, is that of an ...

came back, she has helped her family with family feuds and advising on the company's actions and policies. She was killed by the IRA, as a consequence for her nephews' actions after they tried to have Oswald Mosley assassinated. Her body was then delivered to Thomas' house, Arrow House, where he broke down in tears from grief and guilt.

John Shelby

John Michael Shelby (also known by his alias Johnny and John Boy) (played by Joe Cole) was one of the members of the Peaky Blinders. He was a British street gangster who was a soldier during the First World War. He was the third son of Arthur Shelby Sr, brother of Arthur, Thomas,

and

, as well as being the husband of Martha and

Esme Shelby ''Peaky Blinders (TV series), Peaky Blinders'' is a British Historical fiction, period crime drama television series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath o ...

. John had seven children, two

son A son is a male offspring; a boy or a man in relation to his parents. The female counterpart is a daughter. From a biological perspective, a son constitutes a first degree relative. Social issues In pre-industrial societies and some current c ...

s and two daughters with his deceased first wife Martha Shelby, and three children with Esme. One of his daughters is called Katie Shelby. John was a high-ranking member of the Peaky Blinders, as well as being a 1/3

shareholder A shareholder (in the United States often referred to as stockholder) of a corporation is an individual or legal entity (such as another corporation, a body politic, a trust or partnership) that is registered by the corporation as the legal own ...

of the Shelby Family business, Shelby Company Limited. John was

shot Shot may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Shot'' (album), by The Jesus Lizard *''Shot, Illusion, New God'', an EP by Gruntruck *''Shot Rev 2.0'', a video album by The Sisters of Mercy * "Shot" (song), by The Rasmus * ''Shot'' (2017 fi ...

dead by Changretta's men.

Grace Shelby

Grace Helen Shelby (née Burgess) (played by

Annabelle Wallis Annabelle Wallis (born 5 September 1984) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Jane Seymour in Showtime's period drama ''The Tudors'' (2009–2010), Grace Burgess in the BBC drama ''Peaky Blinders'' (2013–2022), Mia Form in th ...

) was an Irish woman who takes up employment as a

barmaid A bartender (also known as a barkeep, barman, barmaid, or a mixologist) is a person who formulates and serves alcoholic or soft drink beverages behind the bar, usually in a licensed establishment as well as in restaurants and nightclubs, but a ...

at The Garrison Pub, and secretly operated as an undercover agent for the Birmingham Police. Her mission involved getting close to Thomas Shelby to retrieve stolen weaponry. She worked under Inspector Campbell who used to know her late father, and she claimed to be trained as a secret operative. By the end of Series 1, she and Thomas Shelby became lovers, but she eventually left for

America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, urging Thomas to come with her. However, Thomas refused her offer. Two years after, Grace was married to Clive Macmillan, a rich banker and living in Poughkeepsie, New York. However, her

feeling Feelings are subjective self-contained phenomenal experiences. According to the ''APA Dictionary of Psychology'', a feeling is "a self-contained phenomenal experience"; and feelings are "subjective, evaluative, and independent of the sensations ...

s for Thomas have not faded. When she came to London, she met Thomas. She later revealed to him that not only is she still in love with him, but she is now carrying his child. In Series 3, the pair marry and were happy living in a beautiful country estate with their young son, Charles. She was

dead while they were hosting an evening party, killed by an Italian assassin on the orders of Vicente Changretta.

Chester Campbell

Chester Campbell (played by Sam Neill) was an

inspector Inspector, also police inspector or inspector of police, is a police rank. The rank or position varies in seniority depending on the organization that uses it. Australia In Australian police forces, the rank of inspector is generally the ne ...

in the Royal Irish Constabulary hired by

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 Winston Churchill in the Second World War, dur ...

to locate and recover the missing

consignment Consignment involves selling one's personal goods (clothing, furniture, etc.) through a third-party vendor such as a consignment store or online thrift store. The owner of the goods pays the third-party a portion of the sale for facilitating t ...

of guns from the Birmingham Small Arms factory. While he was clearly dedicated to his job of upholding the law, he had no problem with using excessive brutality and underhanded methods to do so. He had no problems with asking his

henchmen A henchman (''vernacular:'' "hencher"), is a loyal employee, supporter, or aide to some powerful figure engaged in nefarious or criminal enterprises. Henchmen are typically relatively unimportant in the organization: minions whose value lies prim ...

to carry out criminal acts.

cornered Major Campbell in a phone booth while he was on the phone with

and, despite his pleading, she

shoots In botany, a plant shoot consists of any plant stem together with its appendages, leaves and lateral buds, flowering stems, and flower buds. The new growth from seed germination that grows upward is a shoot where leaves will develop. In the spri ...

him.

Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill (played by Andy Nyman (series 1), Richard McCabe (series 2), and

Neil Maskell Neil Maskell (born 1976) is an English actor, writer and director who is known for his appearances in British crime and horror films such as '' The Football Factory'' and ''Kill List''. Early life Maskell was born in London. As a youth, he pl ...

(series 5–6) was the

Secretary of State for the Colonies The secretary of state for the colonies or colonial secretary was the Cabinet of the United Kingdom, British Cabinet government minister, minister in charge of managing the United Kingdom's various British Empire, colonial dependencies. Histor ...

between 1921 and 1922. He hires Inspector Campbell to retrieve his stolen machine guns, a man who he finds amusing but a good candidate for the job. It is revealed that two years after the death of Inspector Campbell, Churchill is still making

deals Deals (previously stylized as ''DEAL$'') was an American chain of discount variety stores owned by Dollar Tree. The chain operated more than 221 stores located in shopping centers, malls (until 2015), and urban areas in 19 states throughout the U ...

with Thomas Shelby that benefit the both of them

Michael Gray

Michael Gray (played by Finn Cole) was the son of

and the cousin of the Shelby siblings. He was taken away from Polly at a young age and was raised by his adoptive mother. After Thomas learned about Polly's wish to find her children again, he pays Michael's foster family a visit and invites the boy to see his biological mother. Michael reunites with his mother and became a part of the Shelby Family and the Peaky Blinders at the age of 17, starting out on the respectable and legal side of the family business, Shelby Company Limited. After Polly is murdered by the IRA, Michael was devastated, reasoning that Tommy's ambition and schemes lead to her death. He swears

revenge Revenge is committing a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. Francis Bacon described revenge as a kind of "wild justice" that "does... offend the law ndputteth the law out of office." Pr ...

on Tommy at all costs. By 1933, Michael is completely estranged from the Shelby family and has moved to the US where he now has a son with his wife Gina named Laurence. Michael sets up his plan to kill Thomas by blowing him up with a

car bomb A car bomb, bus bomb, lorry bomb, or truck bomb, also known as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), is an improvised explosive device designed to be detonated in an automobile or other vehicles. Car bombs can be roughly divided ...

. Unknown to Michael, Tommy had predicted Michael would try to kill him and had

Johnny Dogs ''Peaky Blinders'' is a British period crime drama television series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath of the First World War. The fictional gang is lo ...

switch the car bombs. In the

explosion An explosion is a rapid expansion in volume associated with an extreme outward release of energy, usually with the generation of high temperatures and release of high-pressure gases. Supersonic explosions created by high explosives are known ...

, Michael's associates are killed and Tommy finally

Michael in the head, leaving his corpse to rot.

Freddie Thorne

Freddie Thorne (played by Iddo Goldberg) was a known

who lived in Birmingham and was formerly a

close friend Friendship is a relationship of mutual affection between people. It is a stronger form of interpersonal bond than an "acquaintance" or an "association", such as a classmate, neighbor, coworker, or colleague. In some cultures, the concept of ...

of Thomas Shelby. He was briefly married to

Ada Thorne ''Peaky Blinders'' is a British period crime drama television series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath of the First World War. The fictional gang is lo ...

before his death, and the two have one son together, Karl Thorne – named after Karl Marx. Freddie died of "pestilence", likely the Spanish Influenza pandemic.

Finn Shelby

Finn Shelby (played by Alfie Evans-Meese in series 1 and Harry Kirton in series 2 – series 6) is the youngest member of the Peaky Blinders, a son of

Arthur Shelby Sr. ''Peaky Blinders'' is a British period crime drama television series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath of the First World War. The fictional gang is lo ...

and Mrs. Shelby and the youngest brother of Arthur, Thomas, John, and Ada Shelby. He is later married to Mary Shelby. Finn has always been the

odd one out ''Odd One Out'' is a British game show based on the American version entitled ''Knockout (game show), Knockout''. It aired on BBC One, BBC1 from 16 April 1982 to 19 April 1985 and was hosted by Paul Daniels. The show is based on a short-lived Am ...

among the Shelby siblings. He is significantly younger than the others, and thus he did not fight in World War I. His brothers see him as weak, immature, and lacking experience. They believe he does not have the ruthlessness of a "true" Shelby. His haplessness proves to be a liability. As he gets older, Finn becomes interested only in having

fun Fun is defined by the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' as "Light-hearted pleasure, enjoyment, or amusement; boisterous joviality or merrymaking; entertainment". Etymology and usage The word ''fun'' is associated with sports, entertaining medi ...

and

partying A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often feature fo ...

. Upon finding out that

Billy Billy may refer to: * Billy (name), a name (and list of people with the name) Animals * Billy (dog), a dog breed * Billy (pigeon), awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945 * Billy (pygmy hippo), a pet of U.S. President Calvin Coolidge * Billy, a youn ...

was the one who informed the IRA about the

attempt An attempt to commit a crime occurs if a criminal has an intent to commit a crime and takes a substantial step toward completing the crime, but for reasons not intended by the criminal, the final resulting crime does not occur.''Criminal Law - ...

ed assassination of Oswald Mosley, resulting in the operation being ruined, Isiah and Duke beat him. They reveal that Thomas has informed them that Finn is to shoot

. If he does not, Finn can "walk away from the family for good." A shaken Finn shows his true colors by furiously insulting Duke's mother and turning the gun on Isiah. When he tries to shoot it, the gun only clicks. As Duke had emptied the first two chambers, thus allowing him and Isiah to witness Finn's betrayal while remaining unscathed. Then,

Duke Shelby ''Peaky Blinders (TV series), Peaky Blinders'' is a British Historical fiction, period crime drama television series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath o ...

banishes Finn from the family and the Peaky Blinders.

Alfie Solomons

Alfred "Alfie" Solomons Jr. (played by Tom Hardy) is a Jewish

gang leader ''Gang Leader'' is a 1991 Indian Telugu-language action crime film written and directed by Vijaya Bapineedu, and produced by Maganti Ravindranath Chowdary. The film stars Chiranjeevi and Vijayashanti, while Rao Gopal Rao, Anandaraj, Murali Mo ...

residing in

Camden Town, London Camden Town (), often shortened to Camden, is a district of northwest London, England, north of Charing Cross. Historically in Middlesex, it is the administrative centre of the London Borough of Camden, and identified in the London Plan as o ...

. The character is based on a real-life Jewish gangster named Alfred Solomon. Most of Alfie's income comes from racetrack rackets, although he also runs a rum distillery, a jewellery business and protection rackets in

Camden Town Camden Town (), often shortened to Camden, is a district of northwest London, England, north of Charing Cross. Historically in Middlesex, it is the administrative centre of the London Borough of Camden, and identified in the London Plan as o ...

. Alfie is protective of Britain's Jewish community.

Billy Kimber

William "Billy" Kimber (played by Charlie Creed-Miles) was an English gangster and head of the Birmingham Boys, the main enemy of Thomas Shelby and the Peaky Blinders. He ran most of the legal tracks outside of London, leading to tensions between Kimber and the Peaky Blinders, who looked to expand their control into inner city London. Due to his wealth and influence, Kimber had policemen on his payroll and an assistant,

Roberts Roberts may refer to: People * Roberts (given name), a Latvian masculine given name * Roberts (surname), a popular surname, especially among the Welsh Places * Roberts (crater), a lunar impact crater on the far side of the Moon ;United Stat ...

Darby Sabini

Charles "Darby" Sabini born, Ottavio Handley Sabini (11 July 1888 – 4 October 1950) (played by Noah Taylor) is a British Italian gang leader from London, England. He was at war with

Alfie Solomons Alfie Solomons is a fictional character played by Tom Hardy in the British period crime drama ''Peaky Blinders''. He is the leader of a Jewish gang based in Camden Town and was introduced in Series 2. Casting and background The exact details of ...

and Thomas Shelby in Series 2. As leader of the Sabinis and "king of the racecourse gangs," he dominated the London underworld and

racecourses A race track (racetrack, racing track or racing circuit) is a facility built for racing of vehicles, athletes, or animals (e.g. horse racing or greyhound racing). A race track also may feature grandstands or concourses. Race tracks are also use ...

throughout the south of England for much of the early twentieth century. Although his

Clerkenwell Clerkenwell () is an area of central London, England. Clerkenwell was an ancient parish from the mediaeval period onwards, and now forms the south-western part of the London Borough of Islington. The well after which it was named was redisco ...

-based organization gained the core of its income from racecourse protection rackets operated against bookmakers, it was also involved in a range of

criminal activities In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definitions of", in Can ...

including extortion, theft, as well as operating several nightclubs. It had an estimated 300 members, and is said to have included imported Sicilian gunmen, although the Sabinis originated in central Italy. The members were also notorious for razor attacks. At its peak, Sabini had extensive police and political connections including

judges A judge is an official who presides over a court. Judge or Judges may also refer to: Roles *Judge, an alternative name for an adjudicator in a competition in theatre, music, sport, etc. *Judge, an alternative name/aviator call sign for a membe ...

, politicians, and police officials. Conflicts with competing gangs the

Birmingham Boys The Birmingham Boys (also known as the Brummagem Boys or the Brum Boys) were a street gang whose power extended from the North of England to London's underworld, between the 1910s and 1930s. They lost control of the South East racecourses to th ...

Elephant and Castle Mob The Elephant and Castle Mob were one of the many independent street gangs active in London's underworld during the interwar years. A rival of mobster Charles "Darby" Sabini along with the Birmingham Boys and the Cortesi brothers of Saffron Hill, ...

Cortesi brothers The Cortesi Brothers were four siblings of Italian descent who became notorious crime figures in London during the first decades of the 20th century with their primary lieutenant Alexander Tomaso otherwise known as Sandy Rice. The brothers were ...

, the Yiddishers, and the White family were common, and in 1922, he was involved in a gunfight with the Cortesi brothers.

Lizzie Shelby

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Shelby (née Stark) (played by Natasha O'Keeffe) is the second wife of Thomas Shelby, mother of Ruby Shelby, and stepmother of Thomas' elder son, Charles Shelby. Lizzie was a former prostitute in

Small Heath, Birmingham Small Heath is an area in south-east Birmingham, West Midlands, England situated on and around the Coventry Road about from the city centre. History Small Heath, which has been settled and used since Roman times, sits on top of a small hill. Th ...

. She is treated horribly by the Shelby family, and yet continues to remain loyal to them. Thomas makes her his secretary, but not only does he expect her to play the whore for him when his plans require it, the family refuses to allow her any say in who she dates or what does in her off-hours. In 1934, Lizzie finally has enough and leaves Thomas when she finds out he has been sleeping with Diana Mitford. When Charles says he wants to go with her, she tells him that Thomas will not let her. Thomas surprises both of them by telling Charles that he can go with Lizzie.

Linda Shelby

"Linda Shelby" (played by

Kate Phillips Kate Phillips (born 21 May 1989) is a British actress. She became famous for her role as Jane Seymour in the successful miniseries ''Wolf Hall'' (2015). She subsequently appeared in the miniseries '' War & Peace'' (2016), the first season of th ...

) is the ex-wife of

Arthur Shelby Jr. Arthur Shelby Jr. is a fictional character in the British television Historical fiction, period crime drama television series Peaky Blinders (TV series), ''Peaky Blinders'', created by Steven Knight. Played by Paul Anderson (actor), Paul Anders ...

and a former close ally of the Peaky Blinders. After Arthur begins experiencing

mental illness A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitti ...

, she begins looking to divorce him, eventually culminating in her attempting to kill him. She is addicted to cocaine. Linda used to be a

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...

, a member of a religious

Christian movement A Christian movement is a theological, political, or philosophical interpretation of Christianity that is not generally represented by a specific church, sect, or denomination. Religious * The modern 24-7 Prayer Movement: a movement spanning ...

. She then helped Arthur with his

sobriety Sobriety is the condition of not having any measurable levels or effects from alcohol or drugs. Sobriety is also considered to be the natural state of a human being at birth. A person in a state of sobriety is considered sober. Organizations o ...

, among other things.

Esme Shelby

Esme Martha Shelby (née Lee) (played by Aimee-Ffion Edwards) is a member of the Lee Family and, by marriage to

John Shelby John T. Shelby (born February 23, 1958) is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played from 1981 to 1991. He began his career as a member of the Baltimore Orioles before later playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroi ...

, a member of the Shelby Family. She has little involvement within the Shelby family business or the Peaky Blinders, rather the marriage between the two was arranged to bring peace between the two families and provide a mother for John's four children. After John's Death, Esme moves to the mountains with her kids and lives a peaceful life there until Tommy finds her and asks for help to find the

cure A cure is a substance or procedure that ends a medical condition, such as a medication, a surgical operation, a change in lifestyle or even a philosophical mindset that helps end a person's sufferings; or the state of being healed, or cured. The ...

for the curse of his daughter, Ruby Shelby. Esme is the one to tell Tommy about his lost son,

Isiah Jesus

Isiah Jesus (played by

Jordan Bolger Jordan Bolger (born 9 November 1994) is an English actor. He has performed in television notably in Peaky Blinders, The 100 and The Book of Boba Fett. In film, he is known for side roles in Tom & Jerry and The Woman King. Early life and educati ...

(series 1–4) and by

Daryl McCormack Daryl McCormack (born 22 January 1993) is an Irish actor. He has appeared in the RTÉ One soap opera ''Fair City'' (2015–2016), the BBC series ''Peaky Blinders'' (2019–2022), and the Apple TV+ series '' Bad Sisters'' (2022). His films inclu ...

(series 5–6)) is the

Jeremiah Jesus ''Peaky Blinders'' is a British period crime drama television series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath of the First World War. The fictional gang is lo ...

and a member of the Peaky Blinders. Isiah is a

. In 1922, when Isiah and

arrive at a pub, one of the customers refuses to

drink A drink or beverage is a liquid intended for human consumption. In addition to their basic function of satisfying thirst, drinks play important roles in human culture. Common types of drinks include plain drinking water, milk, juice, smoothies a ...

in the same pub as a black man. The man demands that Isiah leaves, however Isiah refuses, leading to a fight between them. Isiah is made Arthur's lieutenant by Thomas on the

Hayden Stagg '' Peaky Blinders'' is a British period crime drama television series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath of the First World War. The fictional gang i ...

mission. After

Billy Grade ''Peaky Blinders (TV series), Peaky Blinders'' is a British Historical fiction, period crime drama television series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath o ...

is revealed to be the informant,

Finn The word Finn (''pl.'' Finns) usually refers to a member of the majority Balto-Finnic ethnic group of Finland, or to a person from Finland. Finn may also refer to: Places * Finn Lake, Minnesota, United States * Finn Township, Logan County, Nor ...

attempts to shoot Isiah after being given a gun by

to finish off Grade. Fortunately, Duke emptied the first two chambers of the gun, saving Isiah's life and having Finn banished from the Shelby family.

Tatiana Petrovna

Tatiana Petrovna (played by Gaite Jansen) is a

Russian Grand Duchess This is a list of those members of the House of Romanov, Russian Imperial House who bore the title ''velikaia kniaginia'' (russian: великая княгиня) or ''velikaia knazhna'' (russian: великая княжна) (usually translated i ...

forced to flee Russia after the revolution. Tatiana is brought from London to Thomas Shelby by

Sergeant Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...

Moss of the Birmingham Police. She makes a deal with him to steal her family's jewels so that he can return them to her and she can run away to another country where a lover is waiting for her.

Father Hughes

Father John Hughes (played by Paddy Considine) was a member and representative of The Economic League, working with Patrick Jarvis. Hughes represented the Crown and was acting under orders to report to the Reds because they wanted to provoke an

attack Attack may refer to: Warfare and combat * Offensive (military) * Charge (warfare) * Attack (fencing) * Strike (attack) * Attack (computing) * Attack aircraft Books and publishing * ''The Attack'' (novel), a book * '' Attack No. 1'', comic an ...

on British soil, which would break diplomatic relations with the Communists. It is revealed that Hughes

molested Sexual abuse or sex abuse, also referred to as molestation, is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using force or by taking advantage of another. Molestation often refers to an instance of sexual assau ...

Michael Gray when he was six years old, after he was taken from Polly and put under Hughes' care. Thus,

insisted that he be the one to end Hughes' life. Michael kills Hughes by stabbing him to death.

Aberama Gold

Aberama Gold (played by Aidan Gillen) was a

Romany gypsy The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with s ...

hitman-for-hire, a man with a reputation for being a dangerous savage with little regard for the rules. He was the head of a very old and well-respected Romany family. He was hired by Thomas Shelby when

Luca Changretta ''Peaky Blinders'' is a British period crime drama television series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath of the First World War. The fictional gang is loo ...

, set on

against the entire Shelby family, arrives in England. Aberama tells

Tommy Tommy may refer to: People * Tommy (given name) * Tommy Atkins, or just Tommy, a slang term for a common soldier in the British Army Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Tommy'' (1931 film), a Soviet drama film * ''Tommy'' (1975 fil ...

that he does not want just money in return for his help. He also demands that Tommy to help his son,

Bonnie Gold Bonnie Gold (born 1948) is an American mathematician, mathematical logician, philosopher of mathematics, and mathematics educator. She is a professor emerita of mathematics at Monmouth University. Education and career Gold completed her Ph.D. i ...

, become a boxing champion. After the

murder Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person wit ...

of his

, Aberama begins plotting his

on Bonnie's

er,

Jimmy McCavern '' Peaky Blinders'' is a British period crime drama television series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath of the First World War. The fictional gang i ...

. He and Polly eventually become

engaged An engagement or betrothal is the period of time between the declaration of acceptance of a marriage proposal and the marriage itself (which is typically but not always commenced with a wedding). During this period, a couple is said to be ''fi ...

. During an ambush plan on McCavern, Aberama is ambushed and stabbed to death by the IRA.

Luca Changretta

Luca Changretta (played by Adrien Brody) was an Italian-American mobster from New York City, the

of Audrey and Vicente Changretta, and the new leader of the Changretta family. After his father and brother, Angel Changretta, are killed by the Peaky Blinders he obtains enough information from his

surviving Survival skills are techniques that a person may use in order to sustain life in any type of natural environment or built environment. These techniques are meant to provide basic necessities for human life which include water, food, and shelt ...

mother, Audrey, to launch a vendetta in Birmingham against Thomas and the rest of the surviving Shelby family. Arthur keeps his promise on avenging his deceased brother John, by shooting Luca in the

forehead In human anatomy, the forehead is an area of the head bounded by three features, two of the skull and one of the scalp. The top of the forehead is marked by the hairline, the edge of the area where hair on the scalp grows. The bottom of the fore ...

with a

pistol A pistol is a handgun, more specifically one with the chamber integral to its gun barrel, though in common usage the two terms are often used interchangeably. The English word was introduced in , when early handguns were produced in Europe, an ...

Jessie Eden

Jessie Eden (played by Charlie Murphy) is an enigmatic union convener. She leads all-female factory workers in Birmingham out on strike protesting on the Bull Ring. She was based on the real life person of the same name. Jessie is a

union leader The ''New Hampshire Union Leader'' is a daily newspaper from Manchester, the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. On Sundays, it publishes as the ''New Hampshire Sunday News.'' Founded in 1863, the paper was best known for the conse ...

at one of Thomas Shelby's factories and is a member of the Stechford branch of the British Communist Party. In 1924, Jessie is a shop steward at the Lucas factory in Sparkhill. She brings all the female workers in the spot-welding and wire-cutting shops out on strike that day. They are protesting at poor conditions, lack of holidays,

unsanitary Sanitation refers to public health conditions related to clean drinking water and treatment and disposal of human excreta and sewage. Preventing human contact with feces is part of sanitation, as is hand washing with soap. Sanitation systems a ...

lavatory provisions, and lower pay for female workers. All the female factory workers in the

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

join the protest to march on the Bull Ring. Among them are

, and

Lizzie Stark ''Peaky Blinders'' is a British period crime drama television series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, England, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath of the First World War. The fictional gan ...

, at the behest of

Gina Gray

Gina Gray (née Nelson) (played by

Anya Taylor-Joy Anya-Josephine Marie Taylor-Joy ( ; born 16 April 1996) is an actress. She has won several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award. In 2021, she was featu ...

) is the scheming wife of Michael Gray and mother of Laurence Gray. The two met when

was in the United States and fell in love. When

is recalled to Birmingham, following the Wall Street Crash, Gina expresses her wish to return with him. Gina manipulates

into taking control of the company from

. After

angrily rejects Michael's proposal, Michael and Gina are both banished from the Shelby Family and told to never return. By 1933, Gina has given birth to a son named Laurence Gray and lives in Boston with

. They plot the murder of

. Gina insisted that Arthur needs to die as well. She also suggested killing Tommy's son, Charlie Shelby and his recently discovered son,

, but

says only

and Arthur will die and that is it, as it is unnecessary for there to be a bloodbath.

Oswald Mosley

Sir Oswald Mosley (played by Sam Claflin) is the Minister of the Duchy of Lancaster, the deputy to the

Chancellor of the Exchequer The chancellor of the Exchequer, often abbreviated to chancellor, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom, and head of His Majesty's Treasury. As one of the four Great Offices of State, the Chancellor is ...

, and the Cabinet adviser to the

Prime Minister of Great Britain The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister advises the sovereign on the exercise of much of the royal prerogative, chairs the Cabinet and selects its ministers. As modern pri ...

. He is also the MP for

Smethwick Smethwick () is an industrial town in Sandwell, West Midlands, England. It lies west of Birmingham city centre. Historically it was in Staffordshire. In 2019, the ward of Smethwick had an estimated population of 15,246, while the wider bu ...

, the

constituency An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger State (polity), state (a country, administrative region, ...

bordering South Birmingham, Thomas Shelby's

. Diana Mitford and Oswald get married at the home of Joseph Gobbels, with Adolf Hitler as guest of honor. Oswald Mosley is based on the real life person, Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley.

Jimmy McCavern

Jimmy McCavern (played by Brian Gleeson) is the leader of the Billy Boys and a member of the Glasgow razor gang. He is first introduced following the Wall Street Crash and is responsible for the death and crucifixion of

. McCavern is a cruel man who is not scared to use others to send a message. He left a scarecrow in Tommy's yard with a message for him despite the fact that Charles Shelby could have been injured by the

minefield A land mine is an explosive device concealed under or on the ground and designed to destroy or disable enemy targets, ranging from combatants to vehicles and tanks, as they pass over or near it. Such a device is typically detonated automati ...

around. Moreover, he

to send a message to

, showing no remorse for his actions as he strung him up on a cross. He seems very strongly against

Catholics The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

and gypsies, despite his temporary agreement with Thomas Shelby.

Barney Thomason

Barney Thomason (played by Cosmo Jarvis) was a WWI comrade and old friend of Thomas Shelby's . He was admitted to a mental asylum shortly after the war after committing an unknown crime, presumably due to his severe

shell-shock Shell shock is a term coined in World War I by the British psychologist Charles Samuel Myers to describe the type of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) many soldiers were afflicted with during the war (before PTSD was termed). It is a react ...

and was certified

insane Insanity, madness, lunacy, and craziness are behaviors performed by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity can be manifest as violations of societal norms, including a person or persons becoming a danger to themselves or to ...

. He served as a

sniper A sniper is a military/paramilitary marksman who engages targets from positions of concealment or at distances exceeding the target's detection capabilities. Snipers generally have specialized training and are equipped with high-precision r ...

in WWI, trained by the

Royal Marines The Corps of Royal Marines (RM), also known as the Royal Marines Commandos, are the UK's special operations capable commando force, amphibious light infantry and also one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy. The Corps of Royal Marine ...

. He gained a reputation of being a very skilled marksman, and according to Thomas, never missed a target. Prone to

manic episodes Mania, also known as manic syndrome, is a mental and behavioral disorder defined as a state of abnormally elevated arousal, affect, and energy level, or "a state of heightened overall activation with enhanced affective expression together wit ...

and hearing voices, Barney was only able to be calmed down by Thomas, for whom Barney had deep respect as Thomas was his

superior Superior may refer to: *Superior (hierarchy), something which is higher in a hierarchical structure of any kind Places *Superior (proposed U.S. state), an unsuccessful proposal for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to form a separate state *Lake ...

in the War. Barney was key in the

assassination attempt This is a list of survivors of assassination attempts, listed chronologically. It does ''not'' include those who were heads of state or government at the time of the assassination attempt. See List of heads of state and government who survived as ...

on Oswald Mosley at a rally at Bingley Hall, tasked with

sniping A sniper is a military/paramilitary marksman who engages targets from positions of concealment or at distances exceeding the target's detection capabilities. Snipers generally have specialized training and are equipped with high-precision r ...

him on stage from a lighting control room. However, he was killed with a silenced

at point-blank range seconds before taking the

. His killer remains unknown.

Jack Nelson

Jack Nelson (played by James Frecheville) is an Irish-American gangster with ties to high-level politicians, such as President Roosevelt. He is also the uncle of

Gina Gray Gina Gray (Osage name: ''Pa-Pe Son-tse''): (1954 – 20 December 2014) was an Osage artist born in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, to Andrew and Margaret Gray. She was the great-granddaughter of Henry Roan Horse. She is one of the most renowned Native Ame ...

and the great-uncle of Laurence Gray. His rise to power is described as being very similar to that of Thomas Shelby, thus it is reasonable to assume he grew up in a

poor Poverty is the state of having few material possessions or little

income< ...

and rough environment. The first man he killed was a priest. He eventually became a very powerful gangster, being on the level of those as the Peaky Blinders. He also stated to be religious and that he disliked how the

were treated in

. He is respected by Thomas due to him climbing to the top by himself, much like Thomas himself. He is an Irish-Catholic with

fascist Fascism is a far-right, Authoritarianism, authoritarian, ultranationalism, ultra-nationalist political Political ideology, ideology and Political movement, movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and pol ...

allegiances. Jack is planning on buying the United States import licenses to all the best

Scotch Scotch most commonly refers to: * Scotch (adjective), a largely obsolescent adjective meaning "of or from Scotland" **Scotch, old-fashioned name for the indigenous languages of the Scottish people: ***Scots language ("Broad Scotch") *** Scottish G ...

and

Irish whisky Irish whiskey ( ga, Fuisce or ''uisce beatha'') is whiskey made on the island of Ireland. The word 'whiskey' (or whisky) comes from the Irish , meaning ''water of life''. Irish whiskey was once the most popular spirit in the world, though a lo ...

distilleries. Jack is in league with the IRA. They are both engaged in an

opium Opium (or poppy tears, scientific name: ''Lachryma papaveris'') is dried latex obtained from the seed capsules of the opium poppy ''Papaver somniferum''. Approximately 12 percent of opium is made up of the analgesic alkaloid morphine, which i ...

deal brokered through Thomas.

Laura McKee

Laura McKee (also known by her alias Captain Swing) (played by

Charlene McKenna Charlene Lee McKenna ( ga, Searlaoin Nic Chionaoith; born 26 March 1984) is an Irish actress. She became a household name in Ireland after starring as Jennifer Jackson in the miniseries '' Pure Mule'' (2005). She appeared on Irish television in ' ...

) was a leading member of the Irish Republican Army,

Battalion Commander A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions a ...

of Fermanagh branch. McKee, as Captain Swing, calls Thomas Shelby to inform him that her forces have captured Michael Gray in Ireland from forces trying to kill him while on his passage back to the United Kingdom. Once again in her role as Captain Swing, McKee calls Thomas following the failed

on Oswald Mosley. She takes credit for its

failure Failure is the state or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective (goal), objective, and may be viewed as the opposite of Success (concept), success. The criteria for failure depends on context, and may be relative to a parti ...

and the

s of Barney Thomason and

Aberama Gold ''Peaky Blinders'' is a British period crime drama television series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath of the First World War. The fictional gang is lo ...

. Swing has their

bodies Bodies may refer to: * The plural of body * ''Bodies'' (2004 TV series), BBC television programme * Bodies (upcoming TV series), an upcoming British crime thriller limited series * "Bodies" (''Law & Order''), 2003 episode of ''Law & Order'' * ...

delivered to Thomas' home, along with a third. Thomas unwraps this third

body Body may refer to: In science * Physical body, an object in physics that represents a large amount, has mass or takes up space * Body (biology), the physical material of an organism * Body plan, the physical features shared by a group of anima ...

to find his aunt

. McKee tells Thomas that Polly's death is his fault for "not knowing his limits." The IRA plans to kill Arthur Shelby as a favor to Jack in exchange for guns. Arthur gets

for Polly's

when he kills McKee outside the Garrison Pub.

Duke Shelby

Erasmus 'Duke' Shelby (played by

Conrad Khan Conrad Louis Khan (born 2000) is an English actor. His performance in the film ''County Lines'' (2019) earned him nominations for Young British/Irish Performer at the London Critics Circle Film Awards, Most Promising Newcomer at the British Indep ...

) is the illegitimate firstborn

of Thomas Shelby and a woman called Zelda, as well as being the half-brother of Charles and Ruby Shelby. In May 1914, Thomas Shelby met a

Romani Romani may refer to: Ethnicities * Romani people, an ethnic group of Northern Indian origin, living dispersed in Europe, the Americas and Asia ** Romani genocide, under Nazi rule * Romani language, any of several Indo-Aryan languages of the Roma ...

girl called Zelda. Later, Zelda became

pregnant Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring develops (gestation, gestates) inside a woman, woman's uterus (womb). A multiple birth, multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins. Pregnancy usually occur ...

with Thomas' child. Thomas was sent away to

fight Combat ( French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is sometimes resorted to as a method of self-defense, or ...

in WWI and never saw Zelda again. In early 1915, Zelda gave birth to their

, who was born with

hazel eyes Eye color is a polygenic phenotypic character determined by two distinct factors: the pigmentation of the eye's iris and the frequency-dependence of the scattering of light by the turbid medium in the stroma of the iris. In humans, the pig ...

and named him Erasmus. She told Erasmus that his father was the Duke of the

Saxon Shore The Saxon Shore ( la, litus Saxonicum) was a military command of the late Roman Empire, consisting of a series of fortifications on both sides of the Channel. It was established in the late 3rd century and was led by the "Count of the Saxon Shor ...

. As a result, Erasmus changed his name to 'Duke' and does not like people using his birth name. Although Thomas returned from war in 1918, he never tried to contact Zelda and she raised their

alone. Many years later, Zelda became seriously ill, so Duke rushed her to a

hospital A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emerge ...

in Bridgnorth. However, they would not give Zelda a bed because she was a Gypsy, therefore she did not have any insurance. She died later that night and as a result, Duke killed the man who denied his mother a bed. After her death, Duke went on the road with other Gypsies and began working at a fairground, but he soon became a thief.

told Thomas about him and, he welcomed Duke into the Shelby Family. In 1934, Duke Shelby empties the gun on the advice of

Charlie Strong Charles Rene Strong (born August 2, 1960) is an American football coach who is currently the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the University of Miami. He recently served as the assistant head coach and inside linebackers coach ...

before giving it to

to shoot

. After

betrays, Duke

executes Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is the state-sanctioned practice of deliberately killing a person as a punishment for an actual or supposed crime, usually following an authorized, rule-governed process to conclude that t ...

Billy Grade

Billy Grade (played by Emmett J. Scanlan) was an Irish retired professional

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby le ...

who becomes a singer in the Garrison Pub. He becomes a bookmaker for the Peaky Blinders.Billy is befriended by

. The two fall into sloppy habits while running the betting shop. They do cocaine and

regularly while on the job. The Shelbys, minus

, recognize Billy is an informant. Finn foolishly blabs the plan to

assassinate Assassination is the murder of a prominent or important person, such as a head of state, head of government, politician, world leader, member of a royal family or CEO. The murder of a celebrity, activist, or artist, though they may not have a ...

Oswald Mosley to Billy, who tips off the IRA. Jack Nelson violently forces Billy to act as his informant on the Peaky Blinders so he can have Arthur Shelby killed. In the end,

and

Isiah Jesus ''Peaky Blinders (TV series), Peaky Blinders'' is a British Historical fiction, period crime drama television series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath o ...

beat up Billy on Thomas' orders. Duke

Billy.

Supporting characters

Charlie Strong

Charlie Strong (played by Ned Dennehy) is the uncle of the Shelby siblings, who helps the Shelby siblings organize their stocks and prepare their illegal shipments. He is a friend of their mother.

Roberts

Roberts (played by David Dawson) was the

accountant An accountant is a practitioner of accounting or accountancy. Accountants who have demonstrated competency through their professional associations' certification exams are certified to use titles such as Chartered Accountant, Chartered Certifi ...

of Billy Kimber.He is seen when Billy Kimber storms into the Garrison Pub and confronts the Shelby Brothers about fixing the

horse races Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...

which Mr.Kimber runs. He is also seen later on presenting

the Shelby Family's first legal betting

license A license (or licence) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit). A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another party (licensee) as an element of an agreeme ...

Arthur Shelby Sr.

Arthur William Shelby Sr. (played by Tommy Flanagan) was the father of the Shelby siblings. He was

sometime during 1924 in Boston after leaving a bar. The children, having not known their father or had a negative relationship with him, are not saddened about his death.

Curly

Curly (played by lan Peck) is a

stable boy A groom or stable boy (stable hand, stable lad) is a person who is responsible for some or all aspects of the management of horses and/or the care of the stables themselves. The term most often refers to a person who is the employee of a stable ...

and ferryman who works in Charlie Strong's Yard. Thomas Shelby tells

May Carleton ''Peaky Blinders'' is a British period crime drama television series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath of the First World War. The fictional gang is lo ...

that Curly's the best horseman in England. He walks with a trot, indicating a previous leg injury. Curly is a Gypsy.

Johnny Dogs

Johnny Dogs (played by Packy Lee) is a friend of Thomas Shelby. Johnny Dogs is a

cousin through various marriages to the Shelby family. He is also loosely

allied An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

with the Lee family. Johnny Dogs works for Thomas.

Jeremiah Jesus

Jeremiah "Jimmy" Jesus (played by Benjamin Zephaniah) is a Jamaican born street preacher, who is friends with Thomas Shelby and the Peaky Blinders. He fought in the war alongside Thomas, and has been a close ally ever since. He is also the father of

May Carleton

May Fitz Carleton (played by

Charlotte Riley Charlotte Frances Riley (born 29 December 1981) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Sarah Hurst in '' Easy Virtue'' (2008) and as Catherine Earnshaw in ITV's adaptation of ''Wuthering Heights'' (2009). Early life and education ...

) is a wealthy widow who owns

racehorses Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...

, and is enlisted by Thomas Shelby to train his horse for Epsom. She is the proprietor of Carleton stud. May Carleton comes from a well-to-do family. She grew up riding horses. She is well connected with everyone from the war-office to the racing-board. Since her husband's death in the War, she has lived alone in her late husband's

mansion A mansion is a large dwelling house. The word itself derives through Old French from the Latin word ''mansio'' "dwelling", an abstract noun derived from the verb ''manere'' "to dwell". The English word '' manse'' originally defined a property l ...

. Though she is a rich widow and a successful racehorse trainer, she is lonely and bored with her strait-laced life.

Leon Petrovich Romanov

Grand Duke Leon Petrovich Romanov (played by Jan Bijvoet) is the husband of Grand Duchess

Izabella Petrovna ''Peaky Blinders (TV series), Peaky Blinders'' is a British Historical fiction, period crime drama television series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath o ...

and uncle to Princess

Tatiana Petrovna ''Peaky Blinders (TV series), Peaky Blinders'' is a British Historical fiction, period crime drama television series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath o ...

. He was forced to flee Russia after the revolution. Since arriving in England, Petrovich has been staying at the

Ritz Ritz or The Ritz may refer to: Facilities and structures Hotels * The Ritz Hotel, London, a hotel in London, England * Hôtel Ritz Paris, a hotel in Paris, France * Hotel Ritz (Madrid), a hotel in Madrid, Spain * Hotel Ritz (Lisbon), a hotel in ...

. Petrovich meets with Thomas Shelby to pay him for the

of Anton Kaledin as well as for future

business Business is the practice of making one's living or making money by producing or Trade, buying and selling Product (business), products (such as goods and Service (economics), services). It is also "any activity or enterprise entered into for pr ...

transactions. Petrovich plans to kill Thomas once he is done getting what he wants from him.

Izabella Petrovna

Grand Duchess Izabella Petrovna (played by Dina Korzun) is the wife of Grand Duke

Leon Petrovich Romanov ''Peaky Blinders'' is a British period crime drama television series created by Steven Knight. Set in Birmingham, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath of the First World War. The fictional gang is loo ...

and aunt to Princess

. Izabella, Leon, and

Tatiana Tatiana (or Tatianna, also romanized as Tatyana, Tatjana, Tatijana, etc.) is a female name of Sabine-Roman origin that became widespread in Eastern Europe. Variations * be, Тацця́на, Tatsiana * bg, Татяна, Tatyana * germa ...

were forced to flee Russia after the revolution. Since arriving in England, Izabella and Leon have been staying at the

Ruben Oliver

Ruben Oliver (played by Alexander Siddig) is a charming and well educated

portrait artist Portrait Painting is a genre in painting, where the intent is to represent a specific human subject. The term 'portrait painting' can also describe the actual painted portrait. Portraitists may create their work by commission, for public and pr ...

. He had affairs with

. When Charles Shelby is kidnapped, Thomas makes her believe that Ruben betrayed her. However, Ruben comes back and makes it clear that whatever she is been told is not true.

Bonnie Gold

Bonnie Gold (played by Jack Rowan) was a young Gypsy man and the son of

. He was a fierce fighter and had ambitions of joining the exclusive world of

professional boxing Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse bid, purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional bouts are supervised by a regula ...

. He becomes a Peaky Blinder in 1926 but is killed by

in 1929.

Ben Younger

Ben Younger (played by

Kingsley Ben-Adir Kingsley Ben-Adir (born 28 February 1986) is a British actor. He has performed in several plays in London theatres. He played pathologist Marcus Summer in ITV's detective drama ''Vera'' and private detective Karim Washington on the second seas ...

) was a colonel and head of army intelligence officers who arrived in Birmingham and arrested Ada Shelby over her

past. Ben is killed because he receives compromising information gathered by Thomas about Oswald Mosley.

Frances

Frances (played by Pauline Turner) is the housekeeper for Arrow House, employed by Thomas Shelby. Frances was employed by Thomas in 1924, presumably during his family's

imprisonment Imprisonment is the restraint of a person's liberty, for any cause whatsoever, whether by authority of the government, or by a person acting without such authority. In the latter case it is "false imprisonment". Imprisonment does not necessari ...

. Frances mainly cared for Thomas' two-year-old son, Charles Shelby, while he was absent for business, although she also managed the household. She attended Thomas' farewell meal on the grounds of the now

demolished Demolition (also known as razing, cartage, and wrecking) is the science and engineering in safely and efficiently tearing down of buildings and other artificial structures. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a ...

Arrow House.

Mother Superior

Mother Superior (played by

Kate Dickie Kate Dickie (born 1971) is a Scottish actress who has appeared in television series, stage plays and films. She is known for her television roles as Lex in the BBC series '' Tinsel Town'' (2000–2001) and Lysa Arryn in the HBO series '' Game ...

) is the head nun of the orphanage that the Shelby company donates to. In season 5,

and Polly confront nuns about

child abuse Child abuse (also called child endangerment or child maltreatment) is physical, sexual, and/or psychological maltreatment or neglect of a child or children, especially by a parent or a caregiver. Child abuse may include any act or failure to a ...

. Mother Superior refuses to repent for her actions, causing

to lash out at her.

tells her that he knows a black child killed herself out of fear of her temper.

Brilliant Chang

Brilliant Chang (played by

Andrew Koji Andrew Julian Hiroaki Koji (; born 10 November 1987) is a British actor and martial artist. He had his breakout role as Ah Sahm in the Cinemax series ''Warrior'' in 2019. Koji went on to play Storm Shadow in ''Snake Eyes'' (2021) and assassi ...

) is a

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...

supplier of

to the Peaky Blinders. He is first seen waiting in line at The Garrison to meet with Thomas and Arthur Shelby, while at the same time sending a prostitute associate to

's office. Arthur,

, and a few others arrive to collect a cargo of

from Chang at the

dock A dock (from Dutch language, Dutch ''dok'') is the area of water between or next to one or a group of human-made structures that are involved in the handling of boats or ships (usually on or near a shore) or such structures themselves. The ex ...

, but they get ambushed by the Irish Titanic mob and find Chang injured. Brilliant Chang is based on the real life person of the same name

Diana Mitford

Lady Diana Mitford (played by

Amber Anderson Amber Felicity Rose Anderson (born 5 March 1992) is a British actress, pianist and model. On television, she is known for her roles as Ciara Porter in the crime drama ''Strike'' (2017) and Diana Mitford in the sixth series of ''Peaky Blinders'' ...

) is Oswald Mosley's

mistress Mistress is the feminine form of the English word "master" (''master'' + ''-ess'') and may refer to: Romance and relationships * Mistress (lover), a term for a woman who is in a sexual and romantic relationship with a man who is married to a d ...

and, later, his second wife. She was initially married to Bryan Guinness,

heir Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Officiall ...

to the barony of Moyne. Diana and Bryan divorced as Diana pursued a relationship with

Sir Oswald Mosley Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet (16 November 1896 – 3 December 1980) was a British politician during the 1920s and 1930s who rose to fame when, having become disillusioned with mainstream politics, he turned to fascism. He was a member ...

. Dina had an affair with

. Diana and Oswald get married at the home of Joseph Gobbels, with Adolf Hitler as guest of honour.

Hayden Stagg

Hayden Stagg (played by

Stephen Graham Stephen Joseph Graham (born 3 August 1973) is a British actor. He is best known for playing Andrew "Combo" Gascoigne in the film ''This Is England'' (2006) and its television sequels ''This Is England '86'' (2010), '' This Is England '88'' ( ...

) is a union convenor who is stealing some of the

in storage at the Salthouse docks in Liverpool. Arthur, Isiah and his cousins from Alum Rock, confronted Hayden about the leak.

References

Text was copied from the following pages at Peaky Blinders Wiki, which is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 (Unported) (CC-BY-SA 3.0) license: Thomas Shelby, Arthur Shelby, Ada Thorne, Polly Gray, John Shelby, Grace Shelby, Inspector Campbell, Winston Churchill, Michael Gray, Freddie Thorne, Finn Shelby, Alfie Solomons, Billy Kimber, Darby Sabini, Lizzie Stark, Linda Shelby, Esme Shelby, Tatiana Petrovna, Father Hughes, Aberama Gold, Luca Changretta, Jessie Eden, Gina Gray, Oswald Mosley, Jimmy McCavern, Barney Thompson, Roberts, Arthur Shelby Sr., Curly, Johnny Dogs, Jeremiah Jesus, May Carleton, Leon Petrovich Romanov, Izabella Petrovna, Ruben Oliver, Bonnie Gold, Ben Younger, Brilliant Chang, Laura McKee, Frances, Diana Mitford, Jack Nelson, Duke Shelby, Isiah Jesus an
Billy Grade
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