''
Peaky Blinders
The Peaky Blinders were a street gang based in Birmingham, England, which operated from the 1880s until the 1920s. The group consisted largely of young criminals from lower- to working-class backgrounds. They engaged in robbery, violence, racke ...
'' is a British
period
Period may refer to:
Common uses
* Period (punctuation)
* Era, a length or span of time
*Menstruation, commonly referred to as a "period"
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Period (music), a concept in musical composition
* Periodic sentence (o ...
crime drama
Crime film is a film belonging to the crime fiction genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and fiction. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine with many other genres, such as Drama (film and television), dr ...
television series created by
Steven Knight
Steven Knight (born 5 August 1959) is a British screenwriter, producer, and director for film and television. He wrote the screenplays for the films ''Closed Circuit (2013 film), Closed Circuit'', ''Dirty Pretty Things (film), Dirty Pretty Thi ...
. Set in
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
, it follows the exploits of the Peaky Blinders crime gang in the direct aftermath of the
First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. 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 service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's second flagship channel, and it covers a wide range of subject matte ...
until the fourth series (with repeats on
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was launched on 2 March 2002 ), then moved to
BBC One
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's oldest and flagship channel, and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television b ...
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
Cillian Murphy ( ; born 25 May 1976) is an Irish actor. His works encompass both stage and screen, and his accolades include an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Golden Globe Award.
He made his professional debut in Enda Walsh's 1996 pl ...
) is the main protagonist of the
''Peaky Blinders'' series. He is the son of
Arthur
Arthur is a masculine given name of uncertain etymology. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur.
A common spelling variant used in many Slavic, Romance, and Germanic languages is Artur. In Spanish and Ital ...
and Mrs. Shelby, brother of
Arthur
Arthur is a masculine given name of uncertain etymology. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur.
A common spelling variant used in many Slavic, Romance, and Germanic languages is Artur. In Spanish and Ital ...
,
John
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second E ...
,
Ada
Ada may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* '' Ada or Ardor: A Family Chronicle'', a novel by Vladimir Nabokov
Film and television
* Ada, a character in 1991 movie '' Armour of God II: Operation Condor''
* '' Ada... A Way of Life'', a 2008 Bollywo ...
and
Finn Shelby, and father of Charles and Ruby Shelby. He was married to
Grace
Grace may refer to:
Places United States
* Grace, Idaho, a city
* Grace (CTA station), Chicago Transit Authority's Howard Line, Illinois
* Little Goose Creek (Kentucky), location of Grace post office
* Grace, Carroll County, Missouri, an uni ...
and later to
Lizzie Shelby. He is the leader of
the Peaky Blinders, a criminal gang in
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
, and the patriarch of the Shelby family.
Thomas served as a
Sergeant Major
Sergeant major is a senior Non-commissioned officer, non-commissioned Military rank, rank or appointment in many militaries around the world.
History
In 16th century Spain, the ("sergeant major") was a general officer. He commanded an army's ...
in
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
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 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
The Peaky Blinders were a street gang based in Birmingham, England, which operated from the 1880s until the 1920s. The group consisted largely of young criminals from lower- to working-class backgrounds. They engaged in robbery, violence, racke ...
have risen from a local
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
street gang 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 (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 ...
, 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 protagonist of ''Peaky Blinders''. He is the eldest son of
Arthur
Arthur is a masculine given name of uncertain etymology. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur.
A common spelling variant used in many Slavic, Romance, and Germanic languages is Artur. In Spanish and Ital ...
and Mrs. Shelby, older brother of
Thomas
Thomas may refer to:
People
* List of people with given name Thomas
* Thomas (name)
* Thomas (surname)
* Saint Thomas (disambiguation)
* Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church
* Thomas the A ...
,
John
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second E ...
,
Ada
Ada may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* '' Ada or Ardor: A Family Chronicle'', a novel by Vladimir Nabokov
Film and television
* Ada, a character in 1991 movie '' Armour of God II: Operation Condor''
* '' Ada... A Way of Life'', a 2008 Bollywo ...
and
Finn Shelby, as well as being the father of Billy Shelby. He was married to
Linda Shelby, 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.
In season 2, he was seen to be struggling with PTSD because of his experiences in World War I. Due to this, he started using cocaine as a form of self medication.
Ada Thorne
Ada Thorne (née Shelby) (played by
Sophie Rundle
Sophie Rundle (born 21 April 1988) is an English actress. Her television roles include portraying Ada Thorne in ''Peaky Blinders'', Ann Walker in '' Gentleman Jack'', Vicky Budd in ''Bodyguard'', code-breaker Lucy in ''The Bletchley Circle'', L ...
) 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 () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...
Freddie Thorne, with whom she had a son, Karl Thorne—named after
Karl Marx
Karl Marx (; 5 May 1818 – 14 March 1883) was a German philosopher, political theorist, economist, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. He is best-known for the 1848 pamphlet '' The Communist Manifesto'' (written with Friedrich Engels) ...
.
Polly Gray
Elizabeth Pollyanna "Polly" Gray (née Shelby) (played by
Helen McCrory
Helen Elizabeth McCrory (17 August 1968 – 16 April 2021) was an English actress. After studying at the Drama Centre London, she made her professional stage debut in ''The Importance of Being Earnest'' in 1990. Other theatre roles include play ...
) was the mother of
Michael
Michael may refer to:
People
* Michael (given name), a given name
* he He ..., a given name
* Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael
Given name
* Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...
and Anna Gray, and the aunt of Arthur, Thomas, John, Ada and Finn Shelby, as well as being the
matriarch
Matriarchy is a social system in which positions of power and privilege are held by women. In a broader sense it can also extend to moral authority, social privilege, and control of property. While those definitions apply in general English, ...
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 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
Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet (16 November 1896 – 3 December 1980), was a British aristocrat and politician who rose to fame during the 1920s and 1930s when he, having become disillusioned with mainstream politics, turned to fascism. ...
assassinated. Her body was then delivered to
Thomas'
Thomas' is a brand of English muffins and bagels in North America, established in 1880. It is owned by Bimbo Bakeries USA, one of the largest baking companies in the United States, which also owns Entenmann's, Sara Lee, Stroehmann, and Arnol ...
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
Joseph John Cole (born 8 November 1981) is an English football coach and former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or winger. He was long touted as a child prodigy and as the hottest prospect in English football, wi ...
) 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
Arthur is a masculine given name of uncertain etymology. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur.
A common spelling variant used in many Slavic, Romance, and Germanic languages is Artur. In Spanish and Ital ...
,
Thomas
Thomas may refer to:
People
* List of people with given name Thomas
* Thomas (name)
* Thomas (surname)
* Saint Thomas (disambiguation)
* Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church
* Thomas the A ...
,
Ada
Ada may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* '' Ada or Ardor: A Family Chronicle'', a novel by Vladimir Nabokov
Film and television
* Ada, a character in 1991 movie '' Armour of God II: Operation Condor''
* '' Ada... A Way of Life'', a 2008 Bollywo ...
and
Finn Shelby, as well as being the husband of Martha and
Esme Shelby. John had seven children, two sons 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 of the Shelby Family business, Shelby Company Limited.
John was shot dead by
Changretta's men.
Grace Shelby
Grace Helen Shelby (née Burgess) (played by
Annabelle Wallis
Annabelle Frances Wallis (born 5 September 1984) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Jane Seymour in Showtime (TV network), Showtime's period drama ''The Tudors'' (2009–2010), Grace Burgess in the BBC drama ''Peaky Blinders (T ...
) was an Irish woman who takes up employment as a barmaid at The Garrison Pub, and secretly operated as an undercover agent for the
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
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, urging Thomas to come with her. However, Thomas refused her offer.
Two years after, Grace was married to Clive Macmillan, a rich
bank
A bank is a financial institution that accepts Deposit account, deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital m ...
er and living in
Poughkeepsie, New York
Poughkeepsie ( ) is a city within the Poughkeepsie (town), New York, Town of Poughkeepsie, New York (state), New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, New York, Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsie i ...
. However, her feelings for
Thomas
Thomas may refer to:
People
* List of people with given name Thomas
* Thomas (name)
* Thomas (surname)
* Saint Thomas (disambiguation)
* Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church
* Thomas the A ...
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 shot 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
Sir Nigel John Dermot "Sam" Neill (born 14 September 1947) is a New Zealand actor. His career has included leading roles in both dramas and blockbusters. Considered an "international leading man", he is regarded as one of the most versatile acto ...
) was an inspector in the
Royal Irish Constabulary
The Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC, ; simply called the Irish Constabulary 1836–67) was the police force in Ireland from 1822 until 1922, when all of the island was part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom. A sep ...
hired by
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...
to locate and recover the missing consignment of guns from the
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
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 to carry out criminal acts.
Polly Gray
''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 ...
cornered Major Campbell in a phone booth while he was on the phone with
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...
and, despite his pleading, she shoots him.
Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...
(played by
Andy Nyman
Andrew Nyman (born 13 April 1966) is an English actor, director, writer, singer and magician. He was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for his performance as Tevye in the 2019 West End revival of ''Fiddler on the Roof''.
Early life and ...
(series 1),
Richard McCabe
Richard McCabe (born William McCabe; 18 August 1960) is a Scottish actor who has specialised in classical theatre. He is an Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC).
Career
McCabe is an Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare ...
(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. His credits include '' Nil by Mouth'' (1997), '' The Football Factory'' (2004), '' Rise of the Footsoldier'' ( ...
(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's government minister, minister in charge of managing certain parts of the British Empire.
The colonial secretary never had responsibility for t ...
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 with
Thomas Shelby that benefit the both of them.
Michael Gray
Michael Gray (played by
Finn Cole) was the son of
Polly Gray
''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 ...
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
Thomas may refer to:
People
* List of people with given name Thomas
* Thomas (name)
* Thomas (surname)
* Saint Thomas (disambiguation)
* Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church
* Thomas the A ...
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
The Peaky Blinders were a street gang based in Birmingham, England, which operated from the 1880s until the 1920s. The group consisted largely of young criminals from lower- to working-class backgrounds. They engaged in robbery, violence, racke ...
at the age of 17, starting out on the respectable and legal side of the family business, Shelby Company Limited.
After
Polly
Polly is a given name, most often feminine, which originated as a variant of Molly (name), Molly (a diminutive of Mary (name), Mary). Polly may also be a short form of names such as Polina (given name), Polina, Polona (given name), Polona, Pauline ...
is murdered by the
IRA, Michael was devastated, reasoning that
Tommy's
Original Tommy's, previously known as Original Tommy's World Famous Hamburgers, is a fast food hamburger restaurant chain in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. It is known for its hamburgers and chili burgers.
History
The original location ...
ambition and schemes lead to her death. He swears revenge 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
Thomas may refer to:
People
* List of people with given name Thomas
* Thomas (name)
* Thomas (surname)
* Saint Thomas (disambiguation)
* Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church
* Thomas the A ...
by blowing him up with a car bomb. Unknown to Michael, Tommy had predicted Michael would try to kill him and had
Johnny Dogs switch the car bombs. In the explosion, Michael's associates are killed and Tommy finally shoots Michael in the head, leaving his corpse to rot.
Freddie Thorne

Freddie Thorne (played by
Iddo Goldberg
Iddo Goldberg (; born 5 August 1975) is an Israeli actor, known for his roles as Ben in ''Secret Diary of a Call Girl'' (2007–2011), Freddie Thorne in ''Peaky Blinders (TV series), Peaky Blinders'' (2013), Isaac Walton in ''Salem (TV series), ...
) was a known
communist
Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...
who lived in
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
and was formerly a close friend of
Thomas Shelby. He was briefly married to
Ada Thorne before his death, and the two have one son together, Karl Thorne – named after
Karl Marx
Karl Marx (; 5 May 1818 – 14 March 1883) was a German philosopher, political theorist, economist, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. He is best-known for the 1848 pamphlet '' The Communist Manifesto'' (written with Friedrich Engels) ...
.
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. and Mrs. Shelby and the youngest brother of
Arthur
Arthur is a masculine given name of uncertain etymology. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur.
A common spelling variant used in many Slavic, Romance, and Germanic languages is Artur. In Spanish and Ital ...
,
Thomas
Thomas may refer to:
People
* List of people with given name Thomas
* Thomas (name)
* Thomas (surname)
* Saint Thomas (disambiguation)
* Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church
* Thomas the A ...
,
John
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second E ...
, and
Ada Shelby. He is later married to Mary Shelby.
Finn has always been the odd one out 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 and partying.
Upon finding out that
Billy
Billy may refer to:
* Billy (name), a name (and list of people with the name)
* Billy (surname), a surname (and list of people with the surname)
Animals
* Billy (dog), a dog breed
* Billy (pigeon), awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945
* Billy ( ...
was the one who informed the
IRA about the attempted assassination of
Oswald Mosley
Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet (16 November 1896 – 3 December 1980), was a British aristocrat and politician who rose to fame during the 1920s and 1930s when he, having become disillusioned with mainstream politics, turned to fascism. ...
, resulting in the operation being ruined,
Isiah and
Duke
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobi ...
beat him. They reveal that
Thomas
Thomas may refer to:
People
* List of people with given name Thomas
* Thomas (name)
* Thomas (surname)
* Saint Thomas (disambiguation)
* Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church
* Thomas the A ...
has informed them that Finn is to shoot
Billy
Billy may refer to:
* Billy (name), a name (and list of people with the name)
* Billy (surname), a surname (and list of people with the surname)
Animals
* Billy (dog), a dog breed
* Billy (pigeon), awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945
* Billy ( ...
. 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 banishes Finn from the family and the Peaky Blinders.
Alfie Solomons

Alfred "Alfie" Solomons Jr. (played by
Tom Hardy) is a Jewish gang leader residing in
Camden Town, London
Camden Town () is an area in the London Borough of Camden, around north-northwest of Charing Cross. Historically in Middlesex, it is identified in the London Plan as one of 34 major centres in Greater London.
Laid out as a residential distri ...
. 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 () is an area in the London Borough of Camden, around north-northwest of Charing Cross. Historically in Middlesex, it is identified in the London Plan as one of 34 major centres in Greater London.
Laid out as a residential distri ...
. Alfie is protective of
Britain's Jewish community.
Billy Kimber
William "Billy" Kimber (played by
Charlie Creed-Miles
Charlie Creed-Miles (born 24 March 1972) is an English actor. He is notable for his film roles which include ''Let Him Have It'' (1991), '' London Kills Me'' (1991), '' Loved Up'' (1995), ''The Fifth Element'' (1997), '' Nil By Mouth'' (1997), ' ...
) 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
The term inner city (also called the hood) has been used, especially in the United States, as a euphemism for majority-minority lower-income residential districts that often refer to rundown neighborhoods, in a downtown or city centre area. Soc ...
London.
Due to his wealth and influence, Kimber had policemen on his payroll and an assistant,
Roberts.
Darby Sabini
Charles "Darby" Sabini born, Ottavio Handley Sabini (11 July 1888 – 4 October 1950) (played by
Noah Taylor
Noah George Taylor (born 4 September 1969) is a British born Australian actor. The accolades he has received include nominations for three Screen Actors Guild Awards, a Critics' Choice Award, and four AACTA Awards.
He is best known for his ...
) is a
British Italian gang leader from London. He was at war with
Alfie Solomons and
Thomas Shelby in Series 2.
As leader of the
Sabinis and "king of the racecourse gangs," he dominated the London underworld and racecourses throughout the
south of England
Southern England, also known as the South of England or the South, is a sub-national part of England. Officially, it is made up of the southern, south-western and part of the eastern parts of England, consisting of the statistical regions of ...
for much of the early twentieth century. Although his
Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell ( ) is an area of central London, England.
Clerkenwell was an Civil Parish#Ancient parishes, ancient parish from the medieval period onwards, and now forms the south-western part of the London Borough of Islington. The St James's C ...
-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 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, politicians, and police officials.
Conflicts with competing gangs the
Birmingham Boys,
Elephant and Castle Mob,
Cortesi brothers, 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
Natasha Dervill O'Keeffe (born 1 December 1986) is a British actress. She is known for her roles as Abbey in the E4 (TV channel), E4 series ''Misfits (TV series), Misfits'' (2012–2013), Fedora in the ITV (TV channel), ITV series ''Jekyll and ...
) 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 inner-city area in south-east Birmingham, West Midlands (county), 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 t ...
.
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
Diana, Lady Mosley (''née'' Mitford; 17 June 1910 – 11 August 2003), known as Diana Guinness between 1929 and 1936, was a British fascist, aristocrat, writer, and editor. She was one of the Mitford sisters and the wife of Oswald Mosley, le ...
. 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 known for her role as Jane Seymour in the miniseries ''Wolf Hall'' (2015). She subsequently appeared in the miniseries '' War & Peace'' (2016), the first season of the television ...
) is the ex-wife of
Arthur Shelby Jr. and a former close ally of the Peaky Blinders. After Arthur begins experiencing mental illness, 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 the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally, others referred to them as Quakers ...
, a member of a religious
Christian movement
A Christian movement is a Christian theology, theological, political, or philosophical interpretation of Christianity that is not generally represented by a specific Christian church, church, sect, or Christian denomination, denomination.
Religi ...
. She then helped Arthur with his sobriety, among other things.
Esme Shelby
Esme Martha Shelby (née Lee) (played by
Aimee-Ffion Edwards
Aimee-Ffion Edwards (born 1986 or 1987) is a Welsh actress. She is best known for her television roles as Sketch in '' Skins'', Esme Shelby in ''Peaky Blinders'', Sophie in '' Detectorists'', Abi in '' Loaded'', and Shirley Dander in '' Slow H ...
) is a member of the Lee Family and, by marriage to
John Shelby
John T. Shelby (born February 23, 1958) is an American 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 a ...
, 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 for the curse of his daughter, Ruby Shelby. Esme is the one to tell Tommy about his lost son,
Duke Shelby.
Isiah Jesus
Isiah Jesus (played by
Jordan Bolger (series 1–4) and by
Daryl McCormack (series 5–6)) is the son of
Jeremiah 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 ...
and a member of the Peaky Blinders. Isiah is a close friend of
Finn Shelby. In 1922, when Isiah and
Michael
Michael may refer to:
People
* Michael (given name), a given name
* he He ..., a given name
* Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael
Given name
* Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...
arrive at a pub, one of the customers refuses to drink 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 mission.
After
Billy Grade is revealed to be the informant, Finn attempts to shoot Isiah after being given a gun by
Duke Shelby 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 forced to flee
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
after the
revolution
In political science, a revolution (, 'a turn around') is a rapid, fundamental transformation of a society's class, state, ethnic or religious structures. According to sociologist Jack Goldstone, all revolutions contain "a common set of elements ...
. Tatiana is brought from London to
Thomas Shelby by Sergeant 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
Patrick George Considine (born 5 September 1973) is an English actor, director, screenwriter and musician. He is known for playing antiheros in independent films. He has received two British Academy Film Awards, three Evening Standard British ...
) was a member and representative of The Economic League, working with Patrick Jarvis.
Hughes represented the
Crown
A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, parti ...
and was acting under orders to report to the
Reds
Reds may refer to:
General
* Red (political adjective), supporters of Communism or socialism
* ''Reds'' (film), a 1981 American film starring and directed by Warren Beatty
* Reds (January Uprising), a faction of the Polish insurrectionists duri ...
because they wanted to provoke an attack on British soil, which would break diplomatic relations with the
Communists
Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, d ...
.
It is revealed that Hughes molested
Michael Gray when he was six years old, after he was taken from
Polly
Polly is a given name, most often feminine, which originated as a variant of Molly (name), Molly (a diminutive of Mary (name), Mary). Polly may also be a short form of names such as Polina (given name), Polina, Polona (given name), Polona, Pauline ...
and put under Hughes' care. Thus,
Michael
Michael may refer to:
People
* Michael (given name), a given name
* he He ..., a given name
* Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael
Given name
* Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...
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
Aidan Murphy (born 1967 or 1968), better known as Aidan Gillen (), is an Irish actor. He is known for his roles as Stuart Alan Jones in ''Queer as Folk (British TV series), Queer as Folk'' (1999–2000); Tommy Carcetti in ''The Wire'' (2004–20 ...
) was a
Romany gypsy 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, set on revenge against the entire Shelby family, arrives in England.
Aberama tells Tommy that he does not want just money in return for his help. He also demands that Tommy 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 of his son, Aberama begins plotting his revenge on Bonnie's murderer,
Jimmy McCavern. He and
Polly
Polly is a given name, most often feminine, which originated as a variant of Molly (name), Molly (a diminutive of Mary (name), Mary). Polly may also be a short form of names such as Polina (given name), Polina, Polona (given name), Polona, Pauline ...
eventually become engaged. During an ambush plan on McCavern, Aberama is ambushed and stabbed to death by the
IRA.
Luca Changretta

Luca Changretta (played by
Adrien Brody
Adrien Nicholas Brody (born April 14, 1973) is an American actor. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Polish pianist Władysław Szpilman in Roman Polanski's war drama '' The Pianist'' (2002) becoming the youngest acto ...
) was an
Italian-American
Italian Americans () are Americans who have full or partial Italians, Italian ancestry. The largest concentrations of Italian Americans are in the urban Northeastern United States, Northeast and industrial Midwestern United States, Midwestern ...
mobster from
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, the son 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
The Peaky Blinders were a street gang based in Birmingham, England, which operated from the 1880s until the 1920s. The group consisted largely of young criminals from lower- to working-class backgrounds. They engaged in robbery, violence, racke ...
he obtains enough information from his surviving mother, Audrey, to launch a vendetta in
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
against
Thomas
Thomas may refer to:
People
* List of people with given name Thomas
* Thomas (name)
* Thomas (surname)
* Saint Thomas (disambiguation)
* Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church
* Thomas the A ...
and the rest of the surviving Shelby family.
Arthur
Arthur is a masculine given name of uncertain etymology. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur.
A common spelling variant used in many Slavic, Romance, and Germanic languages is Artur. In Spanish and Ital ...
keeps his promise to avenge his deceased brother
John
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second E ...
, by shooting Luca in the forehead with a pistol.
Jessie Eden
Jessie Eden (played by
Charlie Murphy) is an enigmatic union convener. She leads all-female factory workers in
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
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 at one of
Thomas Shelby's factories and is a member of the
Stechford branch of the
British Communist Party
The Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) was the largest communist organisation in Britain and was founded in 1920 through a merger of several smaller Marxist groups. Many miners joined the CPGB in the 1926 general strike. In 1930, the CPGB ...
.
In 1924, Jessie is a shop steward at the Lucas factory in
Sparkhill
Sparkhill is an inner-city area of Birmingham, England, situated between Springfield, Birmingham, Springfield, Hall Green and Sparkbrook.
Historic counties of England, Historically part of Worcestershire, Sparkhill once existed as a Yardley ...
. 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 lavatory provisions, and lower pay for female workers. All the female factory workers in the city join the protest to march on the
Bull Ring. Among them are
Polly Gray
''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 ...
,
Esme Shelby, and
Lizzie Stark, at the behest of
Linda Shelby.
Gina Gray

Gina Gray (née Nelson) (played by
Anya Taylor-Joy
Anya-Josephine Marie Taylor-Joy (; born 16 April 1996) is an actress. Born in Miami and raised in Buenos Aires and London, she left school at the age of 16 to pursue an acting career. After a series of small television roles, her Breakthrough ...
) is the scheming wife of
Michael Gray and mother of Laurence Gray. The two met when
Michael
Michael may refer to:
People
* Michael (given name), a given name
* he He ..., a given name
* Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael
Given name
* Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...
was in the United States and fell in love. When
Michael
Michael may refer to:
People
* Michael (given name), a given name
* he He ..., a given name
* Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael
Given name
* Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...
is recalled to
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
, following the
Wall Street Crash, Gina expresses her wish to return with him. Gina manipulates Michael into taking control of the company from
Tommy
Tommy may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Tommy (given name), a list of people and fictional characters
* Tommy Atkins, or just Tommy, a slang term for a common soldier in the British Army
* Tommy Giacomelli (born 1974), Brazilian fo ...
. After Tommy 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 Michael. They plot the murder of Tommy. Gina insisted that
Arthur
Arthur is a masculine given name of uncertain etymology. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur.
A common spelling variant used in many Slavic, Romance, and Germanic languages is Artur. In Spanish and Ital ...
needs to die as well. She also suggested killing Tommy's son, Charlie Shelby and his recently discovered son,
Duke Shelby, but Michael says only Tommy 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
Samuel George Claflin (; born 27 June 1986) is a British actor. After graduating from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in 2009, he began his acting career on television and had his first film role as Philip Swift in '' Pirates of t ...
) 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 the head of HM Treasury, His Majesty's Treasury. As one of the four Great Offices of State, t ...
, 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. Modern pr ...
. He is also the
MP for
Smethwick
Smethwick () is an industrial town in the Sandwell district, in the county of the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It lies west of Birmingham city centre. Historically it was in Staffordshire and then Worcestershire before bei ...
, the constituency bordering South
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
,
Thomas Shelby's constituency.
Diana Mitford
Diana, Lady Mosley (''née'' Mitford; 17 June 1910 – 11 August 2003), known as Diana Guinness between 1929 and 1936, was a British fascist, aristocrat, writer, and editor. She was one of the Mitford sisters and the wife of Oswald Mosley, le ...
and Oswald get married at the home of Joseph Goebbels, Joseph Gobbels, with Adolf Hitler as guest of honor.
Oswald Mosley is based on the real life person, Oswald Mosley, Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley.
Jimmy McCavern
Jimmy McCavern (played by Brian Gleeson (actor), Brian Gleeson) is the leader of the Billy Boys and a member of the Glasgow razor gangs, Glasgow razor gang. He is first introduced following the
Wall Street Crash and is responsible for the death and crucifixion of
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 ...
. McCavern is a cruel man who is not scared to use others to send a message. He left a scarecrow in
Tommy's
Original Tommy's, previously known as Original Tommy's World Famous Hamburgers, is a fast food hamburger restaurant chain in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. It is known for its hamburgers and chili burgers.
History
The original location ...
yard with a message for him despite the fact that Charles Shelby could have been injured by the minefield around. Moreover, he murdered Bonnie Gold to send a message to Tommy, showing no remorse for his actions.
He seems very strongly against Catholics and gypsies, despite his temporary agreement with Tommy.
Barney Thomason
Barney Thomason (played by Cosmo Jarvis) was a World War I, 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 and was certified insane.
He served as a sniper in WWI, trained by the Royal Marines. He gained a reputation of being a very skilled marksman, and according to Thomas, never missed a target.
Prone to manic episodes and hearing voices, Barney was only able to be calmed down by Thomas, for whom Barney had deep respect as Thomas was his superior in the wwar.
Barney was key in the assassination attempt on
Oswald Mosley
Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet (16 November 1896 – 3 December 1980), was a British aristocrat and politician who rose to fame during the 1920s and 1930s when he, having become disillusioned with mainstream politics, turned to fascism. ...
at a rally at Bingley Hall, tasked with sniping him on stage from a lighting control room. However, he was killed with a silenced pistol at point-blank range seconds before taking the shot. His killer remains unknown.
Jack Nelson
Jack Nelson (played by James Frecheville) is an Irish Americans, Irish-American gangster with ties to high-level politicians, such as Franklin D. Roosevelt, President Roosevelt. He is also the uncle of Gina Gray (Peaky Blinders), Gina Gray 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 and rough environment. The first man he killed was a priest. He eventually became a very powerful gangster, being on the level of the Peaky Blinders. He also stated to be religious and that he disliked how the Catholics were treated in United States, America. He is respected by Thomas due to him climbing to the top by himself, much like Tommy himself. He is an Irish Catholics, Irish-Catholic with fascist allegiances. Jack is planning on buying the United States import licenses to all the best Scotch whisky, Scotch and Irish whiskey, Irish whisky distilleries. Jack is in league with the
IRA. They are both engaged in an opium deal brokered through Tommy.
Laura McKee
Laura McKee (also known by her alias Captain Swing) (played by Charlene McKenna) was a leading member of the Irish Republican Army, Battalion Commander of Fermanagh, 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 Tommy following the failed assassination attempt on
Oswald Mosley
Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet (16 November 1896 – 3 December 1980), was a British aristocrat and politician who rose to fame during the 1920s and 1930s when he, having become disillusioned with mainstream politics, turned to fascism. ...
. She takes credit for its failure and the murders of Barney Thomason and Aberama Gold. Swing has their bodies delivered to Tommy's home, along with a third. Tommy unwraps this third body to find his aunt
Polly Gray
''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 ...
. 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 Nelson (Peaky Blinders), Jack in exchange for guns. Arthur gets revenge for Polly's murder when he kills McKee outside the Garrison Pub.
Duke Shelby
Erasmus 'Duke' Shelby (played by Conrad Khan) is the illegitimate firstborn son of
Thomas Shelby and a woman called Zelda, as well as being the half-brother of Charles and Ruby Shelby.
In May 1914, Tommy met a Romani people, Romani girl called Zelda. Later, Zelda became pregnant with Thomas' child. Thomas was sent away to fight in WWI and never saw Zelda again.
In early 1915, Zelda gave birth to their son, who was born with hazel eyes and named him Erasmus. She told Erasmus that his father was the Duke of the Saxon Shore. As a result, Erasmus changed his name to 'Duke' and does not like people using his birth name.
Although Thomas returned from the war in 1918, he never tried to contact Zelda and she raised their son alone.
Many years later, Zelda became seriously ill, so Duke rushed her to a hospital 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.
Esme Shelby told Tommy about him, and he welcomed Duke into the Shelby family.
In 1934, Duke Shelby empties the gun on the advice of Charlie Strong (Peaky Blinders), Charlie Strong before giving it to Finn Shelby, Finn to shoot
Billy
Billy may refer to:
* Billy (name), a name (and list of people with the name)
* Billy (surname), a surname (and list of people with the surname)
Animals
* Billy (dog), a dog breed
* Billy (pigeon), awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945
* Billy ( ...
. After Finn's betrayal, Duke executes
Billy Grade.
Billy Grade

Billy Grade (played by Emmett J. Scanlan) was an Irish people, Irish retired professional footballer who becomes a singer in the Garrison Pub. He becomes a bookmaker for the Peaky Blinders. Billy is befriended by
Finn Shelby. The two fall into sloppy habits while running the betting shop. They do cocaine and drink regularly while on the job. The Shelbys, minus Finn, recognize Billy is an informant. Finn foolishly blabs the plan to assassinate
Oswald Mosley
Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet (16 November 1896 – 3 December 1980), was a British aristocrat and politician who rose to fame during the 1920s and 1930s when he, having become disillusioned with mainstream politics, turned to fascism. ...
to Billy, who tips off the
IRA.
Jack Nelson (Peaky Blinders), Jack Nelson violently forces Billy to act as his informant on the Peaky Blinders so he can have
Arthur Shelby killed.
In the end,
Duke Shelby and Isiah Jesus beat up Billy on
Thomas'
Thomas' is a brand of English muffins and bagels in North America, established in 1880. It is owned by Bimbo Bakeries USA, one of the largest baking companies in the United States, which also owns Entenmann's, Sara Lee, Stroehmann, and Arnol ...
orders. Duke executes 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 (actor), David Dawson) was the accountant of Billy Kimber (Peaky Blinders), Billy Kimber. He is seen when Billy storms into the Garrison Pub and confronts the Shelby Brothers about fixing the horse races which Kimber runs. He is also seen later on presenting
Tommy
Tommy may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Tommy (given name), a list of people and fictional characters
* Tommy Atkins, or just Tommy, a slang term for a common soldier in the British Army
* Tommy Giacomelli (born 1974), Brazilian fo ...
the Shelby Family's first legal betting license.
Arthur Shelby Sr.

Arthur William Shelby Sr. (played by Tommy_Flanagan_(actor), Tommy Flanagan) was the father of the Shelby siblings. He was shot 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 and ferryman who works in Charlie Strong (Peaky Blinders), Charlie Strong's Yard.
Thomas Shelby tells May Carleton 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 Tommy Shelby , Thomas Shelby. Johnny Dogs is a Romani people, Romani cousin through various marriages to the Shelby family. He is also loosely allied with the Lee family. Johnny Dogs works for Tommy.
Jeremiah Jesus

Jeremiah "Jimmy" Jesus (played by Benjamin Zephaniah) is a Jamaican people, Jamaican born street preacher, who is friends with
Thomas Shelby and the Peaky Blinders. He fought in the war alongside Tommy, and has been a close ally ever since. He is also the father of Isiah Jesus.
May Carleton
May Fitz Carleton (played by Charlotte Riley) is a wealthy widow who owns racehorses, 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, war-office to the Racing Board, racing-board. Since her husband's death in the War, she has lived alone in her late husband's mansion. 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 and uncle to Princess Tatiana Petrovna. He was forced to flee
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
after the
revolution
In political science, a revolution (, 'a turn around') is a rapid, fundamental transformation of a society's class, state, ethnic or religious structures. According to sociologist Jack Goldstone, all revolutions contain "a common set of elements ...
. Since arriving in England, Petrovich has been staying at the The Ritz Hotel, London, Ritz.
Petrovich meets with
Thomas Shelby to pay him for the murder of Anton Kaledin as well as for future business transactions.
Petrovich plans to kill Tommy 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 and aunt to Princess Tatiana Petrovna. Izabella, Leon Petrovich Romanov, Leon, and Tatiana Petrovna, Tatiana were forced to flee
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
after the
revolution
In political science, a revolution (, 'a turn around') is a rapid, fundamental transformation of a society's class, state, ethnic or religious structures. According to sociologist Jack Goldstone, all revolutions contain "a common set of elements ...
. Since arriving in England, Izabella and Leon have been staying at the The Ritz Hotel, London, Ritz.
Ruben Oliver

Ruben Oliver (played by Alexander Siddig) is a charming and well educated portrait artist. He had affairs with
Polly Gray
''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 ...
. When Charles Shelby is kidnapped,
Thomas
Thomas may refer to:
People
* List of people with given name Thomas
* Thomas (name)
* Thomas (surname)
* Saint Thomas (disambiguation)
* Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church
* Thomas the A ...
makes her believe that Ruben betrayed her. However, Ruben comes back and makes it clear that whatever she has been told is not true.
Bonnie Gold

Bonnie Gold (played by Jack Rowan (actor), Jack Rowan) was a young Gypsy man and the son of Aberama Gold. He was a fierce fighter and had ambitions of joining the exclusive world of professional boxing. He becomes a Peaky Blinder in 1926 but is killed by
Jimmy McCavern in 1929.
Ben Younger
Ben Younger (played by Kingsley Ben-Adir) was a colonel and head of army intelligence officers who arrived in
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
and arrested
Ada Shelby over her
communist
Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...
past. Ben is killed because he receives compromising information gathered by
Thomas
Thomas may refer to:
People
* List of people with given name Thomas
* Thomas (name)
* Thomas (surname)
* Saint Thomas (disambiguation)
* Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church
* Thomas the A ...
about
Oswald Mosley
Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet (16 November 1896 – 3 December 1980), was a British aristocrat and politician who rose to fame during the 1920s and 1930s when he, having become disillusioned with mainstream politics, turned to fascism. ...
.
Frances
Frances (played by Pauline Turner) is the housekeeper for Arrow House, employed by
Thomas Shelby. Frances was employed by Tommy in 1924, presumably during his family's imprisonment. Frances mainly cared for Tommy's two-year-old son, Charles Shelby, while he was absent for business, although she also managed the household. She attended Tommy's farewell meal on the grounds of the now demolished Arrow House.
Mother Superior

Mother Superior (played by Kate Dickie) is the head nun of the orphanage that the Shelby company donates to.
In season 5,
Tommy
Tommy may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Tommy (given name), a list of people and fictional characters
* Tommy Atkins, or just Tommy, a slang term for a common soldier in the British Army
* Tommy Giacomelli (born 1974), Brazilian fo ...
and
Polly
Polly is a given name, most often feminine, which originated as a variant of Molly (name), Molly (a diminutive of Mary (name), Mary). Polly may also be a short form of names such as Polina (given name), Polina, Polona (given name), Polona, Pauline ...
confront the nuns about child abuse. Mother Superior refuses to repent for her actions, causing Tommy to lash out at her. Tommy tells her that he knows a black child killed herself out of fear of her temper.
Brilliant Chang
Brilliant Chang (played by Andrew Koji) is a Chinese people, Chinese supplier of opium to the Peaky Blinders. He is first seen waiting in line at The Garrison to meet with
Thomas
Thomas may refer to:
People
* List of people with given name Thomas
* Thomas (name)
* Thomas (surname)
* Saint Thomas (disambiguation)
* Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church
* Thomas the A ...
and
Arthur Shelby, while at the same time sending a prostitute associate to
Finn Shelby's office.
Arthur, Aberama Gold, and a few others arrive to collect a cargo of opium from Chang at the dock, but they get ambushed by the Irish Titanic mob and find Chang injured.
Brilliant Chang is based on the real life person Brilliant Chang, of the same name.
Diana Mitford

Lady Diana Mitford (played by Amber Anderson) is Oswald Mosley (Peaky Blinders), Oswald Mosley's mistress and, later, his second wife. She was initially married to Bryan Guinness, heir to the barony of Moyne. Diana and Bryan divorced as Diana pursued a relationship with Mosley. Diana had an affair with
Tommy
Tommy may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Tommy (given name), a list of people and fictional characters
* Tommy Atkins, or just Tommy, a slang term for a common soldier in the British Army
* Tommy Giacomelli (born 1974), Brazilian fo ...
. Diana and Oswald get married at the home of Joseph Goebbels, Joseph Gobbels, with Adolf Hitler as guest of honour.
Hayden Stagg
Hayden Stagg (played by Stephen Graham) is a union convenor who is stealing some of the opium in storage at the Salthouse Dock, Salthouse docks in Liverpool.
Arthur
Arthur is a masculine given name of uncertain etymology. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur.
A common spelling variant used in many Slavic, Romance, and Germanic languages is Artur. In Spanish and Ital ...
,
Isiah and his cousins from Alum Rock, Birmingham, 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{{DEFAULTSORT:Peaky Blinders characters (list)
Peaky Blinders (TV series) characters,
Lists of British television series characters
Lists of television characters