Birmingham, 1904. A 13-year-old boy named David Taylor is photographed by police holding a loaded
firearm. This photograph exists in the West Midlands Police Museum. Look at his face. He's trying to
appear dangerous, but he's 13 years old.
And here's what should shock you most: Not a single one of these children ever wore a razor blade in
their cap.
The razor blades never existed. Thomas Shelby never existed. The 1920s setting is wrong by 30 years.
Almost everything the world believes about the Peaky Blinders is a lie.
But the truth — the documented, photographed, court-recorded truth — is more shocking than any fiction
could ever be.
■ WHAT YOU'LL DISCOVER:
• The first time "Peaky Blinders" appeared in print (March 24, 1890)
• Why disposable razors didn't even exist until 1908 — 18 years AFTER the gang formed
• The real weapons (archaeologists found them in 2020)
• What happened to Harry Fowler — buried alive for 12 hours in WWI, never spoke again
• The 13-year-old with the loaded gun (his photograph survives)
• Billy Kimber: the documented truth about the real gang leader
• Chief Constable Rafter: the man who actually broke the gangs
■■ TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - The 13-Year-Old With a Gun
01:15 - March 24, 1890: The First "Peaky Blinder"
02:30 - What Birmingham Actually Was
03:45 - The Real Name Origin (No Razor Blades)
05:00 - The Founding Members (Police Records)
06:30 - Harry Fowler: What Really Happened
07:45 - The Murder of Police Constable Snipe
09:00 - The Real Weapons (Archaeological Evidence)
10:15 - The Money: Protection and Bookmaking
11:30 - Billy Kimber: Documented Facts
12:45 - The Man Who Broke Them: Charles Rafter
14:00 - WWI: The Final Blow
15:15 - What the Descendants Say
16:30 - The Truth About the Children
■ THE DOCUMENTED FACTS:
• First newspaper mention: March 24, 1890
• Disposable razors reach Britain: 1908
• TV show setting: 1920s (30 years too late)
• David Taylor's age: 13 years old
• Harry Fowler buried alive: 12 hours
• Police photographs: ~1,500 in archive
• Birmingham visitors 2018: 42.8 million (up 26% since TV show)
■ PRIMARY SOURCES:
• West Midlands Police Museum (7 ledgers, 1,500 photographs)
• Birmingham Daily Post archives
• Court records (documented in video)
• Census records (1891, 1901, 1911, 1921)
• HS2 archaeological excavations (September 2020)
• UK Parliament wage records
• Military service records
■ RELATED:
• West Midlands Police Museum: https://westmidlandspolicemuseum.co.uk
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■ Comment: What other "historical" shows need debunking?
#PeakyBlinders #History #Documentary #Birmingham #TrueStory #MythBusted #BritishHistory
