Thomas Michael "Tommy" Shelby (born 1890 - died 19??) was a British politician and gangster who led the Peaky Blinders gang in Birmingham before later turning to politics as the Labour MP for Small Heath. He was the younger brother of Arthur Shelby, the gang's former leader.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Tommy Shelby in his British Army uniform
Thomas Michael Shelby was born in Small Heath, Birmingham, England in 1890, the son of an Irish Traveller immigrant father and a mother of Romani extraction. He was the son of Arthur Shelby, Sr. and the brother of Arthur Shelby, John Shelby, Ada Thorne, and Finn Shelby, and the brothers were involved with the organized crime gang, the Peaky Blinders, during their youths. They were both drafted into the British Army during World War I, and Tommy Shelby served as a sapper and a Sergeant-Major in the Small Heath Rifles; his childhood friend Freddie Thorne once saved his life. His actions at the 1914 Battle of Mons saved thousands of Allied lives, and he was also recognized for his bravery at the Battle of the Somme and the Battle of Verdun. His flawless conduct earned him the Military Medal and the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
Rise to power[]
Shelby in 1919
After returning home from the war, Shelby became a respected figure in the neighborhood. His brother Arthur became the leader of the Peaky Blinders, but he relied on Tommy to be the brains behind his criminal enterprise. Tommy fixed horse races by going to a young Chinese girl who could perform a powder trick on the horse, and he also secretly (and accidentally) stole an arms shipment from Belfast in 1919, leading to Inspector Chester Campbell being sent to investigate the gang's operations. Arthur's mental health began to deteriorate due to war trauma and his father's abuse, and he eventually decided to cede control of the gang to Tommy.
Shelby's expansion of the gang's involvement in the racetrack scene brought him into conflict with the Birmingham Boys under Billy Kimber, and he also entered into conflict with the Lee Family after they provoked him into a fight by insulting his mother. Campbell had undercover policewoman Grace Burgess attempt to learn about the location of the guns by becoming a barmaid at The Garrison Pub, which was frequented by the Peaky Blinders gang. The two eventually became enamored, and Shelby saved her from being raped by Kimber after having offered her up as a "sweetener" to a partnership with him against the Lee Family, their shared rivals.
Shelby also met with Inspector Campbell, and he told him that he was a businessman; he agreed with Campbell's desire for peace in the city, as business could thrive. Shelby offered to prevent Freddie Thorne from returning to the city (as Thorne had become a communist and had impregnated his sister) and to return the stolen arms shipment of 25 Lewis machine-guns, 50 carbines, and 10,000 rounds of ammunition in exchange for Campbell having the Chief Inspector of Gloucestershire call off Billy Kimber's corrupt policemen when Shelby made his move on the racetrack business, and in exchange for Campbell turning a blind eye to the Peaky Blinders. Shelby gained Kimber's trust by having his men protect Kimber's bookmakers, and Kimber decided to ally with Shelby.
However, Shelby secretly arranged for his brother John to marry Esme Lee to form an alliance with the Lees, and he planned to betray Kimber and take over his racecourses.
Shelby also began a relationship with Grace Burgess, who developed feelings for him, while also focusing on her mission. Burgess helped Shelby deal with his IRA troubles, protecting him from the IRA brigadier Malacki Byrne and his accomplice Keith Maguire when they attempted to shoot him at the pub. The two then fell in love, and Shelby took note of Burgess' capabilities. Having gained Shelby's trust, Shelby hired her as a book keeper, entrusting her with the company's financial records. She discovered that payments were being made to Daniel Owen, and Arthur told her that Owen's death had been faked to fool the Mafia. Burgess told Campbell that the arms shipment was hidden in Owen's grave, as it had been dug deep, lined with lead, and was empty. Campbell succeeded in capturing the shipment, and he also told Kimber of Shelby's plans to betray him, having been informed of the plan by Burgess.
Shelby shooting Billy Kimber dead
Shelby had his men prepare to head to the Cheltenham races to ambush Kimber, but Shelby was surprised when he heard reports that two truckloads of Kimber's men were heading towards the pub. He discovered that he had been betrayed by Burgess, as she was the only person who had known about his secretive "Black Star Day" plans, and she had tearfully told Shelby that she would not be at the pub when he returned because she had done something horrible to him. Shelby and a handful of men confronted Kimber's men on the street, and Kimber boasted superior firepower and manpower. However, Daniel Owen and Freddie Thorne arrived behind the Birmingham Boys with a Lewis machine-gun. Kimber said that the dispute was solely between him and Shelby, so he fired two shots at Shelby, with one injuring Shelby and the other killing Owen, who had ran to protect him. Shelby then recovered and shot Kimber once in the forehead, killing him. He then told the rest of his men to return to their wives and families, inspired by his own sister Ada's brave act of walking between the men and asking them who in their family would wear black for them when they died. The Birmingham Boys left Small Heath for good, and Shelby and his men held a solemn funeral for Owen before celebrating their victory.
Expansion into London[]
By 1921, the Shelby family was making £150 a day, as they were the third-largest legitimate racetrack owners in the United Kingdom. Ada had left the family to live with Thorne and her son Karl in London, and, after Thorne's death, she decided to remain in London, as her communist friends had convinced her that Shelby's wealth and enterprises were shameful. Shelby also faced another problem when the IRA bombed The Garrison Pub, and he was later taken to meet IRA members Irene O'Donnell and Donal Henry, who forced him to help them with the assassination of Field Marshal Henry Russell. A third issue posed itself when he decided to hastily expand the family business to London on Newmarket day, as he wanted to show his hand to the warring gangs there. He discovered that Alfie Solomons' Jewish gang of Camden Town had been at war with the Sabini Gang for six months, and he decided that the Jews would need an ally, allowing for him to have an opportunity to become a player in London gang politics.
Gallery[]
