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Peaky Blinders - A world away from Downton!

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My experience of a snowball was the sort you bought in those little bottles. It was usually a toss up between a snowball or a cherry B !! Viv.
 
The production designer visited the Birmingham Back to Backs (on Hurst Street) to inspire him for the series 1 and 2 interiors of the Shelby's home in Small Heath.
 
I don't remember 'snowballs' but I do remember Mom saying she wanted a 'foo-foo' pill if she ever felt washed out. I looked that up and it was another name for cocaine. Mom must'v heard the expression somewhere, probably from her Mom.
 
My mom used that a lot too Lady P. The way she said it I always thought it was something vaguely rude but never had the courage to ask what she meant! !

The snowballs in the bottle contained, I think, advocat and lemonade. Very ice- creamy flavoured. Viv.
 
As I understand it the street scenes are in Liverpool, the action takes place in a studio in Bradford and the canal and factory scenes are at the Black Country Museum
 
The "local police" let the Shelby's get away with things, but then "Scotland Yard" came in and arrested them (new Irish priest character).

Did any real Russian aristocrats survive the Russian revolution and come to the UK (especially once the Soviets took over Russia).
 
I don't think many aristocrats would have come to Britain. Asylum was initially offered to the Tsar and family after the Revolution, but it was later refused to them on political grounds. Despite this Britain received many emigres/refugees (possibly in the region of 15,000) in the 1910s-20s but nothing like the number moving to US, Poland and Germany. Britain also brought in a series of Aliens Acts around this time which put a stop to automatic entry into Britain. By the 1920s the work permit system came into being too. So on a number of fronts Britain was not quite as accessible as it had been. It's believed most Russions that came to Britan at that period settled in London. Viv.
 
I preferred it when MY THOMAS was a Brummie peaky blinder terrorising Small Heath,not hobnobbing with aristocrats.
Have you noticed how young John is morphing into Tommy?
 
Shouldn’t that have been ‘The Corporation’?

In years gone by older Brummies always talked about ‘The Corporation’, so I think we’ll find that the ‘City Council’ is modern parlance. Me Nan worked for ‘The Corporation’, and me Dad always called it that an’ all.

I’m pretty sure back in the 1920s Brummagem folk would have said ‘The Corporation’ and not ‘The Council’, so seems like a slip-up in the research for what is otherwise a bostin’ series on the telly – just me own thoughts on things mind.

Have to say that the first episode had a tad too much cussin’ in it for my liking, all that effin’ and blindin’ - must be me sensitive nature! But this week’s one was better, not to mention the dramatic ending!!

On the Russian aristos, as I dun’t know nunk about that I couldn’t say one way or t’other, though it certainly adds a good storyline to it!
 
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Definitely Bobowler, it would have been 'Corporation'. I remember it was always referred to as that and not 'council'. And if you said 'the Corporation' everyone knew exactly what you meant. Well spotted.

Viv.
 
Welcome to the Forum Bobowler. You are right, we did say the Corporation more often in those days than we do now. If we said City Council in those days we would have been referring to the Councillors, something not too many people would have done. The buses were Birmingham Corporation Buses. Back in the 1920s, Birmingham Corporation ran everything, buses, police, fire, ambulances, gas, water, electricity, dust carts. We even had our own bank, the Municipal. Birmingham was virtually a city state.
 
G'day, here in Oz I've just seen the first series, 1-6 episodes have they made series 2 yet?
great history lesson for the young ones.. also you're right my Dad worked for the BCT not the council.
 
Hi Smithy. We're now watching series 3 in the Uk, so you'll have series 2 and then 3 to come! Viv.
 
Hi Viv, half your luck, it will be about 2/3 years before it get's here, I think they will send it 'snail mail' :eek:;)
 
Ramsay MacDonald was Prime Minister from January to November 1924 but I bet they will still bring Winston Churchill into the story.
 
Hi David. Churchill was involved from Series 1 when Tommy Shelby came to his notice for dealing in stolen guns. In the later series Tommy has become involved in arranging assassinations for Churchill, for money. Does anyone know if Tommy's gun dealing in series 1 was meant to be BSA and the offloading of old stock after WW1 ? Viv.
 
Tommy was looking in a Birmingham factory with tanks (or armoured cars) at the beginning of series 3. Think that was BSA in Saltley (I think).
 
If I remember series 1 episode 1 correctly. They went to steal motorcycles from Amoury Road, they may have said BSA, and when they opened the crates they found guns instead.
 
If it was tanks then I think theses were originally produced at Fosters in Hertfordshire and Metropolitan carriages Old Park Wednesbury , though other sites including Metropolitan at Oldbury also later made them. If I remember rightly though. it looked more like armoured cars in the scene in the factory
 
En’t it s’posed to be the Lanchester Motor Company?

I could’ve sworn I saw a sign or summut as they began that part of the programme. Seems Lanchesters did make armoured cars an’ all, so it would be a credible storyline.

Looks like they were bought up by the BSA, but not until 1930, and today the trade name is apparently owned by an Indian firm. Though the last car made which bore the name Lanchester rolled of the production line way back in 1955!

Anyroad, out a little early tonight, so best flutter back to me box for a bit!!
 
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There was a sign when Thomas walked in with Lanchester on it.

Their factory was in Montgomery Street and there is a blue plaque on the wall of the old factory.
 
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