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, racketeering, illegal bookmaking, and control of gambling. They held "control" for 30 years until a larger gang, the Birmingham Boys, led by Billy Kimber, overtook them.