Rogues, Villains and Peaky Blinders

Step into the police and criminal past of Birmingham with historian and Heritage Manager of the West Midlands Police Museum, Corinne Brazier.

In Rogues, Villains & Peaky Blinders Corinne draws on the museum’s extensive archive — including arrest ledgers, mugshots and original police records — to explore the real criminals and law enforcement responses behind some of the city’s most notorious figures and factions.

This richly illustrated talk:

• Highlights historic rogues and villains once held in the Steelhouse Lane Lock-Up

• Places the real Peaky Blinders and other street gangs in their proper historical context, separate from later fiction

• Uses authentic photographs and records to investigate how crime, policing and public perception intersected in Birmingham’s past

Corinne’s work helps audiences separate myth from fact, showing how police archives can illuminate everyday crime, social conditions, and policing practice in the West Midlands.

Ideal for anyone interested in local history, crime history, policing heritage, and the roots of popular culture stories.

About the Venue

Our monthly events are based at Penn Bowling Club, 10 Manor Road, Penn, Wolverhampton, WV4 5PY. The venue is fully wheelchair accessible, has good parking, toilet facilities and a bar. For users of public transport, the 15/16 bus routes along the Penn Road can be followed by a short walk up Manor Road to the venue.