From the Peaky Blinders to the Kray twins, Birmingham has a rich history of urban myths and tall tales – but how many of them are true and how many are pure fiction?
Back in the days of real Peaky Blinders
Birmingham has a long history of being a pretty gritty city.
We have been here for hundreds of years and there’s been a lot of dicey moments across that period.
So, it is perhaps unsurprising that urban myths have developed across that time. It’s all part of the rich tapestry of a historic city like this.
So unique is our heritage, of course, there was a little-known BBC television show called the Peaky Blinders essentially all about it.
Read more: Birmingham landmarks gone forever
Well, we are big fans of Birmingham heritage here, so we wanted to share some of the Birmingham urban myths that have been around for longer than many of us.
We are not saying they are true – but they’ve been passed down from generation to generation….
The Brummie brothers who stood up to the Krays
Eddie Fewtrell
There are countless myths surrounding the Fewtrell brothers and the Krays. So many, in fact, that there’s likely a grain of truth somewhere.
One tale suggests that the Brummie gangsters were warned by the police about the Kray twins’ plans to extend their reach into Birmingham.
It’s said that 30 Jaguars drove up the M1 and parked outside their club, the Gary Owen, leading to a massive brawl.
The Fewtrell gang reportedly emerged from the club and shattered all the side windows of the Jags!
Supposedly, the Krays then abandoned their expansion plans.
The Peaky Blinders
(L-R) Peaky Blinders Henry Fowler, Ernest Bayles and Stephen McHickie
According to legend, there was a Birmingham gang in the early 1900s who wore caps with hidden razor blades to intimidate their rivals.
Sound familiar?
Well, it’s largely a myth as it almost certainly didn’t unfold exactly as portrayed in the BBC series.
The gang was reportedly active from the 1890s and gained notoriety for their brutal violence, engaging in fights with metal-tipped boots, stones, belt buckles and occasionally knives.
There’s been scepticism over the assertion that they sewed cut-throat razors into the brim of their caps to use as weapons.
The victim of the vinegar flood
The world famous HP sauce factory in Aston closed in 2007.
When a vinegar vat at the HP sauce factory burst, it caused a massive leak that inundated local shops and residences situated at a lower level.
Legend has it that a man was seen being swept away while attempting to save his dog, and tragically drowned.
The conveniently wealthy man
This tale suggests that there was a bank run in the early 1800s due to an agricultural crisis – and a mysteriously affluent man would be brought forward.
The banks were under threat in Birmingham during a period of significant city growth and found themselves potentially needing funds they didn’t possess.
So, it seems Lloyds devised a scheme. As the crowds of people wanting to withdraw their money grew, a well-dressed man was hired to publicly carry 1,000 golden sovereigns in a bag and pay them over the counter to alleviate fears.
He’d then reappear when a new group of anxious investors formed and return to the front of the queue with the same ploy.
This occurred so frequently that the crowds dwindled and confidence was restored. Other banks had collapsed, and their customers came to deposit in Lloyds which experienced exponential growth.
Gangsters beneath Spaghetti Junction
(Image: Mirrorpix)
When the Gravelly Hill Interchange was being constructed over four decades ago, local tales suggest that Brummie gangsters seized the historic opportunity for personal gain.
Well, to profit from other gangsters, really.
Rumour has it that there are some ne’er-do-wells currently resting in peace beneath the road network, with hundreds of thousands of cars passing over them daily.
This, so the story goes, is signified by some very conspicuous graffiti of the Kray twins visible to those heading into the city centre.
Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
This one is likely more than just a myth.
It’s rumoured that Charlie Chaplin’s daughter, Victoria, stumbled upon a letter with the peculiar assertion that her father was born in a caravan owned by the gypsy queen on the outskirts of Birmingham.
The absence of an official birth certificate for the legendary comedian only adds to the speculation.
The Blues gypsy curse
A general view of St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park
Legend has it that in 1906, a century-long curse was cast upon St Andrew’s, the bastion of Birmingham City Football Club.
The story goes that Romany travellers were ousted to make way for the stadium’s construction – and they left their displeasure in the form of a hex.
Some of the club’s managers took the curse quite seriously – Ron Saunders went as far as painting players’ boots red and dangling crucifixes from the floodlights, while Barry Fry is famed for having urinated in each corner of the pitch in attempts to break the spell.
Notably, the Blues’ most triumphant moment – their 2011 Carling Cup victory – occurred five years post the supposed end of the curse.
Do you know any more urban myths? Let us know in the comments below….