Page 25 - Once a copper 10 03 2020

Extracts from Philip Goodersons book, ‘The Gangs Of Birmingham’, makes
interesting reading. in Birmingham they were called first sloggers – a ‘slog’
was a fight – and later peaky blinders, for the fringe of hair or cap peak they
typically wore over one eye.

Even in the early 1890s, inner-city Birmingham streets were filled with
overcrowded slums and extreme poverty - and the lure of crime was a pull
for some. It soon led to an eruption of gangs and violence across the city.
Two of the most prominent - and ruthless - of these early gangs were known
as the Sloggers, and the Peaky Blinders. For 30 years they ruled the city's
streets with protection rackets and violence.

IF THE SLOGGERS had by now long been infamous in Birmingham, the
notoriety of their successors, the peaky blinders – a more generic term not
confined to gangs – would extend well beyond the city. It is with them that
the wider world first became aware of the sloggers’ style: scarf around the
neck, bell-bottom trousers and donkey fringe of hair brushed down in a curl
over the foreheads culminating in a peak over one eye – which accounted
for their name. Their clothes consisted of trousers 22 inches round the bottom
and 15 inches round the knee; some preferred moleskins or “cords”. They
wore a silk “daff”as they called it, twisted twice round their necks and tied at
the ends. It was then called a “choker”.

Up in front of the magistrates on numerous occasions over a 16 year period
when the Peaky Blinders were most active, dressed as he was, with the
convictions including violence, it came as a shock to learn that my great
grandfather would have been classed as a Peaky Blinder.

I always wondered where my rebellious streak came from, now I know.

James Burnett (Bernard) Cain died on 18th April 1934 aged 62, of pericarditis
(swelling of the sac around the heart), and cancer of the oesophagus,
usually associated with heavy and prolonged drinking/smoking.

The Police Museum is now housed in the
building that was formerly Steelhouse Lane
lock-up, for many years the largest
capacity cell block in the Birmingham area.
Whilst still holding remand prisoners, I was to
spend a few months posted there during
the 1980/81 prison officers dispute

Figure 7 Steelhouse Lane Lock Up - Now the Police Museum Page25