City's real-life Peaky Blinders

Neighbourhood youth gangs known as The Scuttlers prowled 19th century streets

- LEE GRIMSDITCH

THE BBC's hugely successful period drama Peaky Blinders is based on a real urban youth gang of the same name that existed in Birmingham from the 1880s to the 1910s.

But of course, Birmingham wasn't the only place where gangs terrorised the streets at that time. Liverpool's 'High Rip' gang were a ruthless mob of violent men who dished out bloody beatings with belt buckles and knives.

But even closer to home, neighbourhood youth gangs known as Scuttlers prowled the streets of Manchester and Salford during the late 19th century. Scuttling gangs formed throughout the slums of central Manchester, as well as Bradford, Gorton, Openshaw and Salford.

Conflicts between the gangs started in the early 1870s (although the term 'Scuttler' had been in use even earlier), and erupted sporadically over the next 30 years. In an article on 'Scuttlers and scuttling' in the Manchester Guardian dated September 5, 1890, it described in detail the activities of the gangs.

A Scuttler was said to be a "lad, usually between the ages of 14 and 18". The act of scuttling was also used as a term to describe two opposing gangs of youths fighting, who were often armed with a variety of vicious weapons.