When ms. Cooper came into our art lesson and claimed that she was related to the Peaky blinders - I knew - I JUST KNEW - that this was my journalistic calling!
So, staff and students gather round! Read this exclusive interview with Ms. Cooper where she reveals her family’s rich and scandalous involvement with the most notorious and well dressed gang of all time - the Peaky Blinders! I must admit, when being invited into Ms. Cooper's top secret office to conduct this interview, I felt like Grace Shelby when she was working undercover to find out about Tommy. Luckily, Ms. Cooper never threatened to take my eyes out - even when I asked her some juicy questions!
So, let’s get right in….. To start the interview, I asked Ms. Cooper 3 quick fire questions:
Who is your favourite character on the show?
Oooooh, you know - it has to be Tommy, I know it’s predictable but he’s so beautiful!
If you had to wear one of their pieces of costume every day what would it be?
Well, because my grandad always wore the cap - the peaked cap - it would probably have to be the cap.
If you could have dinner with a person from the cast or a character in the show - who would you choose?
It would have been the actress who played Aunt Pol. Yeah, it would have been her - I think she was cool.
Now, for the rest of the questions:
Could you explain how you think / are connected to the Peaky Blinders.
Essentially, my dad’s family originated from Birmingham and lived there all their lives. The whole generation on my dads side of the family lived in the areas of Birmingham where the gangs, there were loads of different gangs - were based and I know that my grandad, Horace, was in one of those gangs and his affiliation was with the peaky blinders in the early nineteen hundreds. Also, in the first and second series - a lot is based in the streets where my family lived and also the pub that my family went to - all that history is very closely associated.
You once quoted (in a year 10 art lesson) that Cillian Murphy was a ‘fine specimen’ - do you stand by this quote?
(laughs HAHAHA) Yes, I still think that he is a fine specimen, but can I clarify that it is from a purely visual and aesthetic (classic artist language) point of view. That’s hilarious - all these things you pick up as my catchphrases.
Did you know about the gangs and the Shelbys in Birmingham before the show or did it take the show to bring them to your attention?
I already knew that my grandfather, well really both of my dad’s parents - I always knew that they had family who were associated with some of these gangs. I know a lot about my family history - including their involvement with different wars. So, I had this family history in my mind and then I couldn’t believe it when they started the series. The series is about the gangs, but it is also a historical and social document of what Birmingham was like. It was hugely appealing to me because it is where I am from and because of all these associations.
Do you think the show has affected Birmingham in any way?
Well, the show has hugely glamorised the gang lifestyle. From a fashion perspective - those peaky hats have become a real look. Also, brummie accents are usually used in quite a derogatory way but this series has glamorised that which is good when you are a brummie! What was most important to me is the fact that there is such a rich history in the midlands in terms of how this country was able to function in terms of industry and it was a very working class industrious city that played a really huge part in galvanising the country to be able to manufacture and produce things - which is really important to recognise.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Ms. Cooper also went above and beyond and brought out a photograph of her grandad Horace, which was wonderful! She said that the boy at the front, her dad’s brother, grew up to become like Arthur Shelby from the show. Goes to show that strong and spirited characters run in the Cooper family. Thank you Ms. Cooper for sharing this story and taking the time to tell me about it.
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