1 Whisky’s good proofing water. Tells you who’s real and who isn’t. -Tommy Shelby
Alcohol does only one good, and that is making the soul speak what it really feels. It lets its emotions flow like a river.
2 Intelligence is a very valuable thing, innit, my friend. And usually it comes far too late. -Alfie Solomons
Intelligence isn’t something which stays put, but rather gets sharper and more by time. By the time you gain great knowledge, you’re old.
3 In all the world, violent men are the easiest to deal with. -Irene O’Donnell
The men who are violent, think less with their brains and more with their anger and muscles. They are the easiest to manipulate and defeat with knowledge.
4 Men always tell their troubles to a barmaid. -Grace Burgess
The times men are feeling light from their work load and heavy from their troubles, they go for a drink. And there they share most of their feelings which are troubling them.
5 When you’re dead already, you’re free. -Polly Gray
Our body, when alive, keeps us chained to our responsibilities. We truly can’t do things our way because they won’t be acceptable. But once we’re dead, it’s then when we’re truly free.
6 May you be in heaven a full half hour before the devil knows you’re dead. -Grace Burgess
Everyone should have a chance of experiencing heaven even if he is supposed to be in hell in the after life. They should know how good deeds treat you back.
7 Sometimes the women have to take over. Like in the war. -Polly Gray
Men can’t always pull off things the right way. Comparatively women think more sensibly and they can be of good use in times of needs.
8 My fury is a thing to behold. -Chester Campbell
When a person gets furious, it’s difficult to calm him down and get back to the normal. Never test anyone’s patience because situations can turn out to be bad.
9 Don’t ever say anything you don’t want played back to you someday. -John Gotti
Always think before you speak. You wouldn’t want to say something which could be used against you in the future.
10 You strike when your enemy is weak. -Thomas Shelby
It’s true that always fight the ones who are equal to you, but that doesn’t mean you can take advantage of their low points. Strike them down when they’re at their lowest there.
11 Lies travel faster than the truth. -Thomas Shelby
Somehow, lies sound more tempting than the truths that they spread like a wildfire. They spread like rumors to please the hindered mind.
12 All religion is a foolish answer to a foolish question. -Polly Gray
Sometimes religion is not the thing that has answers to everything. Sometimes we have to look for answers ourselves in order to figure out life.
13 When you’re dead already, you’re free. -Polly Gray
Our body, when alive, keeps us chained to our responsibilities. We truly can’t do things our way because they won’t be acceptable. But once we’re dead, it’s then when we’re truly free.
14 This place is under new management, by order of the Peaky Blinders. -Arthur Shelby
This quote eventually became a fan favourite. The hot-headed Arthur bursts into a bar which disrespected his cousin and takes over the management. If you mess with the Peaky Blinders, you get your entire place shut down.
15 Men like us, Mr. Shelby, will always be alone, And what love we get, we will have to pay for. -Chester Campbell
Thomas Shelby’s world is full of murder, violence and greed. He has chosen a dangerous life for himself which makes it hard to have any real commitments. Campbell warns him that whatever love he finds, he will have to lose it eventually. Unfortunately, Campbell does turn out to be right a few years later.
16 Good taste is for people who can’t afford sapphires. -Tommy Shelby
When going to a charity event meant for the less fortunate, Tommy buys a sapphire necklace for his wife, Grace. She shows concern that it wouldn’t be in good taste for her to wear sapphires to such an event. Tommy disagrees. According to him, good taste is just an excuse that the poor make to not feel bad about their circumstances. The rich do not have to be shy to show off their wealth.
17 Everyone’s a whore, Grace, We just sell different parts of ourselves. -Tommy Shelby
This is probably one of the most famous quotes to come from Thomas Shelby. He says this when Grace accuses him of pimping her away for his own gain. He’s not entirely wrong. We all sell ourselves to get what we want, just in different ways. It’s just what life makes of us.
18 It’s not a good idea to look at Tommy Shelby the wrong way. -Tommy Shelby
Thomas Shelby is an unapologetically ruthless man. Grace, who is new to Birmingham, has no idea how dangerous he really is. Just to instill fear into her, Tommy tells her a story about how he put a bullet into his horse’s head just because he looked at him the wrong way.
19 I don’t pay for suits, My suits are on the house or the house burns down. -Tommy Shelby
Being the boss of the most feared criminal organisation in Birmingham has its own perks. You either give Tommy Shelby what he wants or you pack your bags and leave. The tailors in Birmingham were expected to hand him the best suits they had or they would go out of business.
20 There’s only one thing that can blind a man as smart as you, Tommy, Love. -Polly Gray
As Tommy and Grace’s relationship blossoms, Tommy falls deeper in love with her. He is so smitten by her that he becomes blind to the trap that lays ahead for him. Polly, who has known him for years, is sure that it is love that has changed him like this.
21 You have your mother’s common sense but your father’s devilment, I see them fighting, Let your mother win. -Polly Gray
Tommy is a man full of contradictions. He is dangerous and violent. But at the same time, there is kindness and love concealed within. Polly asks him to let the goodness within him win for once.
22 Brave is going where no man has gone before. -Polly Gray
The brave men are those who dare to do what others fear. They aren’t scared of anything and would do everything in their power to break new heights, even if it means getting themselves in danger.
23 If you’re soft on rebellion, it’ll grow. -Tommy Shelby
Tommy Shelby knows how to handle his empire. If there’s any sign of rebellion, you need to squash it right there and then. If not, it will eventually grow like wildfire and go out of control.
24 I’m just an extreme example of what a working man can achieve. -Tommy Shelby
When the factories and mines in London shut down because of Shelby company’s criminal activities, Niall Denvell accuses Tommy of being a traitor to his own class. But Tommy disagrees. He sees himself as a working class man who’s risen up the ranks with hard work and persistence.
25 I think, Arthur, that’s what I do, I think, so that you don’t have to. -Tommy Shelby
Tommy is the brains of the Shelby company. He is the one who decides what they should be doing next and who they should kill if it comes to that. When Arthur tries to give his own inputs about an issue, Tommy puts him in his place, instructing him to leave all the thinking to Tommy and mind his own business.
26 You don’t get what you deserve, you get what you take. -Lizzie Shelby
In the world of the Peaky Blinders, you do not get what you deserve. It’s a cruel, violent world where you get what you take. You are either the prey or the predator.
27 Rule one, you don’t punch above your weight. -Polly Gray
Aunt Polly is probably one of the wisest of the gang. You do not mess with those who you cannot handle. If you do, you will have to face the consequences of it.
28 For those who make the rules, there are no rules. -Tommy Shelby
Tommy Shelby and the Peaky Blinders are the ones who make the rules in Birmingham. He decides how things will work in the town. And for the Peaky Blinders, there are no rules.
29 Nobody is going to hang you Tommy, you’re going to hang yourself – Ada Shelby
Ada is always worried about her family, especially Tommy who’s always dangling between life and death in the name of business. With Tommy being a respectable MP and still getting into shady activities, Ada states that he will become his own downfall.
30 No I’m not God, Not yet – Tommy Shelby
Tommy is a caring father, but he doesn’t make the world seem like sunshine and rainbows to his little boy. When Charles accuses him of killing his beloved horse, Dangerous, Tommy feels helpless even with all the power he holds.
31 She likes the life, eh? Well, find one that hates it. – Tommy Shelby
When Finn tells Tommy that he wants to marry a girl who likes the gangster life, Tommy tells him to find a woman, who hates it and can change him. Even though Tommy has lived and breathed as a gangster, he wants better for his little brother.
31 Most Iconic Peaky Blinders Quotes of All Time
1. Whisky’s good proofing water. Tells you who’s real and who isn’t. -Tommy Shelby
2. Intelligence is a very valuable thing, innit, my friend. And usually it comes far too late. -Alfie Solomons
3. In all the world, violent men are the easiest to deal with. -Irene O’Donnell
4. Men always tell their troubles to a barmaid. -Grace Burgess. -Grace Burgess
5. When you’re dead already, you’re free. -Polly Gray
6. May you be in heaven a full half hour before the devil knows you’re dead. -Grace Burgess
7. Sometimes the women have to take over. Like in the war. -Polly Gray
8. My fury is a thing to behold. -Chester Campbell
9. Don’t ever say anything you don’t want played back to you someday. -John Gotti
10. You strike when your enemy is weak. -Thomas Shelby
11. Lies travel faster than the truth. -Thomas Shelby
12. All religion is a foolish answer to a foolish question. -Thomas Shelby
13. When you’re dead already, you’re free. -Polly Gray
14. This place is under new management, by order of the Peaky Blinders. -Arthur Shelby
15. Men like us, Mr. Shelby, will always be alone, And what love we get, we will have to pay for. -Chester Campbell
16. Good taste is for people who can’t afford sapphires. -Tommy Shelby
17. Everyone’s a whore, Grace, We just sell different parts of ourselves. -Tommy Shelby
18. It’s not a good idea to look at Tommy Shelby the wrong way. -Tommy Shelby
19. I don’t pay for suits, My suits are on the house or the house burns down. -Tommy Shelby
20. There’s only one thing that can blind a man as smart as you, Tommy, Love. -Polly Gray
21. You have your mother’s common sense but your father’s devilment, I see them fighting, Let your mother win. -Polly Gray
22. Brave is going where no man has gone before. -Polly Gray
23. If you’re soft on rebellion, it’ll grow. -Tommy Shelby
24. I’m just an extreme example of what a working man can achieve. -Tommy Shelby
25. I think, Arthur, that’s what I do, I think, so that you don’t have to. -Tommy Shelby
26. You don’t get what you deserve, you get what you take. -Lizzie Shelby
27. Rule one, you don’t punch above your weight. -Polly Gray
28. For those who make the rules, there are no rules. -Tommy Shelby
29. Nobody is going to hang you Tommy, you’re going to hang yourself – Ada Shelby
30. No I’m not God, Not yet – Tommy Shelby
31. She likes the life, eh? Well, find one that hates it. – Tommy Shelby