Is A Thousand Blows based on a true story? Details about the upcoming British crime drama, explored

A Thousand Blows seems to be the perfect blend of history, action, and drama. The British period crime drama follows two best friends from Jamaica, Hezekiah and Alec, who arrive in London and try their hands at boxing.

As the boxers attract the leader of the Forty Elephants, an all-female crime group, they get embroiled in the world of crime and violence and have to go against a deadly veteran boxer named Sugar Goodson.

The show’s authentic feel and historical setting raise an obvious question: is A Thousand Blows based on a true story? The Disney+ and Hulu show is indeed inspired by real events, as the Forty Elephants was an actual crime syndicate in 18th and 19th-century London when illegal boxing was also rampant in the city.

Is A Thousand Blows based on a true story?

A Thousand Blows is inspired by real events and personalities, as illegal or bare-knuckle boxing was on the rise in London in the 18th and 19th centuries with boxers putting their lives at stake for prizes.

As the trailer of A Thousand Blows teases, the fights happened in secret, as they were against the law. Rich supporters, like Queen of the Forty Elephants in the show, backed these boxing matches, and they even made it to newspaper headlines.

Most boxers who agreed to be a part of these fights came from tough backgrounds, and many even used fake names in the boxing world. Both Hezekiah Moscow, played by Malachi Kirby, and Alec Munroe portrayed by Francis Lovehall are based on real-life fighters of the time.

Hezekiah was a bear tamer who used to fight in Whitechapel, London from 1880 to 1891. Also known by his ring name Ching Hook, Hezekiah disappeared with his family after a successful career in illegal fighting.

Alec, whose full name was Alexander Hayes Munroe, used to be a lion tamer before he became a fighter. He died in 1885 after being stabbed in a boarding house. As shown in A Thousand Blows, Hezekiah and Alec were friends in real life.

The real story of Forty Elephants from A Thousand Blows

The Forty Elephants crime syndicate and their leader Mary Carr, played by Erin Doherty in A Thousand Blows, have also been a part of London’s history. It was an all-female gang active from the 1870s to the 1950s. The group mastered the art of shoplifting and avoiding the police.

They operated out of the Elephant and Castle area and raided high-end stores in London. Mary Carr was one of their first known leaders, who was an expert at quickly selling stolen items to avoid getting caught. Under her leadership, the gang remained organized and collaborated with male gangs for mutual benefit.

She often found herself in and out of jail and was eventually replaced by a new leader. The gang used tactics like sewing hidden pockets into their clothes to stash stolen goods. They also pretended to be wealthy women shopping leisurely to avoid suspicion.

By the 1920s, the Forty Elephants were stealing on a massive scale and living lavishly. They later also expanded their crime network and started blackmailing people to rob wealthy homes. The gang saw a decline after the Second World War and eventually ceased to exist.

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Hence, A Thousand Blows is based on a true story that showcases the dark side of London’s history. The show has been created by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight. It also stars Stephen Graham as Sugar Goodson, Ziggy Heath as Peggy Bettinson, Jemma Carlton as Belle, and Caoilfhionn Dunne as Anne Glover.

The series will premiere on Disney+ on February 21, 2025.

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