Intro. Thomas Michael "Tommy" Shelby, OBE, DCM, MM, MP, is the main protagonist of Peaky Blinders. He is the son of Arthur and Mrs. Shelby, brother of Arthur, John, Ada and Finn Shelby, father of Duke, Charles and Ruby Shelby, and husband of Grace and Lizzie Shelby. He is the leader of the Birmingham crime gang, the Peaky Blinders, and the patriarch of the Shelby family.
Thomas served in World War I with the rank of Sergeant Major and received medals for bravery (which he threw into a canal upon returning from the war). His experiences in World War I left him disillusioned and plagued by constant nightmares, and he is determined to see his family rise in society so that the powers that always mistreated them can no longer touch them.
During his rise to power, Thomas encountered many obstacles, including rival gangsters who were unwilling to allow the rise of the Shelby family. One of his biggest enemies currently is Darby Sabini.