Birmingham Boys

The Birmingham Boys aka Brummagem Boys were a turf gang whose power extended from the North of England to London's underworld, 1910s -1930. They lost control of the South East racecourses to the Sabini brothers.

Following the Gaming Act 1845, the only gambling allowed in England was at race tracks. The introduction of special excursion trains meant that all classes of society could attend the new racecourses opening across the country. Cash concentrated towards the bookmakers who employed bodyguards against protection gangs operating within the vast crowds.

"Bookmaker" Billy Kimber (born 1884) from Bordesley in Birmingham was head of the Birmingham Boys. With gangs in Uttoxeter and Leeds he controlled racecourses in the Midlands and the North. He set up a secondary base in Islington, North London to concentrate on the racetracks in the South of England.

A more accurate record of Billy Kimber can be found in Gangs of London, by Brian McDonald. His birth is given as 1882 at Summer Lane, Birmingham.

Kimber formed alliances with smaller organisations such as the Hoxton Gang and the Elephant and Castle Mob. Now at racecourses in the south East, one group the Brummies began to prey on were the Jewish bookies from London's East End. They turned to local underworld boss Edward Emmanuel who in turn recruited the Italian Sabini Gang as protection.

In March 1921 the Brummagems ambushed Sabini at Greenford Trotting Park. A few days later Kimber was found shot and beaten in Kings Cross, London, having gone to visit Sabini. The violence escalated but Sabini gained the upper hand when twenty-three Birmingham boys were locked up following the "Epsom Road Battle".