Latest news with #FortyElephants
The Herald Scotland
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Novel plunged me into 1920s Glasgow - what I found may surprise you
As the daughter of a prominent suffragist, Mabel is not only frustrated by the professional limitations imposed on her but is especially conscious that 'justice was in very short supply if you were a woman, especially a working-class woman', so she's not above bending the rules and applying a little guile and subterfuge if it will do some good for the women of Glasgow, whose cases her male police colleagues routinely dismiss. She's alerted by Beatrice Price, who runs an employment agency, that the girls her agency sends to the prestigious department store Arrol's tend not to stay there long, and Price's tentative enquiries suggest that they're being sexually assaulted by the store's owner, Hector Arrol. Informed that such unsupported allegations wouldn't stand up in court, Beatrice decides to get a closer look at what's really going on in Arrol's and persuades Hector to let her work there temporarily, on the pretext of combating an epidemic of shoplifting. Read more Yes, it's about time we mentioned the shoplifters. Moore's Glasgow has its own equivalent of London's Forty Elephants, an all-female gang called St Thenue's Avengers who sweep through Glasgow's department stores, furriers and jewellers with such skill and speed that the police have been unable to stop them. Mabel has a confrontation with gang members that earns her a punch in the face from the tomboyish Johnnie (Johanna), who, it transpires, is concerned about a missing friend and is trying, with little success, to alert her comrades to the dangers lurking in Arrol's. Someone with Johnnie's nerve and skill-set might be just what Mabel and Beatrice could use, if they could talk her into coming over to their side. It all takes place in a 1920 Glasgow that has been exhaustively researched and lovingly recreated. There are fondly-remembered department stores and tea-rooms, townhouses and tenements, warehouses and public toilets, and Moore can even tell you the opening hours of the shops and what times the Glasgow streets were at their busiest. The Devil's Draper by Donna Moore (Image: Fly On The Wall) But she wears all her research lightly, telling us just enough for us to become immersed in her convincing recreation of the old city. She gets across equally economically that this is a time of upheaval and uncertainty, with the trauma of the war visible just beneath the surface, modern art challenging people's assumptions and the wealthy dabbling with cocaine in Glasgow's more exclusive night-spots. There's a sub-plot about Mabel retrieving her biological grandmother from the asylum her husband dumped her into four decades earlier and bringing her back to live with her adoptive mother Floss and partner Jo, which feels a little disconnected from the main narrative at first but starts to make far more sense with the reintroduction of one The Unpicking's most unsung but important characters: the ladies toilet attendant Winnie, centrally located, with her finger on the pulse and always with a pot of stew on her stove. While it's obvious what crimes are being committed against the girls at Arrol's, Moore draws a discreet veil over them in what is essentially a warm, engaging novel about female spaces and sisterly solidarity triumphing over a misogynistic, narrow-minded system.
Business Upturn
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Upturn
A Thousand Blows Season 2: Release date speculation, cast and plot details – Everything we know so far
By Aman Shukla Published on April 23, 2025, 19:30 IST Last updated April 23, 2025, 13:34 IST Fans of gritty historical dramas have been eagerly awaiting news on A Thousand Blows Season 2, the follow-up to Steven Knight's captivating Victorian-era series. Set in the brutal underworld of 1880s London, the show blends bare-knuckle boxing, crime, and complex characters inspired by real-life figures. With Season 1 leaving viewers on a cliffhanger, here's everything we know about the release date, cast, and plot for the highly anticipated second season. A Thousand Blows Season 2 Potential Release Date While Disney+ and Hulu have not announced an official release date for A Thousand Blows Season 2 , there's good news: the season has already been filmed back-to-back with Season 1. This production strategy suggests a shorter wait time compared to typical TV series. Creator Steven Knight has hinted that fans 'won't have to wait too long,' fueling speculation for a release in late 2025 or early 2026. A Thousand Blows Season 2 Expected Cast The stellar cast of A Thousand Blows is a major draw, and Season 2 is expected to bring back the key players who survived the explosive first season. Based on the Season 1 finale teaser and official reports, here's who we anticipate seeing: Malachi Kirby as Hezekiah Moscow: The Jamaican immigrant turned boxing star, whose journey takes a darker turn after personal losses. as Hezekiah Moscow: The Jamaican immigrant turned boxing star, whose journey takes a darker turn after personal losses. Erin Doherty as Mary Carr: The fierce leader of the Forty Elephants, an all-female crime syndicate, navigating her strained relationship with Hezekiah. as Mary Carr: The fierce leader of the Forty Elephants, an all-female crime syndicate, navigating her strained relationship with Hezekiah. Stephen Graham as Henry 'Sugar' Goodson: The menacing bare-knuckle boxing kingpin, whose rivalry with Hezekiah remains central. as Henry 'Sugar' Goodson: The menacing bare-knuckle boxing kingpin, whose rivalry with Hezekiah remains central. Hannah Walters as Eliza Moody: A key member of the Forty Elephants and Graham's real-life wife, expected to return. as Eliza Moody: A key member of the Forty Elephants and Graham's real-life wife, expected to return. Jason Tobin as Mr. Lao: The innkeeper whose storyline might continue in Liverpool after his Season 1 escape. as Mr. Lao: The innkeeper whose storyline might continue in Liverpool after his Season 1 escape. Morgan Hilaire as Alice Diamond: Mary's protégé, whose role could expand given her historical significance as a future Forty Elephants leader. A Thousand Blows Season 2 Potential Plot A Thousand Blows Season 2 promises to pick up where the intense Season 1 finale left off, diving deeper into the gritty world of Victorian London's East End. The Season 1 ending saw Hezekiah grieving Alec's death and his relationship with Mary crumbling after she concealed the truth about Alec's killer. Steven Knight has teased that Season 2 will deliver 'more of the same, expect the unexpected, but the stakes are higher.' This suggests more intense fights, deeper character conflicts, and surprising twists, all set against the vivid backdrop of 1880s London. A Thousand Blows Season 2 Aman Shukla is a post-graduate in mass communication . A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication ,content writing and copy writing. Aman is currently working as journalist at
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Yahoo
The South London all-women gang that once terrorised West End department stores
An all-female gang dressed in luxury clothing used to terrorise the streets of London. The Forty Elephants were once known as the "cleverest shoplifters in the country." Now, a new Disney+ series is telling the story of this girl-power crime group which hailed from the streets of Elephant and Castle. But this all-women working-class group is not to be underestimated. The Forty Elephants were a well-organised gang of thieves which kept shop-lifters on their toes in the West End. READ MORE: The 86 London boroughs that used to exist because it was decided there were too many READ MORE: Live updates as London Underground lines suspended and others delayed The group, which was active between 1870 and 1950, would dress-up like film stars in furs and expensive jewellery before stealing items from department stores, largely in the West End, to sell on for profit. Life in Elephant and Castle, which inspired the group's name, was tough in the late 1800s. This area of South East London struggled with poverty, sanitation and high rents. It is therefore likely that the Forty Elephants saw their life of crime as a way of surviving in a tough environment. The makeup of the Forty Elephants was inherently a family affair that was passed down through the generations. Leaders of the gang were called 'Queens' and the title went to whoever was deemed to be the best leader. In the 1900s, a notorious female gangster, Alice Diamond, led the group in their criminal activity. Using their gender to their advantage, the Forty Elephants could blend into the luxury department stores they targeted better than male criminals. The group worked in cells which targeted certain areas of the city. Brian McDonald, who in 2015 published his book 'Alice Diamond and the Forty Elephants: The Female Gang That Terrorised London,' said: "The girls benefited from prudish attitudes of the time by taking shelter behind the privacy afforded to women in large stores.' He added: "They threw the liveliest of parties and spent lavishly at pubs, clubs and restaurants. Their lifestyles were in pursuit of those of glamorous movie stars, combined with the decadent living of 1920s aristocratic flapper society. They read of the outrageous behaviour of rich, bright young things and wanted to emulate them.' The group members would dress up in luxury clothing before heading out to carry out their criminal activity. 'Dressed to kill, those girls would descend on a West End store like a swarm of locusts,' one police detective said, according to The London Museum. One technique used by the gang was to distract shop assistants while others carried out the thievery. They would also wear specially made garments that could store stolen goods, such as underskirts with pockets or belts with hooks. Members of the Forty Elephants would then go on to sell the stolen items to earn a profit and earn money on a commission basis. While many of the Forty Elephants evaded arrest, some leaders such as Alice Dimond and Maggie Hughes, were imprisoned in Holloway in Islington. The new Disney+ series, A Thousand Blows, was released on February 21. The drama follows the Forty Elephants as they clash with a self-declared emperor of the East End's bare-knuckle boxing world. Got a story? Please get in touch at Looking for more from MyLondon? Subscribe to our daily newsletters here for the latest and greatest updates from across London.
CBC
27-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
How A Thousand Blows reimagines Victorian England's underground boxing world
A Thousand Blows is a new TV show that takes viewers inside London's underground boxing world — and one of its most notorious crime syndicates. Set in England in the 1880s, the crime drama follows characters based on real-life historical figures Mary Carr, leader of the female gang of thieves called the Forty Elephants, and Hezekiah Moscow, a Jamaican British bare-knuckle boxer. While there's no evidence that Carr and Moscow ever met in real life, the show imagines what would happen if they did cross paths. Today on Commotion, culture critics Hanna Flint and Jovanté Anderson join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to share their thoughts on the show, and how well it brings this little-known history to light.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘A Thousand Blows': Stephen Graham on his physical transformation for huge new role
Stephen Graham has opened up on the dramatic physical transformation he underwent for his leading role in new drama A Thousand Blows. The acclaimed new Disney+ drama from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight is set in Victorian London and sees Graham star as bare-knuckle fighter Sugar Goodson, whose status is threatened when newcomer Hezekiah Moscow (Malachi Kirby) arrives in the capital from Jamaica. The pair's rivalry is at the front and centre, but Erin Doherty also stars Mary Carr, the queen of the Forty Elephants, a real-life all female shoplifting ring who targeted shops in the city at the time. Graham is the physical shape of his life for the role, after undergoing a strict six month training regime to portray the bruising and brooding fighter. 'I had six months ahead of the project starting so I spent that whole time getting into shape. It was a case of 5 days a meal, lots of protein, clean carbs, steak, broccoli and all that stuff,' he told Rolling Stone UK. 'I had a great trainer and a great boxing coach so we really worked hard on that. I'm not the tallest of people either so we wanted to make me look like a bit of a bulldog.' As for specific inspirations, Graham explained how he studied the fights of Mike Tyson and legendary bareknuckle fighter Lenny 'The Guvnor' McLean. 'The brutality and the strength, that explosion he brought to a fight,' said Graham of McLean. 'We tried to combine both of those techniques and then take that into the fight for me. Lenny's a very interesting one because he was a huge man and I'm not, but that's the beauty of cinema. Making you look like you're 10 times bigger than you actually are. It was just the way I hold my shoulders or the physicality.' Graham, who said he's managed to maintain the strict health regime, also explained how the celebrated physicality of hard-men actors such as the late Bob Hoskins and Ray Winstone informed his take on the character. 'Bob Hoskins is one of my all time heroes and it's the same with Ray Winstone,' he explained. 'So I watched a lot of their stuff and watched their physicality and what they bring to their roles. Because Sugar is a million miles away from me, I wear my heart on my sleeve and I'm very open, but with Sugar me and Steve had some really interesting conversations right at the very beginning and I wanted play that man of old that we don't see anymore. 'Most actors are like magpies, so I learned a lot from watching those people again and taking little bits because there's only so many notes on a piano. They're the reasons why I wanted to be an actor in the first place.' And as for the world of the show, Graham explained that the expansive set – which dropped the stars right into the heart of Victorian London. 'I'm basically a grown up Mr Benn,' Graham joked. 'I go to the shop and put my clothes on and I'm in this world. It was amazing, it was really was, but the attention to detail was incredible. It was a feat we don't normally see in this country. It's the kind of thing that you normally see in America, so to be able to walk around it and be a part of it and breathe it in was just amazing. It made our job very easy.'
