Birmingham Slogging Gangs Walking Tour: A Cultural Exploration with Edward Shelby

Join Edward Shelby, a former member of the Birmingham slogging gangs, on a cultural exploration of the city. Learn about the historical and cultural aspects of the gangs and how they differed from their portrayal in popular culture.

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • West Midlands Police Museum - Here you learn about where the Birmingham Gangs were held before trial. Please note that we will not enter the museum.
  • The Gunmakers Quarter - Stop for a drink and learn about weapons in Birmingham and their impact on the slave trade.
  • Chinese Quarter - Here you will learn about international gangs
  • High Street - Learn about Birmingham’s impact on the tea trade.
What's Included
  • Fun and educational experience
What's Not Included
  • Snacks
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Parking Fees (£5 to £30)
Additional Information

Are you ready to become part of a Birmingham Slogging gang? If so, new recruits are welcome to join under the guidance of Edward Shelby, a seasoned member of the slogging gangs. He will guide you through the city and teach you about the gangs, highlighting how their reality contrasts with their depiction in popular culture. This tour, offered by the…

Location
Costa Coffee
Aston Street
Just look for the slogging gang member in the flat cap and cravat.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(309 Ratings)
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Doreen_r
Jan 23, 2026
So glad I booked it! - Mr. Shelby took us around the city and we got a lot of background / historical information. We went into a nice old pub (The Bull) and besides facts and places about the slogging gangs you could have a little overview of the city. Mr. Shelby is a very pleasant and funny young man.
Review provided by Viator
Megan_h
Jan 8, 2026
Great tour! Our tour... - Great tour! Our tour guide wa very knowledgeable and made sure to point out things that were specifically of interest to us!
Review provided by Viator
Adele_d
Dec 19, 2025
Slogging gangs tour - Great tour and enjoyed the pub visit also - guide was very knowledgeable about the area and the history of the gangs.
Review provided by Viator
Kevinr191
Dec 4, 2025
A walk back in time - Spending a few hours with Edward was wonderful. His knowledge, his patience and charm made it an incredible experience. A valuable opportunity to all who are interested in the history of Birmingham.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Karendnsr
Nov 22, 2025
By Order of the Peaky Blinders’ ✊ - Bought the experience as a birthday present for my partner who is obsessed with Peaky Blinders. Questions and answers help understand facts from fiction and History behind the storyline of the Peaky Blinders. Stops and visits to notorious landmarks included a visit to the old prison, Victorian-era building, operational from 1891 to 2016 to look into prison cells for that era. We were not disappointed we throughly enjoyed the walk and informative talk led by infamous Edward Shelby, We were joined by others as a party of 10 which made the experience even more enjoyable. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Skibeyond
Oct 27, 2025
A great walking historical tour of Birmingham - A very informative walking tour with an excellent guide in Ed who was very knowledgeable and sociable too- we all had an excellent historical tour of the good old gang days of Birmingham with very interesting information along the way. Ed was very chatty throughout and a pint was also had the 2nd oldest pub - The Bull- This is a very worthwhile tour and excellent value for money - even though it rained for a little while If your in Birmingham it’s a must do tour - thanks Ed - 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿👍
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Markcu9576ys
Oct 26, 2025
Very Informative - Edward took us on a comprehensive tour of the world of gangs in Birmingham, providing the truth behind what went on and dispelling some myths. There were some good stops at the West Midlands Police Museum, The Bulk pub and St Chad's church. There was a lot of walking but most of it was on level ground so you have to have a reasonable level of fitness but this should be within most people's ability. A great tour and it was reasonably priced for two and a half hours of history.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Louise_d
Oct 15, 2025
Sunday - Very pleasant, informative Sunday afternoon scroll round Brum to corners not visited before, even second oldest pub!
Review provided by Viator
L4256qaalanm
Dec 17, 2025
Birmingham Slogging Gangs Walking Tour - The tour was engaging, informative, and brought a fascinating part of Birmingham’s history to life. The pace was comfortable, the explanations were easy to follow, and the locations really helped set the atmosphere of the era. It felt less like a standard tour and more like stepping into a living history lesson. A great choice for anyone interested in Birmingham’s past or looking for a unique way to explore the city. Definitely worth doing.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Roam05424138636
Nov 1, 2025
If you don’t know Birmingham, you will be the end of this tour - Really informative tour that takes you all over Birmingham city centre and gave us opportunity to explore areas we’ve never been before. Ed is a very good, knowledgeable guide, and really sociable so makes you feel at ease straight from the start. Highlights was definitely the visit inside the old police station and the drink stop in The Bull, definitely could’ve spent the afternoon in there sampling the different ales in the company of the pub cat! Only downside was the tour doesn’t end back at the meeting point, as advertised on TripAdvisor. Not the end of the world, but we had purposefully parked close to the meeting point so we could shoot off straight away and get back in time for childcare arrangements, but instead had a good 15-minute walk back to where we started.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $27
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).