Factual error: Major Campbell heads the Irish branch of the secret service, but reports to Winston Churchill, the Colonial Secretary. The Colonial Office had nothing to do with Ireland, which at that time was part of the United Kingdom.
Episode #1.3 - S1-E3
Factual error: When attempting to arrest Grace one of the supposed IRA men proclaims that he is taking her into custody "on behalf of the Irish Free State." The term "Irish Free State" was not a term used by republicans or generally until the Anglo-Irish Agreement which led to the end of the War of Irish Independence and the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. Anyone representing the IRA would have, when speaking English, referred to the Irish Republic at that time.
Episode #3.3 - S3-E3
Factual error: Grace suffers a gunshot wound to the upper left chest in the previous episode, and episode three reveals she died. The bullet would have passed under the clavicle and would have missed the axillary artery and all other major blood vessels. This wound should not have been lethal, especially because Grace's family immediately called for an ambulance, so she would not have had to wait long for medical treatment. Most of her family members are military veterans who would have knowledge to provide the necessary first aid. (00:01:50)
Episode #1.3 - S1-E3
Factual error: One of the men who approaches Tommy claiming to be representatives of the IRA sings the song "The Boys of the Old Brigade." The song is told from the perspective of an elderly veteran of the Irish war of independence which had only began in January of 1919 which had happened only 3 years before. The song was written by Paddy McGuigan of the band Barleycorn in the 1970's.
Factual error: Diana Mitford was never "Lady" Diana Mitford. The daughter of a baron, her title was "the Hon. Miss Diana Mitford" before her marriage. When she met Mosley, she was "Mrs Bryan Guinness."
Factual error: Moss is apparently now a chief superintendent. This rank was not widely used in England until 1949 and was not in use in Birmingham City Police until at least that time.
Factual error: Birmingham Urban District Council is mentioned. There was no Birmingham UDC. Birmingham was a County Borough with City status, not an Urban District.
The Company - S4-E6
Factual error: Tommy makes a call during the episode to the USA, there was no system for international calls in 1926 for the general public, that was only introduced in 1927. (00:33:30)
Factual error: Filter cigarettes weren't conceived until 1925 and not in common use until decades later. No self-respecting gangster would have smoked them.
Episode #3.6 - S3-E6
Factual error: Tommy says that the Chief Constable of Birmingham has issued a warrant for the arrest of Arthur, John, Polly and Michael. Only a magistrate or judge can issue an arrest warrant. The senior officers of the Metropolitan Police were sworn in as magistrates, but not those of other forces.
Factual error: Arthur is "deputy vice-president" of the Shelby Company Ltd. This is an American position title that would never, ever have been used in 1920s Britain.
Factual error: The on-screen caption when Aberama Gold is in Scotland reads "Glasgow." All we see is rolling countryside, without a city in sight.
Factual error: Several characters refer to "the London Times." It's never called this in Britain. It's just "the Times."
Episode #2.5 - S2-E5
Factual error: The Metropolitan Police officers who arrest Arthur in Camden Town are wearing the spiked helmets of the Birmingham City Police, not the boss-topped helmets of the Metropolitan Police, which we do see at other times.
Factual error: The Russian grand duke is called Leon Petrovna. Petrovna (daughter of Petr) is a patronymic used by a woman. A man would use Petrovich (son of Petr).
Episode #2.6 - S2-E6
Factual error: Tommy's warrant is signed by the 'Minister of the Empire'. There was no such post. The Colonial Secretary dealt with the British Empire.
Factual error: Lord Stamfordham has a paper before him headed 'London Constabulary Police'. There was no such thing.
Factual error: Polly refers to Ada's soon to be born child as "the colour of a Hollywood Oscar." The first time that the statue was referred to as an Oscar was in 1939, so Polly saying that was 10 years too early.
Episode #2.1 - S2-E1
Factual error: Tommy refers to London at the south end of the Grand Union canal. However, the Grand Union in 1921/22 was what is now the Leicester branch. The Grand Union as it is known now was an amalgamation of 7 canals in 1929.
Black Shirt - S6-E2
Factual error: Sir Oswald Mosley is shown sitting in Parliament in 1933. He actually never sat as an MP after 1931.
Answer: There has never been prohibition in England. There are many reasons for running an underground distillery. It would be a way to avoid things like government regulations, safe distilling methods, alcohol content limits, taxation, fix pricing, and so on.
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