A Thousand Blows, the latest period drama from creator Steven Knight, has landed on .
The six-part series, which is loosely based on real-life events and people, has been eagerly anticipated by Disney+ subscribers since its announcement in 2023.
Set in 1880s London, the drama delves into the world of illicit boxing, introducing viewers to veteran fighter Henry “Sugar” Goodson (Stephen Graham) and his new rival Hezekiah Moscow (Malachi Kirby), who originally came to England with dreams of becoming a lion tamer.
Also featuring prominently is the ruthless Mary Carr (Erin Doherty), leader of the Forty Elephants, an all-female gang of thieves.
As fans continue to enjoy the first season of A Thousand Blows, with a second already promised, here’s everything you need to know about the real-life Forty Elephants.
Who were the Forty Elephants?
Born in Holborn in 1862, Mary Carr had a challenging start in life.
By the age of 14, her mother had passed away and her father, a thief and fraudster, was either in prison or abroad.
By 1881, she had already spent time in a female penitentiary in Kent, a facility for “fallen women” run by the Church of England.
Carr, who had previously worked as a flower seller in Covent Garden and served as an artist’s model for Dorothy Tennant, was elected as the “Queen” of the Forty Elephants around 1890.
This all-female criminal gang, named after their base of operations at Elephant and Castle, were notorious for their audacious thefts.
A Thousand Blows true story: Inside the real infamous Forty Elephants all-female gang and its ‘queen’ Mary Carr (Image: DISNEY PLUS)
A Thousand Blows: Alice Diamond is played by actress Darci Shaw. (Image: DISNEY PLUS)
According to Harper’s Bazaar, they would often pose as housemaids to wealthy families, pilfering jewels and antiques at every opportunity.
Not only did they target homes, but they also pickpocketed and targeted busy shops, with some members distracting employees while others concealed stolen goods under their coats.
Historian and author Hallie Rubenhold stated: “People often expected women to be more honest and law-abiding, which would have given the Elephants an advantage when they went on one of their raids.
“Their operation seems to have been more sophisticated and organised than simply opportunist theft.”
The gang also adhered to a strict set of rules known as the “hoister’s code” which included stipulations such as “no drinking before a raid”, “proceeds from a job are equally shared” and “members must not steal from each other (their money or boyfriends”.
Carr’s reign as the Queen of the Forty Elephants was short-lived due to her frequent stints in prison.
The reported that in 1896, she was charged and convicted for kidnapping a six year old boy from the Epsom races.
It was believed that the child’s mother had sold him to a gangster who then placed him under Carr’s care.
Carr intended to sell the boy to a childless couple but was sentenced to three years in prison after the boy was found at her home 10 months later.
The mother reportedly did not want her son back, leading to him being taken into care.
A Thousand Blows: Forty Elephants Queen Mary Carr is played by actress Erin Doherty. (Image: DISNEY PLUS)
Carr was arrested again in 1900 for receiving stolen goods and was sentenced to another two years.
Her successor was Alice Diamond, also known as Diamond Annie, portrayed by Darcie Shaw in A Thousand Blows.
Knight has taken some creative liberties with the real-life timelines, as Diamond was born in 1886, while the show is set in the 1880s.
Despite this, Diamond, known for wearing diamond rings as a knuckle duster, did take over the Forty Elephants, leading them to larger-scale operations. Her downfall came in 1925 when gang member Marie Britten became pregnant by a man outside their borough.
Diamond orchestrated a brutal attack on the man, so violent it was dubbed the Lambeth Riot. She and other members of the Forty Elephants were arrested, with Diamond serving an 18-month sentence.
The gang’s operations significantly reduced following her release.
Diamond, who later operated a brothel, passed away in 1952 at the age of 55, reportedly due to complications associated with Multiple Sclerosis.
A Thousand Blows is available to watch on Disney+.