Past to Page: Film, TV & Entertainment
- Pavandeep Kaur
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
May 2026 Edition
Written by Pavandeep Kaur, Museum Volunteer
Introducing our latest blog series ‘Past to Page’ with monthly installments examining all matters in policing history. For this month’s Past to Page issue, we will be exploring the fascinating links between Bradford Police Museum and the film, tv and entertainment industry as it is a popular filming location for period pieces and crime drama.
Ever wondered what it is like to walk in the footsteps of a Peaky Blinder? Look no further - our visitor tours guide you through these police cells as if you were a charged criminal, leading upstairs to the courtroom. There is a trail of scenes including Bradford Police Museum’s Victorian prison cells and courtroom. With Stephen Knight’s Peaky Blinders exploring the criminal gangs in the first series, the prison cells provide an important backdrop to the Peaky Blinder gang’s criminal life and as Cillian Murphy says himself lends a certain “authenticity” to the series. The real life Peaky Blinders inhabited similar Victorian prison cells in Birmingham's Steelhouse Lane police station. Our museum still retains the murky green-brown paint of Winson Green Prison and the industrial style prop doors used on set. These cells are part of Bradford’s City Hall, built in 1873 and were in use until 1974. The infamous American escape artist Harry Houdini fled these cells in the early 20th century. He was left handcuffed, without clothing, in a locked cell; later appearing outside of City Hall fully clothed. This was part of Houdini’s tour across the United Kingdom where he escaped many prisons and one of several tests of his illusions by the Bradford City Police, marking his reputation as the “Handcuff King”.
City Hall was designed by the esteemed Bradford architects Lockwood and Mason who designed many of the buildings in Bradford. It is the all important backdrop to detective thriller TV series Virdee’s. Adapted from the book series by Bradford-based author A. A. Dhand and set in Bradford, the series tracks Detective Harry Virdee’s chase for a serial killer. The City Hall also appears in many recent high-stakes heist chases including The Duke, starring Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren, as well as Netflix’s Bank of Dave.
The preserved Victorian style courtroom is also a prominent feature of many cinematic trials including Britain’s favourite soap dramas - Emmerdale and Coronation Street. In contrast to the dimly lit and gritty atmosphere of the prison cells, it contains a More recent filming includes, quite fittingly, Agatha Christie’s ABC Murders starring John Malkovich as Poirot and Official Secrets starring Keira Knightley, a real trial of blackmail and spy plots prior to the Iraq War. If you are interested in similar true crime dramas unravelling shocking secrets, come join us for our Trial by Jury: The Green Dress, where our volunteer actors will re-enact a fictional murder trial inspired by real events in the mid-20th century.
Sources:
Carl Chinn, By Order of the Peaky Blinders: The Official Handbook
Carl Chinn, Peaky Blinders: The Real Story
Writer's Profile, Pavandeep Kaur
"I started as a Curatorial Team Assistant Volunteer at the Bradford Police Museum in October 2025 . I applied to volunteer as I was actively seeking work in the arts and heritage sector and wanted some work experience after completing my English Literature degree. I also have a background in archive work from my time at university and so was curious about museum work. I have always been interested in history, particularly the Victorian period, and the Bradford Police Museum is full of Victorian curiosities. I enjoy volunteering at Bradford Police Museum, meeting like-minded people and learning about local history. I am excited to take part in the Digital Heritages project with the blog series ‘Past to Page’."
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