How Many Kids Do John and Esme Have in Peaky Blinders?
As a passionate Peaky Blinders fan and content creator, one of the most common questions I see is: how many kids do John and Esme have? So let‘s break it down with the key details.
The Short Answer
John Shelby and Esme Shelby have three children together that we know of. John also had four other children from his previous marriage, so in total John has seven kids referenced in the show.
Breaking Down John Shelby‘s Family Tree
John Shelby was previously married to a woman named Martha Shelby. They had four children together (two sons and two daughters) before Martha‘s untimely death. The names of these children have not been shared.
John later married Esme and they welcomed more children, though the specific number and genders are not confirmed. We know John references having at least one more child with Esme during a family meeting scene.
So to summarize:
- 4 children with first wife Martha
- 3+ children with second wife Esme
- Total of 7+ children for John Shelby
There are a few more clues about the children over the course of the show. For example, John‘s daughter Katie is briefly shown in one scene. When John dies, Esme takes their children to live with her Romani family. But no further specifics are revealed.
Below is a relationship map I created for the Shelby family tree and connections:
| John Shelby | First Wife: Martha Shelby (deceased) |
| – At least 2 sons | |
| – At least 2 daughters including Katie Shelby | |
| John Shelby | Second Wife: Esme Shelby |
| – At least 3 children |
So while the exact number and details remain a mystery, we know John Shelby has a rather large family across his two marriages!
What Happened to John and Esme‘s Children?
Sadly John meets an untimely demise towards the end of Season 4, as retribution from the Changretta family. At John‘s funeral, a grieving Esme curses the remaining Shelbys for their part in his death.
Esme later takes her and John‘s children away – presumably go to go live with her Romani relatives. This is where they disappear from the plot going forward.
Many fans wondered if Esme and her children would return someday. But show creator Steven Knight indicated in interviews that Esme‘s exit was permanent after she removed John‘s rings.
For super fans this remains an unresolved thread, as the children could stand to inherit part of the Shelby company assets someday. But they remain untraced as of the upcoming Peaky Blinders film.
So in short, Esme retreated fully from the Peaky Blinders world after John died. She brought their children with her to preserve their safety and distance them from the increasingly volatile Shelbys.
Parting Thoughts
While John Shelby‘s death broke fans‘ hearts, hopefully this sheds some light on what happened after with Esme and all of John‘s children. Let me know in the comments if you have any other family tree questions! I‘m happy to geek out about the complex web of Shelby connections.
