Two years have elapsed. Freddie has succumbed to illness and at his funeral Thomas asks Ada to return home though she is scornful that he has been so successful with his mix of legal and illegal businesses. When his pub the Garrison is blown up he goes straight to the Black Lion to accuse his Irish rivals, who have a proposition for him involving murder. Returning home he informs the family that he plans to expand his bookies' business to London but John's wife Esme warns him of its dangers given the existing racial turf wars. He takes Arthur and John to London to a club run by Darby Sabini, who controls the southern race courses, where they are anything but welcome. Back in Birmingham Ada is abducted by Sabini's thugs, who give Thomas a severe beating, his being saved by the reappearance of Chester Campbell, who has told Churchill that he has a new undercover agent working in the area. Polly meanwhile visits a medium for news of the children who were taken from her in infancy. Written by don @ minifie-1

Campbell visits Thomas in hospital, aware that he killed Eamonn Duggan, a fact he intends to hold over him to use him as his spy. They both know that Grace has married and is in America. Thomas writes to Winston Churchill, asking for an export licence, which is granted as another means of controlling him and he goes to London, hoping to ally with Alfie Solomons, leader of the Jewish race track gang, who is anything but welcoming. He does however encounter Ada, who has been rescued by the Blinders, and, as a means of laundering money, buys her a house. Back in Birmingham he has to cover for increasingly unhinged older brother Arthur, haunted by the war, when he kills an opponent in the boxing ring. Thomas is able to discover what happened to Polly's children. The girl died but he locates the boy, Michael, who arrives in Birmingham to see her. Written by don @ minifie-1

Whilst Irish gangs fight each other in Birmingham Arthur is threatened by the mother of the boy he killed in the boxing match and who is not appeased by promises of money. Thomas and his gang go to London to join up with Solomons, who makes it clear that he is the boss. Sabini decides to send Thomas a message and has his men kill the Digbeth Kid, one of the Shelby gang, for which Thomas swears revenge. He decides to buy a race horse, thus giving him a credible reason to infiltrate the race courses dominated by Sabini's men and at an auction meets well-to-do trainer May Carleton. Returning home he and his gang are ambushed but they kill the assailants. Michael, who has watched it all calmly, makes it clear that he wants to stay with his new family. Written by don @ minifie-1

Campbell uses Thomas's export licence to blackmail him into committing another murder for the Irish gangsters, the target being a political opponent of the crown's pro-treaty plan for Ireland. In London Arthur, whose cocaine habit is scaring his younger brother, leads the Blinders on a rampage to take over Sabini's club whilst Thomas's distillery in Camden Town prepares to send five hundred bottles of whiskey to Prohibition-hit America, two events which drive Sabini into proposing a pact with the Jewish mob. Michael is taken on as Thomas's accountant and discovers the family's terrifying power when a pub which refused to serve his black friend gets destroyed. May Carleton collects Thomas's horse, Grace's Secret, for training and he calls on her a progress report, ending up in bed with her. On his return to Birmingham he gets the details of his assignment from Campbell and makes a phone call to London. Written by don @ minifie-1

All the Shelbys' London concerns are closed down with the Blinders arrested or on the run whilst Solomons frames Arthur for murder and Sabini ruthlessly takes back his club. Campbell reminds Thomas that he can use his family as leverage to make him go through with the assassination and arrests Michael for his part in the destruction of the Marquis of Lorne pub though Polly has sex with Campbell to get him released. Grace is back in London to see a fertility doctor and has sex with Thomas. Afterwards he visits May to whom he confesses that he still loves Grace. He then returns to Birmingham and tells Campbell where and how he will kill his victim. Written by don @ minifie-1

Thomas cons Solomons into giving a share of his export business as well as getting the murder charge against Arthur withdrawn, freeing his brother As Derby day arrives he writes a letter to be opened in the event of his death - stating that Campbell has forced him to kill Field Marshal Russell, so that the culprits appear to be the IRA, undermining Home Rule. With his gypsy allies he plans to take over Sabini's race track licences, explaining that he will be creating a diversion to distract the police. At Epsom he bids a cryptic goodbye to May though somewhat incongruously Grace arrives, pregnant by and claiming to love him. Helped by his secretary, ex-prostitute Lizzie, Thomas kills Russell whilst the Blinders destroy Sabini's gaming licences in the knowledge that, thanks to May, they will revert to Shelby. Polly gets her revenge on Campbell but Thomas is abducted by members of the Ulster Voluntary Force on Campbell's orders and taken away to be shot. Written by don @ minifie-1