Who was Peter the Painter? Was he the Russian anarchist, Piotr Piatkow, as has been alleged? Or was he merely a demonic figment of the imagination conjured up by a panic-stricken establishment. Their worst nightmares made flesh. Nobody knows for sure. Certainly rumours had been rife in London’s East End for sometime of a ruthless gun-toting gang of Latvian revolutionaries who had been carrying out a series of robberies in order to finance their political activities back home. They were, in fact, refugees who had fled Russia following the failed revolution of 1905. Noted for their callous disregard of human life they terrorised the East End. Their leader, it was said, was the mysterious and sinister Peter the Painter. Though no one knew of his whereabouts or could provide a definitive description. Their reign of terror was to end at the infamous Siege of Sidney Street. One of the strangest incidents in British criminal history.

Sidney Street under siege

On 16 December, 1910, six unarmed City of London Policemen attended the scene of a reported burglary at a jewellers shop in Houndsditch. Two Police Sergeants approached and knocked at the door of the shop. It was opened by a certain, George Gardstein. The shop was in complete darkness and the Policemen demanded to know what was going on. Gardstein could speak no English but indicated that he would fetch someone who could. He disappeared back into the darkness. A few moments later shots rang out and both Policemen were killed on the spot, a third standing further back was also killed. Two more Policemen were to be seriously wounded in the ensuing chase as Gardstein and the others fled from the scene. Gardstein was later found dead, shot in the back by his accomplices, either deliberately or by accident.

Winston, in top hat, takes charge

A massive manhunt now ensued. Despite receiving little if any help from London’s East European diaspora, intimidated and frightened into silence, the gang were finally tracked down to a house at 100 Sidney Street. On 2 January,1911, the house was surrounded by armed Police and a siege began. Called upon to surrender and give themselves up the gang opened fire. In the furious fire fight that followed the Police discovered that despite heavily outnumbering the occupants of the house they were in their turn heavily out-gunned. Their shotguns and small calibre pistols were no match for the gangs semi-automatic weapons. The then Home Secretary Winston Churchill now turned up and demanded to take charge. He quickly assessed the situation and called in troops of the Scots Greys from the Tower of London. But the anarchists could neither be induced or coerced into surrender. After hours of stalemate and sporadic, if furious, fighting, Churchill ordered that artillery be brought to the scene. Before it could be used however, a fire broke out and the house was soon engulfed in flames. It may well have been started deliberately to mask the gangs escape. The Police approached cautiously though it was obvious that no one could have survived in the inferno. Once the flames had been expunged and it was deemed safe to enter, the Police discovered only two bodies inside. One had died of gunshot wounds, the other of smoke inhalation. There were believed to have been 7 anarchists inside the house though this was never confirmed. The bodies were later confirmed as those of Fritz Svaars and a local blackmailer and extortionist known locally as Josef, who was later identified as William Sokolow. Both were known to Police as subversives, and had long criminal records. As the search continued a wall collapsed killing 1 and injuring 5, over inquisitive onlookers.

The resulting investigation was a farce. It was almost certain that the Policemen had been killed by the anarchist, Jacob Peters, a particularly ruthless and vicious psychopath well known to Police. Despite this the Police named the deceased George Gardstein as the killer. Even though Gardstein’s gun had completely different calibre ammunition to that found in the bodies of the dead policemen. As it transpired, seven supposed members of the gang were rounded up, 5 men and 2 women. They were brought to stand trial at the Old Bailey. The five men, including Peter’s, were acquitted on all charges, as also was one of the women. The only defendant found guilty had her conviction quashed on appeal.

Jacob Peters, soon after returned to Russia where he rose to become second-in command of Lenin’s notorious secret police, the Cheka. He was executed in Stalin’s second great purge in 1938. Winston Churchill was roundly condemned for his brash and reckless behaviour and for acting outside of his powers. Though suitably chastised he was happy to show anyone who expressed an interest his top hat with a bullet through it. That’s how close Britain came to losing its future great wartime leader.

So what became of Peter the Painter?

No trace of him was ever found. Jacob Peters never made any claim to being the leader of the gang. His name, however, has entered folklore as a romantic hero. The semi-automatic pistol he is believed to have used became known for decades after as a Peter the Painter.