Sidney
The first time police requested military assistance for an armed stand-off in London.
via Wikipedia: Siege of Sidney Street · see source
The Siege of Sidney Street, also known as the Battle of Stepney, was a historic gunfight in January 1911 between a combined police and army force and two Latvian anarchists. This event marked the culmination of a violent series starting in December 1910 with an attempted jewellery robbery at Houndsditch that left three policemen dead and two wounded. The siege occurred at 100 Sidney Street in Stepney, where the final two gang members were hiding after their accomplices had been arrested.
- Role
- Historical Event
- Affiliation
- Metropolitan Police / City of London Police / Army / Latvian Anarchists
- Status
- Concluded
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
The conflict stemmed from a gang of Latvian immigrants radicalised by the failed 1905 revolution. Key figures included George Gardstein, who used aliases like Hartmanis and Garstin, and Fritz Svaars, who had escaped Russian authorities three times. The group attempted to rob Henry Samuel Harris's shop at 119 Houndsditch, where a safe reputedly held £20,000 to £30,000 (though later estimated at £7,000). They utilised equipment including a 60-foot India rubber gas hose and diamond-tipped drills. Although 'Peter the Painter' was suggested by police as the ringleader, no evidence places him at Houndsditch or Sidney Street. The gang also included Jacob Peters, who had been tortured for his activities, and Karl Hoffman, known for gun-running.
In Their Own Story
On the morning of 3 January 1911, a firefight erupted at 100 Sidney Street after police evacuated local residents. Armed with inferior weapons, the police called on the army for support. The siege lasted approximately six hours. Towards the end, the building caught fire, though no single cause was ever identified. One of the agitators was shot before the flames spread. As the London Fire Brigade dampened down the ruins and discovered two bodies inside, the structure collapsed, killing a fireman. This event was filmed by Pathé News, capturing images of Home Secretary Winston Churchill, whose presence sparked political controversy over his operational involvement.
Reader's Guide
The siege established a precedent as the first military assistance request by London police for an armed stand-off and the first British siege captured on camera. In May 1911, a trial was held for those arrested regarding the Houndsditch robbery; all but one accused were acquitted, with that conviction later overturned on appeal. The events inspired fictional works like 'The Man Who Knew Too Much' (1934) and 'The Siege of Sidney Street' (1960). On the centenary, two tower blocks in Sidney Street were named after Peter the Painter, despite his likely absence from the actual events. Memorial plaques now commemorate the murdered policemen and the fireman who died during the collapse.
Did You Know?
- The siege lasted for about six hours on the morning of 3 January 1911.
- A fireman was killed when the building collapsed while firefighters were damping down the ruins.
- Home Secretary Winston Churchill appeared in footage filmed by Pathé News, causing a political row over his involvement.
- The gang used a 60-foot India rubber gas hose and diamond-tipped drills to attempt the robbery of Harris's jewellery shop.
- Peter the Painter was named on two tower blocks for the centenary despite likely not being present at either Houndsditch or Sidney Street.