Peter the Painter

Peter the Painter (Latvian: Pēteris Krāsotājs), also known as Peter Piatkow (or Piatkov, Pjatkov, Piatkoff; Latvian: Pēteris Pjatkovs), was a member of a gang of immigrant Latvian anarchists in London in the early 20th century. After supposedly fighting in and escaping the siege of Sidney Street in 1911, he became an anti-hero in London's East End. He was never caught, and there is some question as to whether he had participated in the Sidney Street incident, or even whether he existed at all.

Biography

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries London became a destination for many eastern European immigrants, who settled mostly in the East End. Ethnic groups joined together in gangs, and numerous immigrants continued radical political activities. They often stole in order to fund their activities. In the wake of the Houndsditch murders in London on 16 December 1910, a member of the gang involved was found dead at a flat at which Peter Piatkow had lived with Fritz Svaars (Latvian: Fricis Svars). Both of the latter men were believed to be members of a Latvian radical group. Svaars was the cousin of Jacob Peters (Jēkabs Peterss), another Latvian far-leftist. In January 1911 the police were informed that Svaars and an accomplice were hiding out at 100 Sidney Street.