A Devilish Kind of Courage

Anarchists, Aliens and the Siege of Sidney Street

Andrew Whitehead

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Hardback

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English

Reaktion Books
01 June 2024

History; British & Irish history; 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000

On 3 January 1911, in the heart of London's mainly Jewish East End, police discovered Latvian revolutionaries wanted for the murder of three officers. A six-hour gunfight ensued, with a fire consuming the besieged building. Winston Churchill, then Home Secretary, arrived at the scene and ordered the blaze not to be extinguished. Afterwards two charred bodies were found; the elusive Peter the Painter, believed to have been the ringleader, remained at large. This gripping episode, known as the 'Siege of Sidney Street', was a nationwide sensation and ignited fierce debates on immigration to Britain, political extremism and law enforcement. This book unravels the full story of the siege, the Latvian emigres and their ties to the vibrant anarchist movement in London's East End.

By: Andrew Whitehead
Imprint: Reaktion Books
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 138mm,
ISBN: 9781789148442
ISBN 10: 1789148448
Pages: 304
Publication Date: 01 June 2024
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Introduction 1 The Tottenham Outrage 2 The ‘Alien Invasion’ 3 The Worker’s Friend 4 Comrades and Lovers 5 Houndsditch 6 100 Sidney Street 7 ‘A Devilish Kind of Courage’ 8 ‘The Cossacks of Bourgeois Journalism’ 9 Acquitted 10 Nina, Luba, Rosa 11 Who Was Peter the Painter? 12 The Anarchist Aftermath 13 Legacy Timeline Walk: From Tottenham Police Station to the Marshes Walk: From Houndsditch to Sidney Street References Select Bibliography Acknowledgements Photo Acknowledgements Index

Andrew Whitehead is a historian and lecturer with over thirty years of experience in public broadcasting, including as editor of the BBC World Service. His publications include Curious Crouch End.

Reviews for A Devilish Kind of Courage: Anarchists, Aliens and the Siege of Sidney Street

"""A fascinating, forgotten story told in rich, evocative detail. A Devilish Kind of Courage provides a vivid portrayal of the East End of London in the early years of the twentieth century, and of the tumultuous rise and fall of the anarchist movement in Britain.""--Sam Miller, author of 'Migrants: The Story of Us All'"