Peter the Painter
Encyclopedia
Peter the Painter, also known as Peter Piaktow (or Piatkov, Pjatkov, Piaktoff), was the leader of a gang of Latvia
n revolutionary criminals in the early 20th Century. After supposedly fighting in and escaping the Sidney Street Siege in 1911, he became an anti-hero
in London's East End. He was never caught, and there is some question as to whether or not he actually ever existed.
In the wake of the Houndsditch Murders on 16 December 1910, one of the revolutionary gang involved was found dead at a flat at which Peter Piatkow had lived with Fritz Svaars aka Fricis Svars, both of whom were believed to be members of a Latvian radical group. Svaars was the cousin of Jacob Peters, another Latvian revolutionary. The Siege of Sidney Street was triggered when the police were informed that Svaars and his comrades were hiding out at 100 Sidney Street in January 1911.
There are a number of candidates for the true identity of Peter the Painter. He was frequently identified with Yakov Peters
(Jacob Peters), who was tried but acquitted for his involvement in the affair and later became a Cheka
agent after the Russian Revolution. Donald Rumbelow
, for example, identifies Peters with the Painter.
In 1988, based on research in the KGB
archives, the anarchist
historian Philip Ruff suggested Peter the Painter might in fact be Gederts Eliass, a Latvian artist involved in the 1905 Revolution and living in exile during the time of the Siege, returning to Riga after the 1917 Revolution. More recently, Ruff has identified Peter the Painter with Janis Zhaklis, or Zhakles, another Latvian revolutionary. Like Peters, Zhaklis was a member of the Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party
in 1905; among his revolutionary exploits was the liberation of Fritz Svaars from prison in Riga. Zhaklis associated with Eliass in exile in Finland, where they were involved together in the expropriation of a bank. He broke with the Social Democrats and became an anarchist. It is unclear what fate befell him after 1911.
The type of gun Peter the Painter allegedly used at Sidney Street, a German
Mauser C96
pistol, was also sometimes called a Peter the Painter after him, particularly in Ireland
during the War of Independence
and later.
A social housing development built in 2006 by Tower Hamlets Community Housing on the corner of Sidney Street and Commercial Road has been called Peter House and Painter House, after Peter the Painter, provoking condemnation from a local councillor and the Metropolitan Police Federation
.
The song "Peter the Painter", by Ian Dury
and the Blockheads, is unrelated, referring instead to the artist Peter Blake
.
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
n revolutionary criminals in the early 20th Century. After supposedly fighting in and escaping the Sidney Street Siege in 1911, he became an anti-hero
Anti-hero
In fiction, an antihero is generally considered to be a protagonist whose character is at least in some regards conspicuously contrary to that of the archetypal hero, and is in some instances its antithesis in which the character is generally useless at being a hero or heroine when they're...
in London's East End. He was never caught, and there is some question as to whether or not he actually ever existed.
In the wake of the Houndsditch Murders on 16 December 1910, one of the revolutionary gang involved was found dead at a flat at which Peter Piatkow had lived with Fritz Svaars aka Fricis Svars, both of whom were believed to be members of a Latvian radical group. Svaars was the cousin of Jacob Peters, another Latvian revolutionary. The Siege of Sidney Street was triggered when the police were informed that Svaars and his comrades were hiding out at 100 Sidney Street in January 1911.
There are a number of candidates for the true identity of Peter the Painter. He was frequently identified with Yakov Peters
Yakov Peters
Jēkabs Peterss or Yakov Khristoforovich Peters was a Latvian Communist revolutionary, Soviet politician, chekist, and terrorist. Together with Feliks Dzerzhinsky, he was one of the founders and chiefs of the VChK...
(Jacob Peters), who was tried but acquitted for his involvement in the affair and later became a Cheka
Cheka
Cheka was the first of a succession of Soviet state security organizations. It was created by a decree issued on December 20, 1917, by Vladimir Lenin and subsequently led by aristocrat-turned-communist Felix Dzerzhinsky...
agent after the Russian Revolution. Donald Rumbelow
Donald Rumbelow
Donald Rumbelow is a British crime historian, former Curator of the City of London Police's Crime Museum., two-time chairman of Britain's Crime Writers' Association, and author of the book The Complete Jack the Ripper...
, for example, identifies Peters with the Painter.
In 1988, based on research in the KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
archives, the anarchist
Anarchism
Anarchism is generally defined as the political philosophy which holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful, or alternatively as opposing authority in the conduct of human relations...
historian Philip Ruff suggested Peter the Painter might in fact be Gederts Eliass, a Latvian artist involved in the 1905 Revolution and living in exile during the time of the Siege, returning to Riga after the 1917 Revolution. More recently, Ruff has identified Peter the Painter with Janis Zhaklis, or Zhakles, another Latvian revolutionary. Like Peters, Zhaklis was a member of the Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party
Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party
The Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party is a centre-left, social democratic party in Latvia. It has a long history but is not represented in the current parliament of Latvia.-History:...
in 1905; among his revolutionary exploits was the liberation of Fritz Svaars from prison in Riga. Zhaklis associated with Eliass in exile in Finland, where they were involved together in the expropriation of a bank. He broke with the Social Democrats and became an anarchist. It is unclear what fate befell him after 1911.
The type of gun Peter the Painter allegedly used at Sidney Street, a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Mauser C96
Mauser C96
The Mauser C96 is a semi-automatic pistol that was originally produced by German arms manufacturer Mauser from 1896 to 1937...
pistol, was also sometimes called a Peter the Painter after him, particularly in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
during the War of Independence
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
and later.
A social housing development built in 2006 by Tower Hamlets Community Housing on the corner of Sidney Street and Commercial Road has been called Peter House and Painter House, after Peter the Painter, provoking condemnation from a local councillor and the Metropolitan Police Federation
Metropolitan Police Federation
The Metropolitan Police Federation is a staff association that represents the interests of all police in the Metropolitan Police Service up to the rank of Chief Inspector...
.
The song "Peter the Painter", by Ian Dury
Ian Dury
Ian Robins Dury was an English rock and roll singer, lyricist, bandleader and actor who initially rose to fame during the late 1970s, during the punk and New Wave era of rock music...
and the Blockheads, is unrelated, referring instead to the artist Peter Blake
Peter Blake (artist)
Sir Peter Thomas Blake, KBE, CBE, RDI, RA is an English pop artist, best known for his design of the sleeve for the Beatles' album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. He lives in Chiswick, London, UK.-Career:...
.