Soldiers lie in road, Sidney Street Siege, London

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Soldiers lie in road, Sidney Street Siege, London

Soldiers lie in the cobblestoned roadway during the Sidney Street Siege, London, ready to shoot on sight.
1911

Mary Evans Picture Library makes available wonderful images created for people to enjoy over the centuries

Media ID 23150492

© The John Barrett Collection / Mary Evans

Armed Cobbled Cobblestones Guns Roadway Sidney Siege Weapon Cobblestoned Weapons

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EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph captures a pivotal moment during the Sidney Street Siege in London, which took place on the 1st of January in 1911. The image shows a group of soldiers, dressed in heavy coats and armed with rifles and fixed bayonets, lying in the cobblestoned roadway. Their tense and focused expressions convey the sense of heightened alertness and readiness to engage in combat. The Sidney Street Siege was a significant event in British history, marking the end of an era for organized crime in the country. A gang of Russian Jewish immigrants, led by a notorious criminal named Aaron Kinsman, had taken refuge in a house on Sidney Street in Whitechapel, East London, after a botched armed robbery. The ensuing standoff between the gang and the police lasted for several hours, with gunfire exchanged from both sides. The soldiers in this photograph were part of a large contingent that had been called in to assist the police in containing the situation. They lie in the road, ready to shoot on sight, as a precaution against any potential escape attempts by the criminals. The pavement and shop fronts in the background are empty, as the residents of the area had been evacuated for their safety. The cobblestones of the roadway add to the sense of history and authenticity in this image, transporting us back to a time of social unrest and political tension in early 20th century London. The Sidney Street Siege marked a turning point in the way that the British authorities dealt with organized crime, and this photograph serves as a poignant reminder of that era.

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