Murder, robbery, shoot-out - it was an outrage

8:54am Friday 30th November 2007

IN her book, Secrets of the Tottenham Outrage, author Patricia Collier reveals some of the hidden heroes of the 1909 incident and insists they should be given the recognition they deserve.

Among them is Walthamstow greengrocer Henry George North, who chased after two anarchists who had killed a policeman while stealing money from a factory in Tottenham.

They comandeered a tram and held a gun to the driver's head as they were pursued by police in another tram.

Abandoning that vehicle in Chingford Road, Walthamstow, the pair then stole a pony and trap and raced through the streets to Winchester Road, now in Highams Park.

In his police statement, North said he shot one of the anarchists, probably Jacob Lepidus, when they were running along fields near Winchester Road.

North then gave chase to his accomplice Paul Helfeld, who fired several shots in return, as he ran to a tiny cottage in Oak Hill, Hale End.

The cottage was occupied by the wife and three children of Charles Rolstone, who was at his work as a coal porter at the time.

Mrs Rolstone was shocked to see Lepidus peering in through her window, smeared in blood, presumably from injuries sustained in the chase.

Terrified, she ran from her home screaming.

A baker who had stayed with the chase throughout, and a policeman, broke down the door and brought the children out safely from the kitchen.

Lepidus appeared outside the front bedroom window, but was driven back by a hail of bullets from the chasing pack while a policeman borrowed a pistol and climbed a ladder at the rear of the cottage.

A dog was sent up the stairs to flush out the gunman or divert his attention.

Lepidus pointed a pistol through the bedroom door and the constable tried to shoot, but was unable to operate the safety catch. The officer's life was saved because the fugitive was running low on ammunition.

Three policemen called on Lepidus to surrender but there was no response, so the officers fired through the door.

The trio burst in and saw Lepidus' face covered in blood as he lay on a bed in the corner of the room.

His body was taken down into the house's yard and certified dead before being removed to Walthamstow Mortuary.

Mrs Collier believes the civilians should have received the same praise as the police, but despite appeals from them to receive a Carnegie Award for bravery, they were given nothing for their courage.

She said: "This was a spontaneous reaction, not part of their job. Some did receive a gift of money from the Anarchist Fund and a portion of the money raised by the Carnegie Trust Fund, but so did the policemen.Yet all the recommendations for awards must have been made by senior police figures. Why were those civilians not awarded?"

Secrets of the Tottenham Outrage by Patricia Colliercosts £4.99, and all proceeds are donated to the Lea Valley Experience Museum Project. Call 020 8527 0180 for details.

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