Ever heard of a revolutionary tourist? Right here, at this spot, once stood 16 Percy Circus. It was here Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov Lenin, the founder of the USSR, stayed in 1905. This is the story of the Lenin Plaque.
In April 1902, Lenin, with his wife Nadezhda, arrived at Charing Cross station. They went by the alias Dr. and Mrs. Jacob Richter. Special Branch paid them no mind. Lenin registered as a reader at the British Museum. He vaguely claimed to study the land question.
Lenin visited London three times. His second visit occurred from April 25 to May 10, 1905. Lenin stayed at 16 Percy Circus during this time. He participated in the Third Congress of the Russian Social-Democratic Labour Party. The Bolsheviks held it. Lenin later recalled that they met mostly in the backroom of some pub or restaurant. They strategized for the Russian revolution of that year. Other delegates stayed at Nos 9 and 23 Percy Circus.
1907 marked the high point of the radical Russian presence in London. 366 delegates arrived for the 5th party congress of the RSDLP. It was the last and most extraordinary gathering before the 1917 revolution. Hackney, Islington, and the East End swarmed with suspicious foreign anarchists. Joseph Stalin even stayed at a local doss house due to a shortage of accommodation. The conference took place at the Brotherhood Church on Southgate Road. Special Branch watched closely. The British press did too. But Lenin kept out of their way.
During that visit, Lenin signed up for the conference. The registration centre was on the corner of Fulbourne Street in Whitechapel. He likely ate meals at the nearby Anarchists Club in Jubilee Street. It is not exactly known where he stayed. He probably returned to one of his old haunts. This was likely a rented room off Gray’s Inn Road. By the time he left London, he was Public Enemy No. 1 in Russia. There was a warrant out for his arrest. The Russian secret police were searching for him all over Europe.
The Finsbury Communist Party prompted an LCC blue plaque. It was mounted in 1962. In August 1968, Nos 16–18 were demolished for a hotel extension. The plaque wasn’t reinstalled. It was given to the mayor of Moscow.
The developer erected an unofficial replacement plaque. It was unveiled in August 1972. The Soviet Ambassador did the honors, alongside the developer. Anti-Soviet demonstrations broke out. The plaque was immediately covered for fear of provoking further trouble.
There is another Lenin Plaque at 36 Tavistock Place. He lived there in 1908. His choice of location was due to the British Museum’s proximity. It was a 10-minute walk away. He conducted research there on Materialism and Empirio-criticism.
So, the next time you think of Lenin, remember his London days. They were filled with revolutionary fervor, secret meetings, and quiet research. The Lenin Plaque stands as a silent testament to a turbulent past.