Lovell’s London List

Republic of Texas was a short-lived nation in North America that existed for a decade between 1836 and 1846.

And there is a lasting monument to it on one of the smallest streets in London.

Formed following the Texas Revolution in 1836, it covered modern-day Texas as well as parts of New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming. The United States annexed Texas in 1846. The borders were not only contentious during the short lifetime of the Republic: disputes over territory triggered the Mexican-American War shortly after the annexation.

The United Kingdom never recognised the Republic of Texas, as the government feared souring relations with Mexico. To try to change their minds, President Sam Houston sent Secretary of State James Pinckney Henderson to negotiate with the government of Lord Palmerston in October 1837.

 

The Texas embassy

 

Technically speaking, therefore, Texas never had an "embassy". Instead, we can find the building that housed the Legation to the Court of St James. The site of the building is off St James's Street, on a tiny alleyway that may qualify for being one of the smallest streets in London. Pickering Place is only about four feet wide, maybe 40 feet long and has a building overhead. On the corner, you can see a brass plaque which reads:

 

The Anglo-Texan Society was founded in December 1953 by author Graham Greene and actor-producer John Sutro after they overhead visiting Texans complaining about British reserve. It was disbanded in May 1979 and this plaque is the only monument to its existence.

 

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