Diplomatic London in 1900: Consulates

Arthur H. Beavan, after discussing London's Foreign Embassies in Imperial London, first published in 1901, turned a critical eye to the Consulates:

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"It goes without saying that the business transacted at the Embassies is chiefly of a diplomatic, political, and social nature.

The purely commercial element is relegated to the Consulates, ordinary-looking offices as a rule, with but little to indicate their official character - perhaps a picture or two of the Sovereign or of the President of the particular country represented.

The busiest of the Consulates are in the City, and have a great deal of work to get through during the business day.

Much verifying and stamping of documents appears to be absolutely essential in mercantile dealings with Spain, Portugal and the South American Republics; consequently, as mail-day comes round, the Consular Offices, say of the Argentine and the Mexican Republics, both situated in Broad Street House, New Broad Street; and of Brazil, 6, Great Winchester Street, E.C., present a scene of incessant, but always dignified, bustle, for hurry is a thing undreamt of by those nationalities.

The United States Consular Office, 12, St. Helen's Place, Bishopsgate, is a tremendously busy spot, even for the busy City, attributable to a great extent to the very varied duties of the Consul-General.

He has the maritime interests of his nation to attend to; he has to authenticate the births and deaths of Americans in London, and sometimes in the latter case to administer their estates; he acts as arbitrator, etc; in fact, he is emphatically the 'handy man.'

No wonder that the office-work is arduous, and that the clerks, though always courteous, have scant time to reply to any but the most business-like questions.

A feature of the Consulates representing nations such as Germany, located in a fine old house in Finsbury Square, E.C.; Sweden and Norway, in a brand-new building in Great Winchester Street, E.C.; Russia, in the same street, and Denmark at Muscovy Court, a quaint nook off Tower Hill, is the number of sea-faring men to be seen loafing about outside, waiting to go through various formulas required by the foreign merchant service, and unknown to our mariners.

Inside the Scandinavian Consulates there is generally a stream of blue-eyed, bronzed, and bearded Vikings talking, often volubly, in a tongue aggravatingly like English, but quite unintelligible.

On arrival, their first inquiry is for letters, of which, as a rule, there are sheaves awaiting them, presumably from sweethearts and wives, who, having been throughout some tedious sea-trip duly toasted every Saturday night, have 'got hold of the tow-rope' and brought the skippers' voyages satisfactorily to an end, as I trust I have brought this chapter on Embassies and Consulates."

Next: The Law Courts - The City Civil Courts - County Courts in 1900: Legal London