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Series

Foreign Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Embassy, Legation and Consulates,...

Catalogue reference: FO 252

What's it about?

FO 252

This series contains general correspondence from the British legation and consulate in Guatemala (formerly part of the Federation of Central America). Also includes copies of the more important telegrams, despatches, etc., sent and received by...

Full description and record details

Reference

FO 252

Title
Foreign Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Embassy, Legation and Consulates, Guatemala (including Federation of Central America and successor States): General Correspondence
Date

1825-1970

Description

This series contains general correspondence from the British legation and consulate in Guatemala (formerly part of the Federation of Central America). Also includes copies of the more important telegrams, despatches, etc., sent and received by consular officers in Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras.

Held by
The National Archives, Kew
Legal status

Public Record(s)

Language

English and Spanish

Creator(s)
  • Foreign Office, Consulate, El Salvador, 1840-1968
  • Foreign Office, Consulate, Federation of Central America, 1821-1840
  • Foreign Office, Consulate, Guatemala, 1840-1968
  • Foreign Office, Consulate, Nicaragua, 1840-1968
  • Foreign Office, Consulates, Honduras, 1840-1968
  • Foreign Office, Embassy, Guatemala, 1962-1963
  • Foreign Office, Legation, Federation of Central America, 1821-1840
  • Foreign Office, Legation, Guatemala, 1840-1962
Physical description

804 volume(s)

Restrictions on use

Additional safe handling procedures are in place. Records must be ordered in advance.

Access conditions

Subject to 30 year closure unless otherwise stated

Immediate source of acquisition

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Subjects
Topics
International
Americas
Communications
Accruals

Series is accruing

Administrative / biographical background

The Federation of Central America was formed in 1821 from four territories in the region newly independent of Spanish colonial rule. Honduras and Nicaragua left the federation in 1838 and Guatemala and El Salvador followed in 1839/1840, leading to the dissolution of the federation.

The minister of the British legation at Guatemala was set in authority over the consular officers in Nicaragua, Salvador and Honduras. The Legation was raised in status to an Embassy in 1962, but in July 1963 diplomatic relations between Britain and Guatemala were severed. British representation was reduced to consular level. Relations were subsequently broken completely and the consulate closed in 1981, and were not restored until 1986 when a British Embassy was opened in Guatemala. Between 1981 and 1986 British interests in Guatemala were handled by a British interests section in the Swiss Embassy.

Record URL
https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C7566/

Catalogue hierarchy

Over 27 million records

This record is held at The National Archives, Kew

689,247 records

Within the department: FO

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You are currently looking at the series: FO 252

Foreign Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Embassy, Legation and Consulates, Guatemala (including Federation of Central America and successor States): General Correspondence

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