Our story

Canning House has worked to build understanding and relationships between the United Kingdom, Latin America and Iberia since 1943. Learn more about the organisation's fascinating, 80-year history.

George Canning

1770-1827

George Canning, after whom Canning House is named, was Foreign Secretary from 1807 – 1809 and again from 1822 – 1827, which were crucial times in the Wars of Independence which took place in Latin America from the first uprisings in Argentina in 1810 to the recognition of Uruguay in 1828.

Canning saw the advantages of British support for the emerging republics, partly to counter-balance the United States with its Monroe Doctrine in 1823 and partly to maintain a political balance in Europe following the Napoleonic Wars.

Referring to this, in one of his most famous quotations, Canning declared: "I called the New World into existence, to redress the balance of the Old."

George Canning's signature

No. 2, Belgrave Square

No. 2, Belgrave Square forms part of a grand terrace dating from the 1820s, in the heart of London’s diplomatic centre, flanked by embassies and high commissions.

Canning House took on the lease to the property in 1953, and the address subsequently become synonymous with the organisation.

Statues of Columbus, Henry the Navigator, Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín in the square acknowledge the importance of the Luso-Hispanic world, and in many ways the UK’s contribution to a part of the world which George Canning supported wholeheartedly in its drive towards independence.

Canning House would remain in No. 2 until 2013. Its offices are now housed at 50 Broadway, in Westminster.

Timeline

1943

The Beginning

The need for a non-governmental organisation which focuses on Latin America for reasons of education and culture as well as business can be traced back to the 1930s. The idea came to fruition in November 1943 with the creation of both a Hispanic and a Luso-Brazilian Council, which were to come together in the post-War period with the merged name and an easier reference simply to Canning House.

Why Canning?

George Canning, after whom Canning House is named, was Foreign Secretary from 1807 – 1809 and again from 1822 – 1827. Canning saw the advantages of British support for the emerging republics established by San Martín and Simón Bolivar, and is still to this day widely respected and admired in many Latin American countries for his support during the Wars of Independence.

1947

Premises founded at 4 Upper Berkeley Street

Early meetings took place at Shell-Mex House under the aegis of Lord Davidson who was a key driving force in the creation of the whole enterprise. In 1947 premises were found at 4 Upper Berkeley Street, with support from the Foreign Secretary, members of the diplomatic corps and a range of companies with interests in Latin America. Pictured here is Lord and Lady Davidson and Mr and Mrs Bevin at the inauguration.

1953

Premises established in No 2 Belgrave Square

In 1953 Canning House took on a lease on Number 2 Belgrave Square from the Grosvenor Estate.

1953

Sir Kenneth Grubb steps down as Secretary General

Pictured here is Canning House’s first Secretary General (the position which became Director General and now CEO) Sir Kenneth Grubb (left) in conversation.

1969

The Canning House Library is refurbished

The Canning House Library was launched in 1948. The Library was recognised for many years as a key source of information on the Latin world and attracted over three thousand users a year. The library collection is now housed at King’s College London and remains one of the largest Latin America and Iberia collections in the UK.

1969

Princess Alexandra visits Canning House

HRH Princess Alexandra explores the collection at the opening of the newly refurbished Canning House Library.

1970

H.E. Dr. Alfonso Lopez Michelson visits Canning House

Pictured is Foreign Minister (and later President) of Colombia Dr. Alfonso Lopez Michelson (first from right) on a visit to Canning House.

1970

Dr Bartolomé Mitre, Director of Buenos Aires newspaper La Nación, visits Canning House

1971

Sir Geoffrey Wallinger (c) with Spanish dignitaries in Canning House

1974

H.E. Jim Callaghan unveils statue of Simón Bolívar

Foreign Secretary (later Prime Minister) Mr. Jim Callaghan unveils the statue of Latin American liberator Simón Bolívar in Belgrave Square. A celebratory reception followed at Canning House, then just under 200m away.

1974

HM Queen Elizabeth II greets President Pérez of Venezuela and his party

1975

HRH The Prince of Wales attends a dinner in honour of the Latin American ambassadors

1976

H.E. Alfonso López Michelsen, President of Colombia from 1974 to 1978, unveils Canning plaque in Bogotá

1983

Bolívar Bicentenary celebrations

Sir Geoffrey Howe peruses the displays of an exhibition commemorating the bicentenary of Simón Bolívar’s birth in the Canning House Library.

1983

Bolívar Bicentenary celebrations

Directors General of Canning House Steven M. Mackenzie (R) and John Heath (L) with representatives from Venezuela, preparing for the Bolívar Bicentenary celebrations.

1988

From the Annual Report 1988

“Sir Leslie Bowes KCMG had a long and deep connection with Canning House and very close links with Latin America over many years. He was immensely active and helpful up until the end of his long life in all matters relating to Latin America and was a regular supporter of Canning House in his retirement and old age as well as in the 1950s and 60s when he served on the Executive Committee as member and Chairman.”

1990

A carriage arrives for the presentation of the Panamanian Ambassador’s credentials

1992

H.E. Alberto Fujimori, President of Peru, visits Canning House

1992

HRH The Princess Royal gives an Address at Canning House

HRH is greeted by Director General Sir Michael Simpson-Orlebar prior to delivering an address at Canning House. Also pictured are Viscount Montgomery and Dr Iain Macfarlane.

1992

H.E. Carlos Salinas de Gortari, President of Mexico, presents a portrait of Don Miguel Hildago y Castilla, by Raul Anguiano, to Canning House

1993

Vin d'honneur in honour of the President of Uruguay, H.E. Dr Luis Alberto Lacalle Herrera

1994

Prime Minister John Major, the first British PM to visit South America, prior to delivering an address at Canning House’s 50th Anniversary celebration

1994

The statue of José de San Martín is unveiled by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh

The ceremony was attended by several dignitaries including Eduardo Menem, President of the Argentine Senate.

1997

H.E. Fernando Henrique Cardoso, President of Brazil, gives the first Canning Lecture

President Cardoso was introduced by Viscount Montgomery.

1998

H.E. Alberto Fujimori, President of Peru, gives the Canning Lecture

1998

The Salón Colombia in No. 2 Belgrave Square is opened

The Salón is opened by Lord Limerick, Baroness Hooper, Baroness Symons, H.E. María Emma Mejía (Foreign Minister of Colombia) and H.E. Carlos Lemos Simmonds, Colombian Ambassador to the UK.

1998

H.E. Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León, President of Mexico, gives the Canning Lecture

1999

H.E. Maria Eugenia Brizuela de Avila, Minister of Foreign Affairs of El Salvador, gives a talk at Canning House

1999

“Diplomacy for Peace”

A Reception and talk is given by H.E. Guillermo Fernandez de Soto, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Colombia. The event was chaired by Lord Montgomery.

1999

H.E. Dr Carlos Menem, President of the Argentine Republic, delivers the Canning Lecture at Lancaster House

1999

Visit of Venzuela's Minister of Environment, Dr Jesus Arnoldo Perez, to Canning House

2000

Brazil visit debrief by the Rt Hon John Prescott, Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions

2000

“The future of Colombia - Peace and Development in an International Context”

The Canning Lecture is given by H.E. Andrés Pastrana Arango, President of Colombia, at Lancaster House.

2000

“A modern Government for a 21 Century Argentina”

H.E. Carlos Alberto Alvarez, Vice-President of the Argentine Republic and leader of the FREPASO Coalition, gives a talk at Canning House.

2000

A talk is given by H.E. Sra Nina Pacari Vega Conejo, Second Vice-President of the Ecuadorian Congress and Leader of Pachakutic, the Ecuadorian Indigenous political party

2001

“A new Vision for Venezuela”

H.E. Hugo Chávez, President of Venezuela, gives the Canning Lecture at Lancaster House.

2002

“Democratic Peru - Opportunities for Investment”

H.E. Alejandro Toledo, President of the Republic of Peru, gives a lecture in Goldsmiths Hall. Baroness Hooper, Honorary President of Canning House, introduces President Toledo.

2002

“Mexico's New International Role- Democracy and Human Rights”

The 2002 Canning Lecture is given by H.E. Vicente Fox, President of the United States of Mexico.

2003

The Canning House 60th Anniversary Gala Dinner, in the presence of HRH The Duke of York

2003

The Canning Cultural Lecture with Mario Vargas Llosa

2003

H.E. Ricardo Lagos, President of Chile, gives the Canning Lecture

2004

“Four Hundred Year with Don Quixote”

The Canning Cultural Lecture is given by Carlos Fuentes.

2006

H.E. Leonel Fernández, President of the Dominican Republic, gives the Canning Lecture

2007

H.E. Hugo Chávez, President of Venezuela, gives the Canning Lecture

2008

H.E. Michelle Bachelet, President of Chile, gives the Canning Lecture

Pictured here with Lord Brennan, Honorary President of Canning House.

2009

H.E. Mauricio Macri, Mayor of Buenos Aires (later President or Argentina), visits Canning House

2009

H.E. Rafael Correa, President of Ecuador, gives the Canning Lecture

2010

The Canning Lecture is given by Foreign Secretary William Hague

In 2010 William Hague launched the Canning Agenda, designed to revive links between Britain and Latin America.

2011

H.E. Ricardo Martinelli, President of Panama, gives a talk at Canning House.

2011

H.E. Juan Manuel Santos, President of Colombia, gives the Canning Lecture.

2012

The 2012 Canning Conference - “Latin America on the Global Stage”

2012

The Canning House Library Collection is transferred to King’s College London

Pictured is Lord Garel-Jones unveiling a plaque reading: “The Canning House Room. This room is named to mark the transfer of the Canning House Library to King’s College London. MMXII.”

2012

H.E. Sebastián Piñera, President of Chile, gives the Canning Lecture

2013

H.E. Álvaro Uribe, former President of Colombia, gives a talk at Canning House.

2013

Canning Conference 2013: “Business and Opportunity in Latin America”

2013

H.E. Pedro Passos Coelho, Prime Minister of Portugal, gives the Canning Lecture.

Pictured with Dr John Hughes CBE, Chairman of Canning House, and Miriam González Durántez, Honorary President of Canning House.

2014

H.E. Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister, gives a briefing to Canning House corporate members

2014

The Rt Hon Michael Portillo, Honorary Vice-President of Canning House, chairs a discussion at the Canning Conference 2014.

2015

H.E. Enrique Peña Nieto, President of Mexico, gives the Canning Lecture

2016

H.E. Michelle Bachelet, President of Chile, gives the Canning Lecture

2017

H.E. Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Jeremy Corbyn MP address Canning House Members

H.E. Andrés Manuel López Obrador, leader and founder of Mexico’s National Regeneration Movement (MORENA), spoke about the upcoming elections in Mexico. Jeremy Corbyn MP, leader of the Labour Party, spoke about human rights, social justice and UK foreign policy with a specific focus on Mexico.

2018

Canning House moves HQ

New, more accessible premises are found in the heart of the West End.

2018

Canning House celebrates its 75th Anniversary with a Gala Dinner at the Foreign Office

The event was attended by Latin American and Iberian Ambassadors, former and current Ministers, UK companies with major trading links and investments in the regions, together with Canning House’s long-standing corporate and individual members.

2018

Canning House celebrates its 75th Anniversary with a Gala Dinner at the Foreign Office

(L-R) The Rt Hon Sir Alan Duncan MP, Minister of State for Europe and the Americas; H.E. Iván Romero-Martínez, Ambassador of Honduras and Dean of GRULA; The Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, Foreign Secretary; Cristina Cortes, CEO of Canning House; Beatriz Araujo, Chair of Canning House; and The Lord Mountevans, Honorary President of Canning House.

2019

H.E. Iván Duque, President of Colombia, gives the Canning Lecture

2020

David Montgomery, Viscount Montgomery of Alamein CMG CBE, passes away on 8 January

Canning House's Honorary President 1987-1994 and HVP thereafter, Viscount David Montgomery contributed significantly to the work of Canning House, and will be sadly missed.

Canning House: The History

by Tim Connell

Through extensive interviewing and archival research, Professor Tim Connell has uncovered new information and insights that give a full picture of Canning House’s multi-faceted approach to building understanding and relationships between the UK, Latin America and Iberia.

2018. ISBN 978-1-9165047-0-7.

About the Author

Professor Tim Connell

An honorary life fellow of Gresham College, Professor Tim Connell is an Emeritus Foundation professor from City University, where he sat on Senate for many years. He has had an association with Canning House for over forty years, ever since as a young researcher he found two crucial texts about Mexico sitting side by side in the Canning House Library.

Canning House: The History

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The Canning Lecture

Held since 1997, the Canning Lecture has been delivered by a visiting Latin American or Iberian President or Head of Government in the United Kingdom. It takes place roughly annually.

The Canning Lecture is one of the most high-profile such events in the UK, and a unique opportunity to hear from and engage directly with a current Latin American or Iberian leader.

Previous Canning Lectures have been delivered by Heads of State including Fernando Henrique Cardoso (1997), Carlos Menem (1999), Michelle Bachelet (2008 and 2016), Pedro Passos Coelho (2013), Iván Duque (2019) and Luis Lacalle Pou (2022), and many others.

For the latest information on upcoming Canning Lectures, please see our Events section. To be among the first to hear, consider an Individual or Corporate Membership.

The Canning Medal

The Canning Medal was introduced in 2013 in commemoration of Canning House’s 70th anniversary. It is not awarded every year, and is exclusively reserved for distinguished persons who have contributed significantly to the strengthening of UK-Latin American relations. It has been awarded five times:

Viscount Montgomery of Alamein CMG CBE, 2013

In addition to a long and active service as Honorary President and Chairman of Canning House, Viscount Montgomery was an energetic promoter of Latin America in business and parliament.

Dr Enrique García Rodríguez, 2016

Dr Enrique García Rodríguez was President of Corporación Andina de Fomento (CAF) 1997-2017, and is an Honorary Vice-President of Canning House.

HE Ambassador Iván Romero Martínez, 2018

HE Iván Romero, the Ambassador of Honduras and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in London, received the Canning Medal as Dean of the Latin American Diplomatic Corps.

Lord Garel-Jones, 2018

A lifelong Hispanophile, Lord Garel-Jones was responsible for the organisation of John Major's 1992 visit to Colombia, the first visit to South America by a British Prime Minister.

Baroness Hooper CMG, 2022

Lady Hooper has been a lifelong advocate for Latin America in the United Kingdom, and continues to visit the region in regular delegations. She has been an Honorary Vice-President of Canning House since 2002.

The Canning House Library Collection

at King's College London

The Canning House Library was launched in 1948 and was recognised for many years as a key source of information on the Latin world, attracting over three thousand users a year. It continues to be one of the most important collections in the UK for Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies.

'One of the jewels of Latin American Studies in the United Kingdom'

- historian Hugh Thomas

In 2012 the bulk of the collection (some 54,000 titles) was transferred to King’s College London. With the Foreign Office Collection, the Canning House material provides a significant source of complementary information for a wide range of users. It is managed by a special joint Board and is accessible to Canning House members on request.

Discover our collection