Place Name
Commemorating the Battle of Shipka Pass seems an unusual choice for a London street name, to say the least. The battle took place in Bulgaria between the Russian and Ottoman empires during the Russo-Turkish War 1877 – 1878. Order within the Ottoman Empire, which had ruled over a large swathe of Central Europe and the Middle East for centuries, was beginning to breakdown. The big continental European powers were concerned about the fallout of the potential break-up of Turkish rule, during this febrile time. Countries breaking free of the shackles of Turkish rule could easily align with an enemy state, shifting the delicate balance of power that existed at this time. In October 1875 the Balkan states began to revolt and eventually the Bulgarians (mostly Muslims) rose up in revolt. The response from the Turks was merciless they massacred up to 30,000 belligerents. Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli had sided with the Ottomans but as news filtered out about the atrocities, public figures including Charles Darwin and Oscar Wilde, condemned their actions and public sentiment went against them. Unusually, the British Government’s attention which was diverted by events in Ireland, was on the sidelines. In Russia the public were overwhelmingly supportive of Bulgarian independence and war was soon declared. The newly modernised Russian Army made many early gains against the conscripted Ottoman forces but reached at stalemate at Plevna, resulting in a siege. The Turkish forces sent to relieve the city were held up by the Bulgarian volunteers at the Shipka Pass, giving the Russian force enough time to reach the point and relieve them. A series of battles were fought as the Turks attempted to retake the pass, an important supply route through the Balkan Mountains. Its loss was a huge strategic blow to the Ottomans who eventually lost the war. This street was developed soon afterwards, the developer may have simply liked the name which had been in the news the previous months, or may have had a personal grievance against the Turks.
