A few peers lived in Number 10 out of necessity. [77], The architect Raymond Erith carried out the design for this painstaking work[78] and the contractor that undertook it was John Mowlem & Co.[79]The Times reported initially that the cost for the project would be 400,000. Situated in Downing Street in the City of Westminster, London, Number 10 is over 300 years old and contains approximately 100 rooms. In a piece of "blatant political corruption", he allowed his son-in-law. Also,Wednesdays between 11 and 11:30 a.m. are good since the PM leaves at this time to head to Parliament. Rebuilt, expanded, and renovated many times since, it was originally one of several buildings that made up the "Cockpit Lodgings", so-called because they were attached to an octagonal structure used for cock-fighting. A guard's chair designed by Chippendale sits in one corner. [44], At about the same time that William Kent was combining the Downing Street townhouse with the house at the back, he was also commissioned to design and construct a new Treasury building on the site of the old Tudor Cockpit located behind Downing Street. "[57] (See Plan of the Design for Number 10 c1781. At this time we are not able to respond to emails that do not fall into this category or are of a general nature.Please consider carefully whether your email is necessary and note that emails are not monitored throughout the day or at weekends. One of the most striking and unusual is the already mentioned Chippendale hooded guard's chair that sits in a corner of the entrance hall. [13], The upper end of the Downing Street cul-de-sac closed off the access to St James's Park, making the street quiet and private. Steel was hidden inside the columns in the Pillared Drawing Room to support the floor above. London. Nassau, who Anglicised his name to "Overkirk", lived there until his death in 1708. 10, Downing Street, circa 1754. Soane was the guest of honour when the dining room was first used on 4 April 1826. 9. Fredrick Robinson, Lord Goderich took a special liking to the house in the late 1820s and spent state funds lavishly remodelling the interior. View Company Not the person you were looking for? [17], The "House at the Back", the largest of the three houses which were combined to make Number 10, was a mansion built in about 1530 next to Whitehall Palace. John Logie Baird gave Ramsay MacDonald a demonstration of his invention, the television, in this room. Suffragettes posed in front of the door when they petitioned H. H. Asquith for women's rights in 1913, a picture that became famous and was circulated around the world. Sir Robert Walpole, with his Lady and Family, removed from their House in St James's Square, to his new House, adjoining to the Treasury in St James's Park". His secretary, George Downing, who built Downing Street, is thought to have created these changes. Edward Heath borrowed French paintings from the National Gallery and was loaned two Renoirs from a private collector. The Morning Herald fumed about the expense: "500pounds p.a. You can change your cookie settings at any time. To them, Number 10 was unimpressive. [74], By the middle of the 20th century, Number 10 was falling apart again. From 1834 to 1877, it was either vacant or used only for offices and meetings. Any original materials that were beyond repair such as the pair of double columns in the Cabinet Room would be replicated in detail. Downing fought their claim, but failed and had to wait 30 years before he could build. We stopped by while listening to our free Rick Steves' audio tour of Westminster on our iPods. I am bitterly disappointed with what has happened. Its registered legal title is held in the name of the secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities (the secretary of state is a corporation sole).[5]. V4A 3V2 The staircase had sunk several inches; some steps were buckled and the balustrade was out of alignment. More extensive changes occur when a new Prime Minister takes office and redecorates. You can also try our GPS-enabled anytime audio tourwhich includes a stop at Downing Street. However, the Prime Minister at the time, Harold Wilson, overturned the idea. Originally, the door was made of Georgian black oak; it is today made of blast-proof steel and takes a reported eight men to lift it. Costly to maintain, neglected, and run-down, Number 10 was scheduled to be demolished several times, but the property survived and became linked with many statesmen and events in British history. Albemarle is the first treasury minister to have lived in what became the home of the First Lord of the Treasury and Prime Minister. Jones, in letter from Margaret Thatcher used as a preface to the book. Corporation. [36], To enlarge the new house, Walpole persuaded Mr Chicken, the tenant of a cottage next door, to move to another house in Downing Street. [125], In the restoration conducted in the late 1980s, Quinlan Terry restored the fireplace. The role of Downing Street Permanent Secretary was revived, with Samantha Jones holding the position on an interim basis.[173]. So much has this extraordinary edifice cost the country For one moiety of the sum a much better dwelling might have been purchased! In 1985, Margaret Thatcher said Number 10 had become "one of the most precious jewels in the national heritage". [83] The "new" Number 10 consisted of about 60% new materials; the remaining 40% was either restored or replicas of originals. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. A copy of a 16th-century original now kept in the Victoria and Albert Museum, there is an inscription woven into it that reads: "I have no refuge in the world other than thy threshold. Review. [121] The only picture in the room is a copy of a portrait of Robert Walpole by Jean-Baptiste van Loo hanging over the fireplace. Speaking outside Downing Street, he said he had secured an "incredible mandate" in the 2019 general election, winning "the biggest Conservative majority since 1987". On these occasions, the table is set with the Silver Trust Silver set given to Downing Street in the 1990s. Since 2005, Number 10's Direct Communication Unit has not used its staff's real names on signed correspondence to MPs and members of the public; this is for security reasons. Winston Churchill wrote that Number 10 was "shaky and lightly built by the profiteering contractor whose name they bear". The remainder are on loan from private collectors and from public galleries such as the National Portrait Gallery, the Tate Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Gallery. Letters patent issued in April 1736 state that: "a piece of garden ground situated in his Majesty's park of St James's, & belonging & adjoining to the house now inhabited by the Right Honourable the Chancellor of His Majesty's Exchequer, hath been lately made & fitted up at the Charge of the Crown". [147] (See the Small Dining or Breakfast Room c1927. The upper floors were modernised and the third floor extended over Numbers 11 and 12 to allow more living space. After more careful studies were completed, it was concluded that the "total cost was likely to be 1,250,000" and would take two years to complete. [2] Along with the adjoining Cabinet Office at 70 Whitehall, it is the headquarters of the Government of the United Kingdom. Wed like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. We include information such as how to get there, the best times to go, as well as some virtual tours of the famous residence. [60], Nevertheless, for 70 years following Pitt's death in 1806, Number 10 was rarely used as the First Lord's residence. Emmeline Pankhurst and other suffragette leaders stormed Downing Street in 1908;[73] anti-Vietnam War protestors marched there in the 1960s, as did anti-Iraq War protestors in 2005. 10 Downing Street, known in the UK as "Number 10", is the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury. George II took this opportunity to offer it to Robert Walpole, often called the first prime minister, as a gift for his services to the nation: stabilising its finances, keeping it at peace and securing the Hanoverian succession. The majority of the UK's Prime Ministers, dating back to the very first, (Robert Walpole in 1720) have called Number 10 home. Role. "[45], Walpole lived in Number 10 until 1742. [61][62] (See Numbers 10, 11, and 12 Downing Street First Floor Plan[63] and Ground Floor Plan. We covered all issues in some detail, including the most difficult ones. It became unsafe and frequently required repairs. In the reconstruction during the late 1980s, Quinlan Terry used Corinthian columns and added ornate Baroque-style central ceiling mouldings and corner mouldings of the four national flowers of the United Kingdom: rose (England), thistle (Scotland), daffodil (Wales) and shamrock (Northern Ireland). [89], The work done by Erith and Terry in the 1960s and 1980s represent the most extensive remodelling of Number 10 in recent times. 1-8 Downing Street were the houses between Number 9 and Whitehall that were taken over by the government and demolished in 1824 to allow the construction of the Privy Council Office, Board of Trade and Treasury offices. Today, there is a portrait of Queen Elizabeth I over the fireplace; during the Thatcher, Major and Blair Ministries, a portrait of William Pitt by Romney was hung there. [56] This proved to be a gross underestimate; the final bill was over 11,000. Various political advisers have in the past acted in a press . The Press Secretary will address the lobby correspondents at 10 Downing Street to give journalists information on events attended by the Prime Minister, as well as current affairs in Downing Street and in Parliament. [47][48][49][50][51][note 1], Another reason for its unpopularity was that Number 10 was a hazardous place in which to live. This video below made for the 2012 Olympics, gives you a good look into the public rooms inside 10 Downing Street. [87], Erith's concerns proved justified. Asked if there is a record of the calls placed through the Number 10 switchboard, the PMS said that she did not know but would check whether all calls are noted and go back to the journalist. With a wrought iron balustrade, embellished with a scroll design, and mahogany handrail, it rises from the garden floor to the third floor. Prime ministers come and go, but one resident of 10 Downing Street has no plans to leave any time soon. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. [94] (See The Entrance Door c1930: As seen from the outside)[95][96] The door cannot be opened from the outside; there is always someone inside to unlock the door. That if he declined it, it would go to the next in the Commission, or it might possibly be disposed of by the Board to any Member or Officer of the Treasury; but could not, & never has been detached from it. [172] Several changes in staffing took place early in February 2022. Tweets & replies. The Treasury agreed and a complex accounting procedure was developed whereby the outgoing prime minister was required to pay for "wear and tear" on furnishings that had been purchased by the Treasury. Audio histories about Number 10 Downing Street, the office of the official residence of the UK Prime Minister Along with the adjoining Cabinet Office at 70 Whitehall, it is the headquarters of the Government of the United Kingdom. However, some commentators have suggested that Blair's reforms have created something similar to a Prime Minister's Department. During the 1990s John Major converted the first floor anteroom into a small gallery of modern art, mostly British. Behind its. As many as 40 coats of paint were stripped from the elaborate cornices in the main rooms revealing details unseen for almost 200 years in some cases. If you need help figuring out which tube to take, make sure to read our posts covering the London Underground and which tube pass you should buy. Berlin Major moved to Admiralty House while repairs were being completed. 10 Downing Street? [137][138][139] (See Simon Schama's Tour of Downing Street. Jones, p. 52. [22], In 1671 George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham took possession when he joined the Cabal Ministry. Extensive reconstruction again had to be undertaken in the late 1960s to resolve these problems. In 1991, member of the IRA had attacked 10 Downing Street with homemade mortar shells, in hopes of killing or severely injuring Sir John Major, then-Prime Minster of the UK. 10 Downing Street in London, also known colloquially in the United Kingdom as Number 10, is the official residence and executive office of the First Lord of the Treasury, usually, by convention, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. [42], Shortly after moving in, Walpole ordered that a portion of the land outside his study be converted into a terrace and garden. British History Online, Letter (B.M. [97][98][99], After the IRA mortar attack in 1991, the original black oak door was replaced by a blast-proof steel one. The Downing Street press office has a staff of about 12, although closer to 40 work in the communications team as a whole. 10, Downing Street, Cabinet Room", "The three state drawing rooms as reconstructed by Quinlan Terry 19881990", "Prime Minister Tony Blair in front of a painting of his famous predecessor, William Pitt the Younger (by artist George Romney), at 10 Downing Street", "Plate 126: No. Balfour revived the custom that Number 10 is the First Lord and Prime Minister's official residence. [134], The room is usually furnished with a table surrounded by 20 reproduction Adam style chairs originally made for the British Embassy in Rio de Janeiro. The Green State Drawing Room contains mostly Chippendale furniture including a card table that belonged to Clive of India and a mahogany desk that is thought to have belonged to William Pitt the Younger and used by him during the Napoleonic Wars. This project was completed in 1737 and included corridors connecting the Treasury building with Ten Downing Street allowing Walpole, as Chancellor of the Exchequer as well as First Lord of the Treasury and Prime Minister, direct and convenient access to the Treasury offices. [162], That same year, the Leisure Circle published Christopher Jones' book No. There have been a few exceptions. Tony Blair entertained the England Rugby Union team in the Pillared Room after they won the World Cup in 2003. At considerable expense, Buckingham rebuilt the house. The Treasury issued an order "for repairing and fitting it up in the best and most substantial manner" at a cost of 2,522. [29] (See Buildings on the Site of the Cockpit and Number 10 Downing Street c1720)[26][30], The name of the "House at the Back" changed with the occupant, from Lichfield House to Overkirk House in 1690 to Bothmer House in 1720. The Treasury agreed and a complex accounting procedure was developed whereby the outgoing Prime Minister was required to pay for "wear and tear" on furnishings that had been purchased by the Treasury. The garden is dominated by a half-acre (0.2 ha) open lawn which wraps around Numbers 10 and 11 in an L-shape. Downing planned to build a row of terraced town houses "for persons of good quality to inhabit in"[9] The street on which he built them now bears his name, and the largest became part of Number 10 Downing Street. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. Mar 19, 2020 We are leading a national effort to fight #coronavirus in the UK and taking the necessary steps based on the best scientific advice. 10 Political Office (party political liaison and constituency affairs). Chicago Dont worry we wont send you spam or share your email address with anyone. The original door was put on display in the Churchill Museum at the Cabinet War Rooms. Press office: responsible for relations with the media, Research and information unit: provides factual information to No. This structure can be seen today as the rear section of Number 10. Media. The other floors contain offices and conference, reception, sitting and dining rooms where the prime minister works, and where government ministers, national leaders and foreign dignitaries are met and hosted. 10 Downing Street in London, also known colloquially in the United Kingdom as Number 10, is the official residence and executive office of the first lord of the treasury, usually, by convention, the prime minister of the United Kingdom. Waving the Anglo-German Agreement of Friendship, Neville Chamberlain proclaimed "Peace with honour" in 1938 from Number 10 after his meeting with Adolf Hitler in Munich. To its left is a long case clock by Benson of Whitehaven. Although its hard to get a good look at the street due to security, Downing Street still remains as one of the most visited sites in our capital city. We use some essential cookies to make this website work. As noted above, you cannot walk on Downing Street as a member of the general public. To celebrate, Thatcher hosted a grand dinner in the State Dining Room for her living predecessors: Harold Macmillan, Alec Douglas-Home, Harold Wilson, Edward Heath and James Callaghan. For obvious safety reasons, the public is not allowed to walk on Downing Street, let alone go into the residence of the Prime Minister (PM). The arrangement became the standard practice. The highest ranking civil servant position is the principal private secretary to the prime minister, currently[update] Elizabeth Perelman. To preserve the 'traditional' look of recent times, the newly cleaned yellow bricks were painted black to resemble their well-known appearance. ; 9 Downing Street is the location of the Downing Street Press Briefing Room.It formerly held the offices for previous ministerial departments which have since been dissolved or . This time the Board of Works declared that "the Repairs, Alterations & Additions at the Chancellor of the Exchequer's House will amount to the sum of 5,580, exclusive of the sum for which they already have His Majesty's Warrant. This website uses cookies to improve your browsingexperience and analyze the use of the website. [175], However, the Institute for Government has written that the Cabinet Office (of which the Prime Minister's Office is a component) "is a long way from becoming a fully fledged premier's department", primarily based on the fact that the prime minister "largely lacks the direct policy responsibilities, either in statute or by convention under the Royal Prerogative, possessed by secretaries of state, who have substantial budgets voted to them by Parliament."[176]. Here are some tips on how to get a good glimpse of the famous black door (and perhaps famous people as well). "Under (Prime Minister) Blair . Clickhere to get exact directions from your point of departure. [117][118][119][120], Although Kent intended the First Lord to use this space as his study, it has rarely served that purpose; it has almost always been the Cabinet Room. Early in the 17th century, the Cockpit was converted to a concert hall and theatre; after the Glorious Revolution of 1688, some of the first cabinet meetings were held there secretly. Winston Churchill is represented in two photographs. With a keen interest in History and a BA degree to match Margaret prides herself on her knowledge of the amazing city she calls home and she's been guiding here now for nearly a decade. [126], Sparsely furnished with a few chairs and sofas around the walls, the Pillared Room is usually used to receive guests before they go into the State Dining Room. To reach 10 Downing Street by tube, it's best to reach it by either the Westminster or Charing Cross Station. Dont include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details. [4], For most of its history, Number 10 was accessible to the public. 10 Downing Street is located in Downing Street, City of Westminster, London. In one from 28 April 2021, seven months before press reports about parties first appeared, an unnamed No 10 official noted that another official was "worried about leaks of PM having a piss up and . Adjacent to St James's Park, Number 10 is approximately 34 mile (1.2km) from Buckingham Palace, the London residence of the British Monarch, and near the Palace of Westminster, the meeting place of both Houses of Parliament. On 23 September 1735, the London Daily Post announced that: "Yesterday the Right Hon. The No. Terry also added an ornate gilded ceiling to give the rooms a more stately look. "My Lord's Study"[41] (as Kent labelled it in his drawings) would later become the Cabinet Room where Prime Ministers meet with the Cabinet ministers. Social history is her real expertise, with sound understanding of the day-to-day lives of Londoners over the past centuries. Within a few years, dry rot was discovered, especially in the main rooms due to inadequate waterproofing and a broken water pipe. The houses deteriorated from neglect, became unsafe, and one by one were demolished. After reconstruction had begun, miners dug down into the foundations and found that the huge wooden beams supporting the house had decayed. It also houses the Prime Minister's Executive Office, which deals with logistics and diplomacy concerning the government of the United Kingdom. 3) What is the phone number of the Downing Street Press Office? 6 Lord Street Lakes Business Park Botany, NSW 2019, Australia. He has now seen two PMs come and go. [71] During World War II, Churchill was photographed many times emerging confidently from Number 10 holding up two fingers in the sign for "Victory". The office helps the Prime Minister to establish and deliver the governments overall strategy and policy priorities, and to communicate the governments policies to Parliament, the public and international audiences. He complained openly during and after the project that the government had altered his design to save money. Most are on loan. [10], Straightforward as the investment seemed, it proved otherwise. From 1997 to 2019 and since 2020, the most senior special adviser post is the Downing Street chief of staff but this job title was out of use from July 2019 to November 2020 when the role was split into two positions with Dominic Cummings[165][166][167] who served as the chief adviser to the prime minister, and Edward Lister[168][169] who served as the chief strategic adviser to the prime minister. [159][note 2] Until the late 19th century, Prime Ministers were required to furnish Number 10 at their own expense with furniture, tableware, china, linens, curtains and decorations. [23], After Buckingham retired in 1676, Lady Charlotte Fitzroy, Charles II's daughter, moved in when she married Edward Lee, 1st Earl of Lichfield. [148])[149], The terrace and garden were constructed in 1736 shortly after Walpole moved into Number 10. This system was used until November 1897 when the Treasury assumed responsibility for purchasing and maintaining almost all of the furnishings in both the public and private areas except decorating the walls with art work. [37] This small house and the mansion at the back were then incorporated into Number 10. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. The small, six-panelled door, originally made of black oak, is surrounded by cream-coloured casing and adorned with a semicircular fanlight window. Over the years, the addresses changed several times. Painted in white, between the top and middle sets of panels, is the number "10". 10 Downing, check out our guided Westminster Tourand ourLondon in a Day Tour, which both stop at Downing Street. . There is one exception. Pt4: The Staircase", "Plate 121: No. Number 10 Downing Street is one of the most famous addresses in the world. In addition to the large carpet previously described, the Pillared State Drawing Room also contains a marble-topped table by Kent. Even though Count von Bothmer was not British, he was a subject of George I and George II and the first politician and head of a government who resided in 10 Downing Street. 10. By 1857 Downing Street's townhouses were all gone except for Number 10, Number 11 (customarily the Chancellor of the Exchequer's residence), and Number 12 (used as offices for Government Whips). Originally estimated at 8,000, the final cost probably exceeded 20,000. 8/29/2013. 10 Downing Street. The double doors behind the table lead to the State Dining Room.
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