An Inside Look at 10 Downing Street. Tweets. [24] (See Plan of the Premises Granted to the Earl and Countess of Lichfield in 1677)[25][26] The likely reason that repair was required is that the house had settled in the swampy ground near the Thames, causing structural damage. No longer "fitted with variety Walle fruit and diverse fruit trees" as it was in the 17th century, there is now a centrally located flower bed around a holly tree surrounded by seats. [12], Downing employed Christopher Wren to design the houses. Save. The building hosts offices, conference, dining, and sitting rooms. The IRA mortar attack in February 1991 led to extensive work being done to repair the damage (mostly to the garden and exterior walls) and to improve security. 10 Downing Street 5.3K views4 months ago CC Leaders Visit 10 Downing Street Play all President Duda of Poland visits Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Downing Street 10 Downing. You are mistaken in supposing that Mr. Vansittart is the only Chancellor of the Exchequer who, without being first Lord of the Treasury, occupied it. [125], With its flat unadorned ceiling, simple mouldings and deep window seats, the Small Dining Room is intimate and comfortable. [74], By the middle of the 20th century, Number 10 was falling apart again. Number 10 media team, 10 September 2020 - Uncategorized. 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. Edward Heath borrowed French paintings from the National Gallery and was loaned two Renoirs from a private collector. It is now painted terracotta. No 10 and cabinet media departments to merge into 'super press office [60], Nevertheless, for 70 years following Pitt's death in 1806, Number 10 was rarely used as the First Lord's residence. In 2010, the Camerons completely modernised the 50-year-old private kitchen in Number 11. [155] (See works from the Government Art Collection currently on display at Number 10[156]), About a dozen paintings are changed annually. [61][62] (See Numbers 10, 11, and 12 Downing Street First Floor Plan[63] and Ground Floor Plan. Prime ministers come and go, but one resident of 10 Downing Street has no plans to leave any time soon. Speaking outside Downing Street, he said he had secured an "incredible mandate" in the 2019 general election, winning "the biggest Conservative majority since 1987". Pt4: The Staircase", "Plate 121: No. The table is surrounded by carved, solid mahogany chairs that also date from the Gladstone era. He has now seen two PMs come and go. She was the grandmother of King George I, the Elector of Hanover, who became King of Great Britain in 1714, and was the great-grandmother of King George II, who presented the house to Walpole in 1732. The modern boat-shaped top, introduced by Harold Macmillan in the late 1950s, is supported by huge original oak legs. Stanley Baldwin used the Cabinet Room as his office. [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. The Cabinet table, purchased during the Gladstone era, dominates the room. There have been barriers erected along both sides of Downing Street since the 1920s. [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. Major moved to Admiralty House while repairs were being completed. You have rejected additional cookies. PM call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine: 14 January 2023 ; 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 . Well send you a link to a feedback form. Jones, in letter from Margaret Thatcher used as a preface to the book. Click to get Helen Cook's email: h****k@cantab.net Role: Head of Prime Minister's Points of Light UK @ 10 Downing Street, London, United Kingdom. "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. He complained openly during and after the project that the government had altered his design to save money. Phone numbers in Montreal, Canada +1 438 - Zadarma.com The front door to Number 10 is most likely the most famous feature of the building. That has changed, and now security is very tight, as one would expect for the home of a country's head of government. 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. This video below made for the 2012 Olympics, gives you a good look into the public rooms inside 10 Downing Street. (See the State Dining room with the Silver Trust Silver in use for a luncheon[135]) Above the fireplace, overlooking the room, is a massive portrait by John Shackleton of George II, the king who originally gave the building to the First Lord of the Treasury in 1732. To them, Number 10 was unimpressive. You have rejected additional cookies. To find more go to "More details" about the price bundles. "[86] Erith described the numbers on the front, intended to be based on historical models, as 'a mess' and 'completely wrong' to a fellow historian. Downing Street Press Office - cais Rhyddid Gwybodaeth i Prime Minister 6M Followers. Downing, a notorious spy for Oliver Cromwell and later Charles II, invested in property and acquired considerable wealth. [136][150] (See North elevation of Number 10 with steps leading to the garden[151])[152] The terrace and garden have provided a casual setting for many gatherings of First Lords with foreign dignitaries, Cabinet ministers, guests, and staff. [56] This proved to be a gross underestimate; the final bill was over 11,000. The previous year, Knevett had moved into a house next door, approximately where Number 10 is today. A committee found that the money spent so far was insufficient. The work of a slave of the holy place, Maqsud of Kashan in the year 926" (the Islamic year corresponding to 1520). The interior wood in the Cabinet Room's double columns was like sawdust. Wed like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. Miami The upper floors were modernised and the third floor extended over Numbers 11 and 12 to allow more living space. Should you want to visit this historic street to get a glimpse of the iconic black door of No. With an area in No. Lastly, Google made this crystal-clear 360-degree virtual tour of some of the rooms in 10 Downing Street. [91], The current tenant of 10 Downing Street is Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. . It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. [115] The resulting small space, framed by the pillars, serves as an anteroom to the larger area. The office helps the Prime Minister to establish and deliver the government's overall strategy and policy priorities, and to communicate the government's policies to Parliament . Steel was hidden inside the columns in the Pillared Drawing Room to support the floor above. No.10 Press Office (@Number10press) / Twitter (3)Make sure to go to the gates on Whitehall, which is where you will get your best pictures through the heavy security and barriers. Rocketreach finds email, phone & social media for 450M+ professionals. [15][16] In 1675 he retired to Cambridge, where he died in 1684, a few months after building was completed. Most were actually built rather cheaply and were not of good quality still the case when Winston Churchill resided at Number 10 and he is quoted as saying his house was shaky and lightly built by the profiteering contractor whose name that bear.. The Hampden family had a lease on the land that they refused to relinquish. SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA. He left as soon as it was finished. As head of the Great Treasury Commission of 16671672, Albemarle transformed accounting methods and allowed the Crown greater control over expenses. 15 Totally Crazy Facts about Number 10 Downing Street! 10 from the Cabinet Office, was passed through with such frequency that its meaning was lost. 10, Downing Street: Official Dining Room, Plate 129: No. [136] Celebrity chefs such as Nigella Lawson have cooked for Prime Ministers' guests using the small kitchen next door. 10, Downing Street: plan of alterations in 1781, "Electoral Commission to investigate Boris Johnson's Downing Street flat renovations", "Trump and May to meet for talks in Davos after 'special relationship' tested", 10 Downing Street: The World's Most Famous Front Door, Plate 118: No. Prime Ministers made historic announcements from the front step. [172] Several changes in staffing took place early in February 2022. The building itself is made up of over 100 hundred rooms only part of which is actually residential. Since the door had no keyhole, the inside officer depended upon the lone outside officer. 5 stars. Check benefits and financial support you can get, Find out about the Energy Bills Support Scheme. [133], The White State Drawing room was, until the 1940s, used by Prime Ministers and their partners for their private use. 10 Political Office (party political liaison and constituency affairs). 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. Number 10 Downing Street is one of the most famous addresses in the world. 10 Downing, check out our guided Westminster Tourand ourLondon in a Day Tour, which both stop at Downing Street. I want them all PLUS general travel tips. However, some commentators have suggested that Blair's reforms have created something similar to a Prime Minister's Department. Number Montreal -. Painted in white, between the top and middle sets of panels, is the number "10". [37] This small house and the mansion at the back were then incorporated into Number 10. View Company Not the person you were looking for? By the 1800s the houses had nearly all been taken over by the government. Unlimited calls to the US and Canada with additional call minutes to 20 other countries within one bundle. Soane was the guest of honour when the dining room was first used on 4 April 1826. [18], For many years, the "House at the Back" was the home of Thomas Knevett, Keeper of Whitehall Palace, famous for capturing Guy Fawkes in 1605 and foiling his plot to assassinate King James I. 10 Downing Street | LinkedIn So much has this extraordinary edifice cost the country For one moiety of the sum a much better dwelling might have been purchased! A black ironwork fence with spiked newel posts runs along the front of the house and up each side of the step to the door. 10 Downing Street correspondence, communications, gifts and hospitality Niall Patrick email address & phone number | 10 Downing Street Economic [163], The Prime Minister's Office, for which the terms Downing Street and Number 10 are metonymous, lies within the 10 Downing Street building and is part of the Cabinet Office. This became the subject of public controversy, and an Electoral Commission inquiry took place into the financing of the refurbishment. The arrangement became the standard practice. Corporation. In the committee's report there was some discussion of tearing down the building and constructing an entirely new residence but because the prime minister's home had become an icon of British architecture like Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament, the committee recommended that Number 10 (and Numbers 11 and 12) should be rebuilt using as much of the original materials as possible. 10 Downing Street? 10, Downing Street | British History Online", Plate 111: No. [69], Despite these exceptions, Number 10 has been known as the prime minister's official home for over one hundred years. 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. 10 Downing Street is Government . [46], One reason many First Lords chose not to live in Number 10 was that most owned London town houses superior in size and quality. Well send you a link to a feedback form. New York City He then moved the chimney to the east side, running a Y-shaped split flue inside the walls up either side of one of the windows above. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. 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. Regularly removed for refurbishment and replaced with a replica, it is so heavy that it takes eight men to lift it. Upon Inquiry, however, it appeared that the House was attached to the Treasury as a Part of the Office. Larry the Cat celebrates 12 years of service at No. 10 Downing Street : NPR Hendrick Danckerts' painting "The Palace of Whitehall" (shown at the beginning of this article) usually hangs in the ante-room. However, it is sometimes used for other purposes that require a large open space. [80] In the end, the cost was close to 3,000,000 and took almost three years due in large part to 14 labour strikes. "These were useful exchanges. [6][7][8] In 1654, he purchased the lease on land south of St James's Park, adjacent to the House at the Back within walking distance of parliament. Los Angeles Wed like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. 2. 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. One theory is that this is in fact a capital 'O' as found in the Roman's Trajan alphabet that was used by the Ministry of Works at the time. Originally three houses, Number 10 was offered to Robert Walpole by King George II in 1732. If you are emailing about an issue relating to the responsibilities of another Government Department or public authority then you should contact them directly.Due to the exceptionally high volumes of emails being received at this time, the Prime Ministers Office is only able to deal with those that relate directly to the Prime Minister. Find a Business or Professional Service Provider in Edmonton, White Pages Canada . The room links through to the Terracotta Room next door. [89], The work done by Erith and Terry in the 1960s and 1980s represent the most extensive remodelling of Number 10 in recent times. You can also reach it by boat with City Cruises from the Westminster City Pier which is very nearby. Rishi Sunak became Prime Minister in October 2022. Downing Street itself was built in the 1680s by Sir George Downing who had purchased a large tract of land near Parliament, on the edge of St. Jamess Park. He felt thatit was not right that the public should be prevented from walking down the street and taking photographs outside Number 10. Downing's portrait hangs in the entrance hall of Number 10. The Treasury issued an order "for repairing and fitting it up in the best and most substantial manner" at a cost of 2,522. About half belong to the Government Art Collection. 10 Downing Street - YouTube Tweets & replies. 10, Downing Street: detail of iron balustrading to main staircase, "YouTube Simon Schama's Tour of Downing Street. [38], The rebuilding took three years. I believe Mr. Charles Townshend occupied it, but I know Mr. Dowdeswell did, & it is remarkable that he is, I believe, the only instance of a Chancellor of the Exchequer upon Record who was not in the Cabinet. 2) What is the email address of the Downing Street Press Office? [43], The same document confirmed that Number 10 Downing Street was: "meant to be annexed & united to the Office of his Majesty's Treasury & to be & to remain for the Use & Habitation of the first Commissioner of his Majesty's Treasury for the time being". Over the years, the addresses changed several times. [170] Since Number 10 is formally part of the Cabinet Office, it reports directly to the Cabinet Secretary, who is currently[update] Simon Case. [66] To reassure the people that his government was functioning normally, he insisted on being seen entering and leaving Number 10 occasionally, and indeed, continued to use it for meetings and dinners despite being urged not to. Here are some tips on how to get a good glimpse of the famous black door (and perhaps famous people as well). Three brass chandeliers hang from the high ceiling. [23], After Buckingham retired in 1676, Lady Charlotte Fitzroy, Charles II's daughter, moved in when she married Edward Lee, 1st Earl of Lichfield. British History Online, Letter (B.M. [14] The cul-de-sac had several distinguished residents: George Granville, 1st Baron Lansdowne from 1692 to 1696 and the Earl of Grantham from 1699 to 1703. (See The State Dining Room c1930: View toward the entrance[141][142] and View from the entrance[143] and also a more modern view[144])[145], The great kitchen located in the basement was another part of the renovations begun in 1783, probably also under the direction of Robert Taylor. Larry the cat, whose officialtitle is Chief Mouser, has been living at 10 Downing Street since February 2011. In 1931, Mohandas Gandhi, wearing the traditional homespun dhoti, posed leaving Number 10 after meeting with Ramsay MacDonald to discuss India's independence. Kent joined the larger houses by building a two-storey structure between them, consisting of one long room on the ground floor and several above. Most are included in a number of tourist attraction discount passes available to you in London. The Windsor Framework, agreed by the Prime Minister and European Commission President, replaces the old Northern Ireland Protocol, providing a new legal and UK constitutional framework. The fence rises above the step into a double-swirled archway, supporting an iron gas lamp surmounted by a crown. preceding the Great Repair, and 11,000 the Great Repair itself! 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). Downing Street - Wikipedia Press Briefing Afternoon 11 June 2012 . International agreements have been signed in this room. Having united the structures, Kent gutted and rebuilt the interior. 10, Downing Street: Official Dining Room, Plate 131: No. The Downing Street press office has a staff of about 12, although closer to 40 work in the communications team as a whole. [47][48][49][50][51][note 1], Another reason for its unpopularity was that Number 10 was a hazardous place in which to live. The attack led to the addition of guardhouses at the street ends as well as other less visible measures to further improve security of Downing Street. From blossom honey to ethical coffee, a number of successful Welsh businesses came to showcase their fantastic produce. 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. Traditionally, it has always had a chopping block work table in the centre that is 14 feet (4.3m) long, 3 feet (0.91m) wide and 5 inches (13cm) thick. [87][93] A black iron knocker in the shape of a lion's head is between the two middle panels; below the knocker is a brass letter box with the inscription "First Lord of the Treasury". . Number 10 represents an apartment building that is over 300 years old and has 100 rooms. 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. . To its left is a long case clock by Benson of Whitehaven. Kent's door was modest, belying the spacious elegance beyond. Although he had accepted it on behalf of future First Lords of the Treasury, it would be 21 years before any of his successors chose to live there; the five who followed Walpole preferred their own homes. Princess Elizabeth, eldest daughter of King James I, lived there from 1604 until 1613 when she married Frederick V, Elector Palatine and moved to Heidelberg. Once used when policemen sat on watch outside in the street, it has an unusual "hood" designed to protect them from the wind and cold and a drawer underneath where hot coals were placed to provide warmth. Since 1990 when the Terry reconstruction was completed, repairing, redecorating, remodelling, and updating the house has been ongoing as needed. MS. 38292, f. 11) from Lord Liverpool to Charles Ellis, dated 22 January 1823, is of interest. Also, take a look at thevirtual tour of 10 Downing Streeton the UK Government's website. Due to bomb damage in 1940, the Treasury relocated to the Government Offices Great George Street. [92], Number 10's door is the product of the renovations Charles Townshend ordered in 1766; it was probably not completed until 1772. [97][98][99], After the IRA mortar attack in 1991, the original black oak door was replaced by a blast-proof steel one. 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. 1 star. The Crown authorised extensive rebuilding which included adding a storey, thus giving it three main floors, an attic and basement. 10 Downing Street, the locale of British prime ministers since 1735, vies with the White House as being the most important political building anywhere in the world in the modern era. Press office: responsible for relations with the media, Research and information unit: provides factual information to No. original source. London. 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. [154], Number 10 is filled with fine paintings, sculptures, busts and furniture. 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. [27] Like Downing Street, it rested on a shallow foundation, a design error that caused problems until 1960 when the modern Number 10 was rebuilt on deep pilings. After Prime Minister Robert Peel "gave up" being Chancellor in 1841, and this separation of positions gradually became a convention of the constitution, a locked door was installed between the buildings limiting the Prime Minister's access to the Treasury and its staff.