If you are a journalist with a press enquiry or interview request, please email our press office. 8,439 talking about this. The building itself is made up of over 100 hundred rooms only part of which is actually residential. The modern boat-shaped top, introduced by Harold Macmillan in the late 1950s, is supported by huge original oak legs. 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. [157] These redecorations may reflect both individual taste as well as make a political statement. [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. 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. Upon Inquiry, however, it appeared that the House was attached to the Treasury as a Part of the Office. Save. [41] The name changes according to the colour it is painted. )[64], When Lord Salisbury retired in 1902, his nephew, Arthur James Balfour, became Prime Minister. 10 Downing Street, The Story of a House. [47][48][49][50][51][note 1], Another reason for its unpopularity was that Number 10 was a hazardous place in which to live. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. Premiership: The Development, Nature and Power of the Office of the British Prime Minister, Imprint Academic. in the No 10 press office area to say goodbye to a special adviser . The freedom fighters could see their leader had been received in the prime minister's home. 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. By the turn of the 20th century, photography and the penny press had linked Number 10 in the public mind with the premiership. Earlier, the government had taken over the other Downing Street houses: the Colonial Office occupied Number 14 in 1798; the Foreign Office was at Number 16 and the houses on either side; the West India Department was in Number 18; and the Tithe Commissioners in Number 20. 294 Following. . The same restrictions applied when No 10 staff gathered for a "bring your own booze" event in the Downing Street garden. This video below made for the 2012 Olympics, gives you a good look into the public rooms inside 10 Downing Street. The Crown authorised extensive rebuilding which included adding a storey, thus giving it three main floors, an attic and basement. 's office, based at 10 Downing Street. [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. [160], In 1985, Number 10 was 250 years old. The brass letterbox still bears the legend "First Lord of the Treasury". At considerable expense, Buckingham rebuilt the house. 10 Downing Street, London number10.gov.uk Joined March 2008. [a] The reorganisation brought about the fusion of the old Prime Minister's Office and other Cabinet Office teams, with a number of units (including the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit) now reporting directly into the Prime Minister's Office. Only a few are permanent features. In 1924 when Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald took office, he did not own nor have the means to buy an extensive art collection. [125], In the restoration conducted in the late 1980s, Quinlan Terry restored the fireplace. Soane was the guest of honour when the dining room was first used on 4 April 1826. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. The contact . 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. Extensive reconstruction again had to be undertaken in the late 1960s to resolve these problems. The new warrant issued in 1682 reads: "Sir George Downing [is authorised] to build new and more houses subject to the proviso that it be not built any nearer than 14feet of the wall of the said Park at the West end thereof". Two years later in 1690, William III and Mary II gave the "House at the Back" to Hendrik van Nassau-Ouwerkerk, a Dutch general who had assisted in securing the Crown for the Prince of Orange. A committee found that the money spent so far was insufficient. Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street Published 14 January 2023 The Prime Minister spoke to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy today. 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. 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. [88] Further extensive repairs and remodelling, commissioned by Margaret Thatcher, were completed in the 1980s under the direction of Erith's associate, Quinlan Terry. Edward Heath borrowed French paintings from the National Gallery and was loaned two Renoirs from a private collector. The houses deteriorated from neglect, became unsafe, and one by one were demolished. The headquarters of His Majesty's Government, it is situated on Downing Street in the City of Westminster in London, England. 2) What is the email address of the Downing Street Press Office? [77][81] Macmillan lived in Admiralty House during the reconstruction. 10, Downing Street | British History Online", Plate 111: No. 10, Downing Street, entrance hall and drawing room", "Apollo 11 mission 50 years on: The Cambridge scientist who helped put man on the moon", "Story behind the Terracotta Room at Downing Street", "YouTube Simon Schama's Tour of Downing Street. Paris Public Enquiries: Online Contact Form. Overall rating. 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. [72], The symbol of British government, Number 10 became a gathering place for protesters. About half belong to the Government Art Collection. Philadelphia 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. [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. [83], When builders examined the exterior faade, they discovered that the black colour visible even in photographs from the mid-19th century was misleading; the bricks were actually yellow. Terry also added an ornate gilded ceiling to give the rooms a more stately look. A new foundation with deep pilings would be laid and the original buildings reassembled on top of it, allowing for much needed expansion and modernisation. Please note, if you have a media query concerning the Prime Minister or media access to Downing Street - please call the press office for No10 Downing Street. Having united the structures, Kent gutted and rebuilt the interior. Please note, if you have a media query concerning the Prime Minister or media access to. [34], Walpole did not accept the gift for himself. Kent's staircase is the first architectural feature visitors see as they enter Number 10. preceding the Great Repair, and 11,000 the Great Repair itself! Various political advisers have in the past acted in a press . Speaking outside Downing Street, he said he had secured an "incredible mandate" in the 2019 general election, winning "the biggest Conservative majority since 1987". 10, Downing Street: details, Plate 125: No. Behind its black door have been taken the most important decisions affecting Britain for the last 275 years. The role of Downing Street Permanent Secretary was revived, with Samantha Jones holding the position on an interim basis.[173]. It was an easy transition: he was already First Lord of the Treasury and he was already living in Number 10. D B City mall, 3rd floor Maharana Pratap Nagar, Bhopal 462004 India +91 81096 43000 + Add website. [172] Several changes in staffing took place early in February 2022. [10], Straightforward as the investment seemed, it proved otherwise. Claimed. 10 Downing Street, they have in their charge one of the most precious jewels in the nation's heritage". 1 star. The staircase, however, was rebuilt and simplified. Amsterdam Painted in white, between the top and middle sets of panels, is the number "10". 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. British History Online, Letter (B.M. Check benefits and financial support you can get, Find out about the Energy Bills Support Scheme. Although large, they were put up quickly and cheaply on soft soil with shallow foundations. Tweets. Lastly, Google made this crystal-clear 360-degree virtual tour of some of the rooms in 10 Downing Street. Number 10 media team, 10 September 2020 - Uncategorized. It also houses the Prime Minister's Executive Office, which deals with logistics and diplomacy concerning the government of the United Kingdom. The result was a spacious mansion, lying parallel to Whitehall Palace with a view of St James Park from its garden. [46], Downing Street declined at the turn of the 19th century, becoming surrounded with run-down buildings, dark alleys, the scene of crime and prostitution. In 1997, the building was remodelled to provide extra space for the prime minister's greatly increased staff. History of the "House at the Back" before 1733, First politician and "head of government" in the house, 10 Downing Street and Kent's Treasury Building, Current positions within the Office of the Prime Minister. [162], That same year, the Leisure Circle published Christopher Jones' book No. These included: the garden floor, the door and entrance foyer, the stairway, the hallway to the Cabinet Room, the Cabinet Room, the garden and terrace, the Small and Large State Rooms and the three reception rooms. Albemarle is the first treasury minister to have lived in what became the home of the First Lord of the Treasury and Prime Minister. A guard's chair designed by Chippendale sits in one corner.