10 downing street press office phone number 10 downing street press office phone number

Lastly, Google made this crystal-clear 360-degree virtual tour of some of the rooms in 10 Downing Street. Major moved to Admiralty House while repairs were being completed. [23], After Buckingham retired in 1676, Lady Charlotte Fitzroy, Charles II's daughter, moved in when she married Edward Lee, 1st Earl of Lichfield. 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. 10 Downing Street Bhopal. 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: detail of iron balustrading to main staircase, "YouTube Simon Schama's Tour of Downing Street. 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. Addl. 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. As noted above, you cannot walk on Downing Street as a member of the general public. [158], In addition to outstanding artwork, Number 10 contains many exceptional pieces of furniture either owned by the house or on loan. In effect the Treasury building became an annex of Ten Downing Street and its staff worked directly for Walpole on treasury, patronage and other public business. 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. An Inside Look at 10 Downing Street. Walpole commissioned William Kent to join the three houses and it is this larger house that is known as Number 10 Downing Street. However, the Prime Minister at the time, Harold Wilson, overturned the idea. Three brass chandeliers hang from the high ceiling. 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. 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. Chicago [2] Along with the adjoining Cabinet Office at 70 Whitehall, it is the headquarters of the Government of the United Kingdom. (2)You can actually see 10 Downing Street while taking a ride on the London Eye! Dont include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details. 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. Begun in 1825 and completed in 1826 at a cost of 2,000, the result is a spacious room with oak panelling and reeded mouldings. 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. Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street Published 14 January 2023 The Prime Minister spoke to Ukrainian President Zelenskyy today. 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. San Francisco It was used as the dining room when Robert Walpole was prime minister. 10 Downing Street, they have in their charge one of the most precious jewels in the nation's heritage". The town house, from which the modern building gets its name, was one of several built by George Downing between 1682 and 1684. Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) February 15, 2023 Larry's enduring presence at No. BOOK ONLINE Reserve a Spot on a Guided Walking Tour Now! About half belong to the Government Art Collection. The Morning Herald fumed about the expense: "500pounds p.a. [15][16] In 1675 he retired to Cambridge, where he died in 1684, a few months after building was completed. Steel was hidden inside the columns in the Pillared Drawing Room to support the floor above. Their possession of the house, albeit temporary, was a perquisite they could bestow as a political reward. [94] (See The Entrance Door c1930: As seen from inside showing the black and white marble floor and the door providing access to Number 11)[103][104], When William Kent rebuilt the interior between 1732 and 1734, his craftsmen created a stone triple staircase. The interior wood in the Cabinet Room's double columns was like sawdust. [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. A leaked message from Matt Hancock's aide-turned-lover Gina Coladangelo has sparked questions over whether there was a Department of Health celebration at the height of Covid lockdown.. With a wrought iron balustrade, embellished with a scroll design, and mahogany handrail, it rises from the garden floor to the third floor. 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. 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. "[45], Walpole lived in Number 10 until 1742. There were also delays when archaeological excavations uncovered important artefacts dating from Roman, Saxon and medieval times. New Orleans William Pitt the Younger, who made it his home for twenty years (longer than any First Lord before or since) from 1783 to 1801 and from 1804 to 1806, referred to it as "My vast, awkward house". 10, Downing Street: details, Plate 125: No. Find a Business or Professional Service Provider in Edmonton, White Pages Canada . 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. Having united the structures, Kent gutted and rebuilt the interior. Well send you a link to a feedback form. [82], The new foundation was made of steel-reinforced concrete with pilings sunk 6 to 18 feet (1.8 to 5.5m). 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). Washington DC. 2 stars. Carved into the plasterwork above the door leading to the Pillared Room is a tribute to Margaret Thatcher: a straw-carrying 'thatcher'. Any original materials that were beyond repair such as the pair of double columns in the Cabinet Room would be replicated in detail. $2 / month. [4], For most of its history, Number 10 was accessible to the public. [171], In her report about parties on Government premises during the COVID pandemic, Sue Gray concluded that the size of the Downing Street operation had increased without the structures to support them, and "too much responsibility and expectation is placed on the senior official whose principal function is support of the Prime Minister". London SW1A 2AS. [123]), The largest is the Pillared Room thought to have been created in 1796 by Taylor. The staircase had sunk several inches; some steps were buckled and the balustrade was out of alignment. 10, Downing Street, circa 1754. Walpole commissioned William Kent to convert them into one building. "The whole project has been a frightful waste of money because it just has not been done properly. [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. 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. The Letterbox is Useless. The freedom fighters could see their leader had been received in the prime minister's home. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. 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. [33], When Count Bothmer died, ownership of the "House at the Back" reverted to the Crown. Wed like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. Lastly, Google made this crystal-clear 360-degree virtual tour of some of the rooms in 10 Downing Street. In the foreword, Thatcher described her feelings for Number 10: "How much I wish that the public could share with me the feeling of Britain's historic greatness which pervades every nook and cranny of this complicated and meandering old building All Prime Ministers are intensely aware that, as tenants and stewards of No. Audio histories about Number 10 Downing Street, the office of the official residence of the UK Prime Minister We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. 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. He may be the most beloved resident of 10 Downing Street in the modern era and his activities are watched closely by the press and the adoring public. The Modern Cabinet Room: Two photographs taken by Prime Minister. 10 Downing Street The Office of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; also known as '10 Downing Street' or 'No 10' . When you spoke to me some time ago upon the subject of the House in Downing Street, I was under the impression, as you were yourself, that the house was the King's & that he might dispose of it in any manner he might think proper. [155] (See works from the Government Art Collection currently on display at Number 10[156]), About a dozen paintings are changed annually. An American simply by accident of birth, Margaret moved to London over 16 years ago and hasnt looked back since! From blossom honey to ethical coffee, a number of successful Welsh businesses came to showcase their fantastic produce. [28], The Lichfields followed James II into exile after the Glorious Revolution. [24], The "House at the Back" reverted to the Crown when Lady Overkirk died in 1720. [153] It was also the location of the first press conference announcing the Coalition Government between David Cameron's Conservatives and Nick Clegg's Liberal Democrats. [56] This proved to be a gross underestimate; the final bill was over 11,000. News stories, speeches, letters and notices, Reports, analysis and official statistics, Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports. [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. [72], The symbol of British government, Number 10 became a gathering place for protesters. Culture: Bent, 286] This arrangement began to change in 1877 when Benjamin Disraeli took up residency. These rooms are all in constant usage - Foreign dignitaries are entertained here and the Prime Minister and his government base the majority of their work at Number 10. 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. Churchill called his secretaries the "garden girls" because their offices overlook the garden. [21], George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle, the general responsible for the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660, lived there from 1660 until his death in 1671. [68], For most of his premiership, Tony Blair lived in the more spacious residence above Number 11 to accommodate his relatively large family (a wife and four children). Most lent it to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, others to lesser officials or to friends and relatives. This post covers tours of 10 Downing Street. 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). "[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. Soane was the guest of honour when the dining room was first used on 4 April 1826. In 2010, the Camerons completely modernised the 50-year-old private kitchen in Number 11. Get 5 free searches. 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. [56] In 1783 the Duke of Portland moved out because it was once again in need of repair. Clickhere to get exact directions from your point of departure. "I am heart broken by the result," he said. London. Jones, p. 89 and see also Soane's sketches of several versions of the State Dining Room on p. 84. secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities, This became the subject of public controversy, principal private secretary to the prime minister, Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, Downing Street Director of Communications, Political Secretary to the Prime Minister, Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, "10 Surprising facts about Number 10 Downing Street", Cabinet Office letter dated 9 October 2018, "No. By the turn of the 20th century, photography and the penny press had linked Number 10 in the public mind with the premiership. 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. 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. Prague [70] This picture, too, became famous especially in India. Please note, if you have a media query concerning the Prime Minister or media access to. Lord North certainly occupied it during the two years he was Chancellor of the Exchequer only. [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. His secretary, George Downing, who built Downing Street, is thought to have created these changes. Premiership: The Development, Nature and Power of the Office of the British Prime Minister, Imprint Academic. Originally three houses, Number 10 was offered to Robert Walpole by King George II in 1732. 2) What is the email address of the Downing Street Press Office? 10 Downing Street is located in Downing Street, City of Westminster, London. 10 Downing Street, The Story of a House. Corporation. 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. This became the subject of public controversy, and an Electoral Commission inquiry took place into the financing of the refurbishment. See letter, dated, "Downing Street, 30 June 1742", from. He also introduced several paintings by John Constable and J. M. W. Turner, Britain's two best known 19th-century artists, and cricketing paintings by Archibald Stuart-Wortley including a portrait of one of England's most celebrated batsmen W. G. You have accepted additional cookies. The role of Downing Street Permanent Secretary was revived, with Samantha Jones holding the position on an interim basis.[173]. Miami If you are a journalist with a press enquiry or interview request, please email our press office. [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. 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. This was the pattern until the beginning of the 20th century. On these occasions, the table is set with the Silver Trust Silver set given to Downing Street in the 1990s. Robert Taylor, the architect who executed this concept, was knighted on its completion. Lord North, who conducted the war against the American Revolution, lived there happily with his family from 1767 to 1782. 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]. Winston Churchill is represented in two photographs. 5 stars. This structure can be seen today as the rear section of Number 10. It was here that Edward Heath kept his grand piano. New York City 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. Press Briefing Afternoon 11 June 2012 . Only a few are permanent features. 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. The original door was put on display in the Churchill Museum at the Cabinet War Rooms. 10 from the Cabinet Office, was passed through with such frequency that its meaning was lost. 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. With or without the prime minister present, visitors had their picture taken. Jones, in letter from Margaret Thatcher used as a preface to the book.