TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF “NO. ID"

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4230, 15 October 1935, Page 2

TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF “NO. ID"

HISTORY OF ENGLAND’S MOST FAMOUS PRIVATE HOUSE SECRET OF ITS CHARM AND ALLUREMENT Plain, flat-faced, devoid of ornament to the point of ugliness, No. 10 Downing Street is perhaps the most famous house in the world (writes L. S. Mason). Recently it celebrated its twqhundredth birthday as an official residence. Not all that time has Downing Street had quite the significance it has today. It is only in the last 40 years or so that “ the policy of Downing Street ” or “ Downing Street opinion ” have become common phrases. In Queen Victoria’s time, except in the last decade, foreigners usually identified our policy with the “ Court of St. James ” —and that was much more to the great Queen’s liking. Even 50 years ago Downing Street did not have the grave, official air it has to-day, when it is impossible to turn into it without being conscious of a policeman’s scrutiny. There were several more houses in it then —only three survive now—and it had a pleasant, homely air, like that of a good-class suburban street. But though it may not always have been so aloof and dignified as it is today, Downing Street has been famous since Sir Robert Walpole first set foot in No. 10 as its master. And that is exactly 200 years ago. Seven generations have gone by, 31 different tenants have occupied No. 10, and yet if Sir Robert Walpole could return to the house to-day he would find several of the rooms, even to the pictures on the walls, just as they were when he left them. Therein lies the secret of the charm and allurement oi No. 10, notwithstanding its manifest deficiencies as a residence.

LAST KEY LOST. I went to No. 10 to offer it congratulations No sooner was my hand off the knocker than the door was opened by tile courteous janitor. Not so many years ago, I learned, I might have got into No. 10 without the formality of knocking—had I known how. N ear the knocker was a small wooden knob, and attached to it was a piece of string which was fastened to the latch inside. Pull the string and the door opened, and you stood in No. 10’s spacious hall. But,'of course, you found an attendant only is there no knob-and-string arrangement to-day, but the Prime Minister does not even have a key. In fact No. 10 does not boast such a thing as a latchkey. Long ago the last one disappeared, and as there was always an attendant on duty day and night kevs were deemed superfluous. But before describing any further No. 10 as it is to-day, let me tell the story of its past 200 years. It was not until five vears ago that the names or the people who have occupied it became definitely known. Tt has been said that No*. 10 was built by an American. Actually, George Downing was born at Dublin in 1622, migrated with his parents to Salem, Massachusetts, in 1637. but returned to England in 1645. Some time before 1677, George—then Sir George Downing—applied to the Khm for the lease of some land “ over against the Cockpit ” for building purposes. No sooner had he secured a lease than the Earl and Countess of Lichfield asked for a house to be specially built for them. The house built in response to this order was the nucleus of No. 10. At one time a brewery had stood on the site. . ..... The actual date of the building was 1677, and seven years later the redoubtable Downing passed to his last account. The Countess of Lichfield, No. 10’s first chatelaine, was noted for “ her extreme beauty and her numerous offspring. The only other thing that we know about No 10's first tenants is that they tried, unsuccessfully, to dodge payment of chimney tax on the ground that the house was within the purlieus of the Palace of Westminster. After Lord and Lady Overkirk had lived iu the house, some years later. Count Bothmar came into By this time the Crown had resumed possession of the house, and it was known as the King’s House. When Bothmar died, in 1731, George H. offered the house to his Prime Minister. Walpole demurred. He knew that his critics were always accusing him, probably not without reason, of “ making ” out of Ins public office. So he said he would only accept it on the understanding that it should become the perquisite of every First Lord of the Treasury. The King said: “So be it. Here lot me notice an important point. No. 10 was never assigned as a residence for the Prime Minister or the dav but for the First Lord of the Treasury. Seldom has this circumstance had any practical effect, because the Prime Minister and the First Lord of the Treasury are nearly always the same person. They have not always been the same, however, and in the ’eighties Sir Stafford Northcote and Mr \\T H. Smith lived at No. 10, even though neither was Prime Minister.

WALPOLE’S RELUCTANCE. Why did not Walpole take up residence after the house had been offered him P For nearly four years he did nothing, and during that time the house could not have been improving. I can give an explanation. Downing had built another house, now tlie front part of No. 10, right up against Bothinar’s house, so that they shared a common wall, and there is no doubt that, when Walpole had a second look at the house which had been assigned to him, he thought how much nicer a residence he might have if he joined the other house on it. However, this other house was occupied—by Mr Chicken. In the autumn of 1734 Mr Chicken moved a few doors farther down the street, towards Whitehall, and it was this move, undoubtedly, that gave Sir Robert his opportunity. The reconstruction of the two houses was done in 1734-35. Little did Mr Chicken think, when he decided to move down the street, that he was, in effect, making way for a long line of British Prime Ministers. , The Queen lost no time in visiting the Walpoles at their new abode. “ This morning,” announced tiie ‘ Daily Post ’ of October 1. about

9 o’clock the Queen and the Princesses: intend to come from Kensington and breakfast with Sir Robert Walpole at his new house near the Treasury in St. James’s Park. Some choice fruits, sweetmeats, and wines, with tea, chocolate, etc., have been sent in for the Royal and illustrious company.” In 1736 No. 10 was given a garden —that garden in which, at times of political change, or when a big conference is held in London, our statesmen! are photographed. Walpole left No. 10 very reluctantly in 1741. Since that time it has had 30 tenants, 13 of whom have been Prime Ministers, 11 Chancellors of the Exchequer, and the others private secretaries or relatives of the Prime Minister of the day. For 28 years after Walpole quitted No. 10 it was occupied by relatives of the Prime Minister who were not even politicians, and after Lord Grey left it in 1834 no Minister lived in it again until 1877. And even then Disraeli would not have gone there but for the fact that the stairs of his own hours in Whitehall Gardens were too much for his asthma. On such trifles does history depend! The younger Pitt also acquired a great liking for No. 10. Never can the house have seen stranger scenes than when Pitt was in a jolly mood and played with his sister’s children.

No. 10’s kitchen was made for giants. And though it has been given some modern appliances, it still has the great stone slabs, and possibly the same tables, as it had when Pitt’s naughty servants ordered stacks of food for their own enjoyment. All the statesmen who have lived at No. 10 are pictured on engravings which are hung on the wall alongside the main staircase. Pitt lived there longest—l 7 years. Gladstone, though he headed four administrations, had only two terms of residence. The “ Grand Old Man ” was very sad when he walked down the stairs of No. 10 for the last time in 1894, for he knew that his long career was over. His little granddaughter, oblivious of his thoughts, marched down the stairs singing a song.

TWO DEATHS IN NO. 10. So far as can be ascertained, only two statesmen have died at No. 10 — Lord Iddesleigh (formerly Sir Stafford Northcote), who collapsed in Lord Salisbury’s room on January 11, 1887, and Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman. And what of No. 10 to-day? I went nto every room in it, which is more, [ am sure, than some of its tenants nave ever done. I counted the rooms —those, I mean, on the main and first door. There are 20, all very spacious. Chen there are many rooms in the basement and on the second floor. There would be altogether, I think, about 40. As a home pure and simple, no Prime Minister of modern times has liked No. 10. Despite the fitting of bathrooms, of a lift, and of a butler’s pantry on the main floor, it cannot possibly be up to date. Structurally, the place is in excellent condition. Undoubtedly No. 10 has had the best of its life, but it is safe for many years to come.