The History Behind Downing Street

Sir George Downing

George Downing was the creator behind Downing Street. He gained a royal pardon in March 1660 and in May 1660 rewarded with a knighthood. George was more interested in the property on Downing Street that belonged to Knyvet’s inheritors. Knyet was one of Queen Elizabeth 1 favourite MP and was also knighted in 1604.The property had stayed in their family, until 1682 when George Downing had gained the lease to the property.

During 1682 to 1684, approximately 20 bad looking terraced houses were built along the new street, Downing Street. Also, the houses along Downing Street were usually identified by the name. The numbering of the houses had changed drastically since 1700s.  For example, house number 10 was previously five.

House number 10 had many different residents such as Countess of Yarmouth (1688-1689), Lord Lansdown (1692-1696), Earl of Grantham and Mr Chicken (1730s).

Sir Robert Walpole

Later on, the house on Downing Street and the house that overseas horse guards were given to Sir Robert Walpole, First Lord of Treasury or Prime Minister and Prime Minister, by King George 2.  Walpole made the Downing Street house become residence for him and future First Lords of Treasury. This is seen on the letterbox on the front door, which is still engraved with the title. Later on, Walpole had hired an architect, William Kent to refurbish the two houses.

Downing Street had an intense journey where many times it was at crisis. For example, by 1950s 10 Downing Street had worsened by bomb damages. There were mainly structural problems such as sloping walls. In 1991 a terrorist’s bomb exploded in the garden of number 10, which was only a few metres away from the Prime Minister at the time, John Major. 

Downing Street went through a lot of damage and was very unstable throughout years. However, the significant change was done by Tony Blair in 2006 who put forward a new programme to improve the buildings on Downing street.  by starting this programme they had discovered 11 downing street was actually dangerous because of its instability and to secure it, it needed 225 stainless steel pins.

At this moment, there is still programmes which are carried out to make sure downing street is stable, secure and modernised. for example, there has been a great improvement in the disability facilities,  to allow downing street to be accessible for anyone with disabilities.  However, their main aim now, is to modernise their facilities but keep its history.