Practicality and magnificence do not always go hand in hand. A paradigmatic case is that of number 10 Downing Street, which, despite its rather vulgar main entrance, which does not distinguish it from any typical London house, has an undeniable symbolism as the seat of power in the United Kingdom. It was the only thing that saved it in 1958 from being demolished.
At first, the commission commissioned by Prime Minister Harold Macmillan saw no other way out. There was nothing straight there, not a plinth, not a balustrade… not even the walls, which on the upper floor were so crooked that they stopped hosting meetings for fear that the entire floor would collapse.
The house was made with poor quality materials, yes, but that was not the main problem. Located a few meters from the River Thames, it had been built on foundations too poor for such swampy soil. For Winston Churchill, it was “cheap” and limping, a tribute, in short, “to the greedy builder who gives it its name.”
He was referring to Sir George Downing (c. 1625-1684), a businessman and politician who served various governments and who, among other things, played a leading role in the conquest of New York from the Dutch in 1665. Although, Above all, Downing was a survivor. During the civil war years he supported the revolutionaries, and when Oliver Cromwell executed Charles I in 1649 and made the country a republic, he became his finance minister.
Because he did well, when Cromwell fell he was one of the few who could carry on. The price consisted of betraying several of his former comrades, but the brand new Carlos II rewarded him by keeping him in the position of minister.
Be that as it may, his street began to take shape in 1654, when a plot of land to the south of St. James’s Park fell into his hands, between this park and Whitehall street. As it was located a few meters from the Royal Palace (then, the Palace of Whitehall), his idea was to make houses for provosts and other high government officials.
It was difficult, then, with the restoration of the monarchy, the Hampden family –the former owner– took the opportunity to vindicate an old lease contract that they had with the Crown, but finally in 1682 they were able to start building.
In barely two years he had already built all the residences around that cul-de-sac street that today bears his name. It is a short time, because, despite an ad that spoke of “large, well-built homes, for people of honor and quality”, his invoice was very crude. The facades, for example, were ventilated with some lines painted on the smooth wall imitating brick in the English style.
There, the only building that had ever been luxurious was the so-called “Anneal House”, a small palace attached to the back of number 10. Built around 1530, throughout its history it served as the residence of various members of the court . Among them, Thomas Knyvet, a famous parliamentarian for being the one who captured Guy Fawkes on November 5, 1605, the Catholic conspirator who tried to blow up Parliament to kill the king and the Protestant elite.
After Knyvet, Elizabeth Stuart, the daughter of King James I of England, and Charlotte FitzRoy, the illegitimate daughter of Charles II, passed through there. Disgraced after the Revolution of 1688, which banished the last Catholic king of England, the latter had to leave the country that same year.
Finally, after a turbulent history, in 1733 the Crown took over the palace to hand it over to Robert Walpole, the prime minister of the time. A consecrated statesman, he only accepted the gift if it became the official residence of those who succeeded him in office.
To give the place the dignity that corresponded to it, he commissioned the architect William Kent to expand the buildings. They had to convince Mr. Chicken, the owner of an adjacent house, to move a couple of numbers down the street, and also take number 10, where the famous main entrance is today. Kent joined the three buildings together, giving the whole the appearance it has today.
In total, there were almost 200 rooms of originally different constructions and joined without much concert, for this reason the premier William Pitt (1759-1806) called it “my vast and strange house”. In addition, the old problem of humidity persisted in number 10, which had to be subjected to constant reforms.
Since most of the prime ministers avoided living there – their homes were more luxurious – during the 19th century the whole street suffered a gradual abandonment, until it became a popular corner among prostitutes. It did not improve until the early 20th century, when Arthur Balfour returned to headquarters with his cabinet.
Others followed, and little by little that front door was accumulating moments in the press. There Mahatma Gandhi took the historic photo after leaving to discuss the independence of India with Ramsay MacDonald, and Neville Chamberlain shouted “Peace with honour!” after returning from Munich believing that, by giving in to Hitler, he had placated him. As Churchill, his successor, would say: “You were given the choice between dishonor and war… You chose dishonor, and now you will have war.”
Although he did not live in the house, as with the Luftwaffe harassing the city it would have been dangerous, Churchill went in and out of number 10 several times just so the press could take pictures of him making the victory sign. After that, the place was already a symbol of the United Kingdom, as much as Buckingham Palace or Westminster.
Hence, the commission created by Harold Macmillan in 1958 decided in a second deliberation that it should be restored, saving as much as possible. Of course, the façade and its famous door were untouchable.
