12 Downing Street

Government building in London January 2014 August 2024 thumb|right|12 Downing Street in 2009 12 Downing Street is one of the buildings situated on Downing Street in the City of Westminster in London, England. It has been traditionally used as the office of the Chief Whip although the upper floor forms part of the residential apartment for the prime minister of the United Kingdom. It has been owned and used by the Crown since 1803, first housing the Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces and then the Colonial Office, before the office of the Chief Whip moved into the premises in 1879 until 2001. It is a Grade II listed building. Current use The offices of the Prime Minister in 10 Downing Street have spread into 12 Downing Street, connected by a corridor which runs through 11 Downing Street.Seldon Anthony History: 10 Downing Street https://www.gov.uk/government/history/10-downing-street Gov.uk 3 April 2015 Under the 2019–2024 government the building was used to house the Prime Minister's Press Office and Strategic Communications Unit.Singleton David New PR role created at Downing Street http://www.prweek.com/article/1033352/new-pr-role-created-downing-street 3 April 2015 PR Week 8 October 2010Franklin (2005): p. 304 Although historically the house was used as the office of the Chief Whip, that is now located in 9 Downing Street.d'Ancona Matthew Michael Gove is now Chief Whip to the nation https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/matthew-dancona-michael-gove-is-now-chief-whip-to-the-nation-9609101.html 3 April 2015 Evening Standard 16 July 2014 Historical use thumb|right|upright=1.5|Downing Street looking west. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is on the left. The three adjoining houses 9–11 Downing St. are of dark brick, 11 having a white stucco ground floor. 12 Downing Street is the later-built red-brick building projecting forward from the line of the other three. The building on the near right is the Barry wing of the Cabinet Office, which has its main frontage on Whitehall. The land on which 12 Downing Street was built was first sold by Charles Downing to James Steadman in 1723. The house was then sold in 1772 to William Maseres, who leased it three years later to Henry Hunt. This lease was bought out by Simon Frazer, who also acquired Maseres' stake in the property. After Frazer's death in 1783, it was sold by the executors to James Martin, who in turn sold it to the East India Company in 1803. It was purchased that year by the Crown, and was first used to house the Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces. In 1827, it was taken over by the Colonial Office.No. 12, Downing Street http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol14/pt3/pp154-159#fnfn1 British History Online 3 April 2015 When Downing Street was remodelled in 1846, the houses at 10, 11 and 12 were joined together as a single overall building,Prime Minister's Residence Life 14 February 1949 47 https://books.google.com/books?id=f0oEAAAAMBAJ&dq=chief+whips+office+12+downing+street&pg=PA47 3 April 2015 No. 12 continuing to accommodate the Colonial Office. After that moved out in 1879, the house at 12 Downing Street was for many decades used as the office of the Chief Whip of the Government,Court and Personal http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000167/18960911/034/0004 3 April 2015 Huddersfield Chronicle 9086 11 September 1896 4 subscription British Newspaper Archive and also for parliamentary dinners.The Meeting of Parliament http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000206/18950119/031/0006 3 April 2015 Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser 11917 LXXI 19 January 1895 6 subscription British Newspaper Archive Herbert Gladstone, the son of then-Chancellor of the Exchequer William Ewart Gladstone, was born at 12 Downing Street in 1854. Herbert later became Home Secretary and the first Governor-General of the Union of South Africa.Lord Gladstone http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000273/19300128/219/0009 3 April 2015 Yorkshire Evening Post 12271 28 January 1930 9 subscription British Newspaper Archive During the First World War the premises were the headquarters of the Parliamentary Recruitment Committee.The Parliamentary Recruiting Committee http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000576/19141207/089/0009 3 April 2015 Aberdeen Journal 7 December 1914 9 subscription British Newspaper Archive 18695 It was formed across parties, and managed by the three Chief Whips during the Asquith coalition ministry of 1915–1916.Oakes (2009): p. 87 Following the breakup of the coalition government, the Liberal Party Chief Whip John Gulland was blamed in some parts of the media for disconnecting the phone line running to 12 Downing Street. This was denied, and a statement was issued to say that "At no time was the telephone temporarily disconnected."Chief Whip's Telephone http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000576/19161213/026/0003 3 April 2015 Aberdeen Journal 19327 13 December 1916 3 subscription British Newspaper Archive The building became Grade II listed on 14 January 1970.12, Downing Street Sw1, Westminster http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-209518-12-downing-street-sw1-greater-london-aut/photos British Listed Buildings 3 April 2015 The residency of the Chief Whips at 12 Downing Street ended in 2001, when Press Secretary Alastair Campbell was moved there from an office in 10 Downing Street by Prime Minister Tony Blair. The Whips were moved to 9 Downing Street, previously only known as the Privy Council building.Womack Sarah Campbell ousts the Chief Whip https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1339750/Campbell-ousts-the-Chief-Whip.html 3 April 2015 The Daily Telegraph 7 September 2001 During Gordon Brown's period as Prime Minister, he moved the Press Office back out of 12 Downing Street and instead used it as an open-plan office for himself and his key advisers, because it contained an individual space large enough for him and his advisers—something not available in 10 Downing Street.2008-10-13 The question: Do open plan offices work? http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/oct/14/labour-gordonbrown 2021-09-20 The Guardian en Notes 30em References Franklin Ben Key Concepts in Journalism Studies 2005 SAGE Publications London 9781847877611 franklin2005 Oakes John Kitchener's Lost Boys 2009 Stroud 9780752449302 oakes2009 51 30 12.2 N 0 07 41.1 W region:GB_scale:5000 title Category:National government buildings in London Category:Official residences in the United Kingdom Category:Houses in the City of Westminster Category:Buildings and structures on Downing Street