10 Downing Street Guard Chairs

Last updated
One of the original chairs 10 Downing Street Guards Chair.jpg
One of the original chairs

The 10 Downing Street Guard Chairs are two antique porter's chairs. [1] In the early 19th century, 10 Downing Street was guarded by two men who sat outside the building in leather chairs made by Thomas Chippendale. There was a drawer underneath the chair which was filled with hot coals to keep the guards warm whilst on duty. [2] The chairs were hood chairs, made with a circular back and hood, both to shield the guards from bad weather and to improve the surrounding acoustics, thereby allowing the guard to hear better from a wider angle. [2]

Contents

Current state

The chairs still exist. One of them (also known as the Hall Porter's Chair[ citation needed ]) stands in the entrance to 10 Downing Street; the other is owned by a private collector of furniture. The fraying of the inner arm rests evident in the accompanying picture is the result of the guards' pistols repeatedly rubbing against the fabric during their watch. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Battle of Bull Run</span> Major battle of the American Civil War

The Second Battle of Bull Run or Battle of Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, in Prince William County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of the Northern Virginia Campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen. John Pope's Army of Virginia, and a battle of much larger scale and numbers than the First Battle of Bull Run fought on July 21, 1861, on the same ground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Doobie Brothers</span> American rock band

The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band formed in San Jose, California in 1970. Known for their flexibility in performing across numerous genres and their vocal harmonies, the band has been active for over five decades, with their greatest success taking place in the 1970s. The group's current lineup consists of founding members Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons, alongside Michael McDonald and John McFee, and touring musicians including John Cowan, Marc Russo (saxophones), Ed Toth (drums), and Marc Quiñones. Other long-serving members of the band include guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, bassist Tiran Porter and drummers John Hartman, Michael Hossack, and Keith Knudsen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">10 Downing Street</span> Residence and office of the UK prime minister

10 Downing Street in London is the official residence and office of the prime minister of the United Kingdom. Colloquially known as Number 10, the building is in Downing Street, off Whitehall in the City of Westminster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hilltop Hoods</span> Australian hip-hop group

Hilltop Hoods is an Australian hip hop group that formed in 1996 in Blackwood, Adelaide, South Australia. They are regarded as pioneers of the "larrikin-like" style of Australian hip hop. The group was founded by Suffa and Pressure, who were joined by DJ Debris after fellow founder, DJ Next, left in 1999. The group released its first extended play, Back Once Again, in 1997 and have subsequently released eight studio albums, two "restrung" albums and three DVDs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drive-By Truckers</span> American rock band

Drive-By Truckers are an American rock band based in Athens, Georgia. Two of five current members are originally from The Shoals region of northern Alabama and met as roommates at the University of North Alabama. The group also has roots in Richmond, Virginia.

Dedrick D'Mon Rolison, better known by his stage name Mack 10, is an American rapper. He has sold nearly 11 million records combining his solo and group works. Mack 10 made his first appearance on Ice Cube's 1994 Bootlegs & B-Sides compilation on the remixed track "What Can I Do?" and was a member of hip hop supergroup Westside Connection along with WC and Ice Cube. Mack 10 is also the creator of independent record label Hoo-Bangin' Records and made his stage name with the Ingram MAC-10 submachine gun.

Admiral is a four-star commissioned officer rank in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps with the pay grade of O-10. Admiral ranks above vice admiral and below fleet admiral in the Navy; the Coast Guard and the Public Health Service do not have an established grade above admiral. Admiral is equivalent to the rank of general in the other uniformed services. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps has never had an officer hold the grade of admiral. However, 37 U.S.C. § 201 of the U.S. Code established the grade for the NOAA Corps, in case a position is created that merits the four-star grade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barlow Road</span> Historic road in Oregon

The Barlow Road is a historic road in what is now the U.S. state of Oregon. It was built in 1846 by Sam Barlow and Philip Foster, with authorization of the Provisional Legislature of Oregon, and served as the last overland segment of the Oregon Trail. Its construction allowed covered wagons to cross the Cascade Range and reach the Willamette Valley, which had previously been nearly impossible. Even so, it was by far the most harrowing 100 miles (160 km) of the nearly 2,000-mile (3,200 km) Oregon Trail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Litter (vehicle)</span> Human-powered wheelless vehicle for the transport of persons

The litter is a class of wheelless vehicles, a type of human-powered transport, for the transport of people. Smaller litters may take the form of open chairs or beds carried by two or more carriers, some being enclosed for protection from the elements. Larger litters, for example those of the Chinese emperors, may resemble small rooms upon a platform borne upon the shoulders of a dozen or more people. To most efficiently carry a litter, porters either place the carrying poles directly upon their shoulders or use a yoke to transfer the load from the carrying poles to the shoulders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiran Porter</span> Musical artist

Tiran Calvin Porter is an American bass and guitar player, vocalist and composer, best known as a member of The Doobie Brothers from 1972 to 1980 and 1987 to 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tracy Porter</span> American football player (born 1986)

Tracy O'Neil Porter is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Indiana Hoosiers and was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the second round of the 2008 NFL draft. Porter is best known for being a crucial player during the Saints’ 2009 season, in which he intercepted Brett Favre in the NFC Championship Game and then won Super Bowl XLIV over the Indianapolis Colts, sealing the game by famously intercepting Peyton Manning and returning it for a touchdown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. John's Episcopal Church (Detroit)</span> Church in Detroit, Michigan, United States

St. John's Episcopal Church is an antebellum-era church located at 2326 Woodward Avenue in Downtown Detroit, Michigan. It is the oldest church still standing on Woodward Avenue, an area once called Piety Hill for its large number of religious buildings. The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 and designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Sampson</span> English street dancer

George William Sampson is an English street dancer, television presenter, singer, and actor. He won the second series of Britain's Got Talent on 31 May 2008 at the age of 14. He is an official ambassador of the United Dance Organisation.

Queen City Rocker is a 1986 New Zealand film which was sold by Richard Lymposs, a sixteen-year-old youth with no prior film or writing experience. Queen City Rocker was bought by Larry Parr a budding Auckland film producer in 1981 and shot in 1985. It was directed by Bruce Morrison, and starred Matthew Hunter, Mark Pilisi and Kim Willoughby. The film is also called "Tearaway".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1980 United States Senate election in Oregon</span>

The 1980 Oregon United States Senate election was held on November 4, 1980 to select the U.S. Senator from the state of Oregon. Republican candidate Bob Packwood was re-elected to a third term, defeating Democratic state senator Ted Kulongoski and Libertarian Tonie Nathan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Fort Hood shootings</span> Mass shooting at a US military post

On Wednesday, April 2, 2014, a shooting spree was perpetrated at several locations on the Fort Hood military base near Killeen, Texas. Four people, including the gunman, were killed while 14 additional people were injured; 12 by gunshot wounds. The shooter, 34-year-old Army Specialist Ivan Lopez, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

<i>Once Upon a Time</i> season 5 Season of television series

The fifth season of the American ABC fantasy-drama series Once Upon a Time was ordered on May 7, 2015. Like the previous two seasons, it was also split into two volumes, with the first airing from September 27 to December 6, 2015, and the second from March 6 to May 15, 2016. The season also saw the series reach its 100th episode, which aired on March 6, 2016 as the mid-season premiere.

The 1926 Georgia Tech Golden Tornado football team represented the Georgia Tech Golden Tornado of the Georgia Institute of Technology during the 1926 Southern Conference football season. The Tornado was coached by William Alexander in his seventh year as head coach, compiling a record of 4–5.

<i>The Voice</i> (American TV series) season 10 Season of television series

The tenth season of the American reality talent show The Voice premiered on February 29, 2016, on NBC. Carson Daly returned as the show's host. Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, and Pharrell Williams all returned as coaches. Meanwhile, Christina Aguilera returned after a one-season hiatus, replacing Gwen Stefani who did not return as a coach for this season, however instead served as an advisor for Team Blake in the Battle Rounds.

References

  1. "Take a Seat! History's Most Intriguing Chairs".
  2. 1 2 3 "Inside Number Ten: A guided tour". The Independent. 28 June 2007. Archived from the original on 8 April 2011. Retrieved 9 December 2013.