An article in The Times on 12 October detailed the dissatisfaction felt by many prime ministers with their official residence. Disraeli found it “dingy and decaying.” Lord Salisbury called it “cramped”. Only Margaret Thatcher sang its praises unreservedly. However, when an opportunity to move into more splendid premises arose, it was turned down. Alistair Lexden described how this happened in a letter published in The Times on October 14.
Sir, William Gladstone is to blame for the privations suffered by his successors at No 10 (“Life inside the Downing Street ‘crack den’”, Dominic Sandbrook, Oct 12). In 1885 the state acquired Dover House, the magnificent mansion in Whitehall where Byron had seduced Lady Caroline Lamb. The cabinet urged Gladsone to turn it into a prime ministerial residence worthy of a great country. He refused, saying his wife couldn’t face all the entertaining that would be involved. The building became the home of the newly created Scottish Office, for which it was much too big.
Lord Lexden
House of Lords
