Downing Street

Downing Street
   No. 10 Downing Street has been the official residence of the prime minister since 1735, when George II gave it to Sir Horace Walpole to serve for that purpose. Downing Street is a street leading off Whitehall and a synonym for the British government. The street is named after Sir George Downing (1623-1684), who was both a parliamentarian and an ambassador, serving under Cromwell and then Charles II.
   The son of a Puritan lawyer and the second graduate of Harvard College, he served in the military for a while during the English Civil War and was a member of the Parliament during Cromwell's protectorate. Downing was a selfish and treacherous person. He switched his politics, in 1660, to support the restoration of the Stuart monarchy. Under Charles II he became the ambassador to Holland, but his diplomatic intransigence caused the Second Dutch War.
   In 1671 Downing was sent to Holland for the express purpose of fomenting another war, but his behavior there was so despicable, so abominable, that it infuriated the Dutch, and he had to flee for his life. No excuse, so far as Charles II was concerned! He had Downing imprisoned for deserting his post. After his release from confinement, however, he was given a high financial position, which he held for the rest of his days.

Dictionary of eponyms. . 2013.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Downing Street — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Downing Street Downing Street es una calle del centro de Londres, famosa porque contiene los edificios que han sido, durante doscientos años, las residencias oficiales de dos de los más superiores ministros… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Downing Street — short street in London, named for British diplomat Sir George Downing (c.1624 1684). It contains the residence of the prime minister (at Number 10), hence its metonymic use for the British government, attested from 1781 …   Etymology dictionary

  • Downing Street — [dou′niŋ] [after Sir George Downing (1623 84), who owned property there] street in Westminster, London, location of some of the principal government offices of the United Kingdom, including the official residence of the prime minister (No. 10):… …   English World dictionary

  • Downing Street — (spr. dauning strït), Straße in London, in der das Schatzamt (treasury) und die ausgedehnten public offices (Sitz der meisten Ministerien) liegen. In der Zeitungssprache wird D. S. oft fürs Auswärtige Amt gesetzt …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Downing Street — rue de Londres où se trouve, au numéro 10, la résidence du Premier ministre britannique …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Downing Street — For other uses, see Downing Street (disambiguation). The corner of Downing St and Whitehall Downing Street in London, England has for over two hundred years housed the official residences of two of the most senior British cabinet ministers: the… …   Wikipedia

  • Downing Street — Die Downing Street Die Downing Street [ˈdaʊnɪŋstɹiːt] ist die berühmte Straße im Zentrum Londons, in der sich seit mehr als zweihundert Jahren die offiziellen Amts und Wohnsitze von zwei der wichtigsten britischen Regierungsmitglieder befinden –… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Downing Street — 51°30′11.6″N 0°07′39.0″O / 51.503222, 0.1275 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Downing Street 10 — Der damalige Premierminister Blair und US Vizepräsident Cheney vor Downing Street No. 10 (2002) Das Haus 10 Downing Street (sprich Downing Street number ten) ist die offizielle Residenz des First Lord of the Treasury, der seit 1905 immer zugleich …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Downing Street No.10 — Der damalige Premierminister Blair und US Vizepräsident Cheney vor Downing Street No. 10 (2002) Das Haus 10 Downing Street (sprich Downing Street number ten) ist die offizielle Residenz des First Lord of the Treasury, der seit 1905 immer zugleich …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Downing Street No. 10 — Der damalige Premierminister Blair und US Vizepräsident Cheney vor Downing Street No. 10 (2002) Das Haus 10 Downing Street (sprich Downing Street number ten) ist die offizielle Residenz des First Lord of the Treasury, der seit 1905 immer zugleich …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”