2-378-655 - Historica Graphica Collection/Heritage Images

No 10 Downing Street and the Foreign Office, London, 20th century. Sir George Downing, Secretary to the Treasury (1623-1684) built Downing Street in 1663-1671. In 1731, No 10 was offered to Sir Robert Walpole (1676-1745) as a personal present from King George II (1683-1760), but the statesman persuaded the King to give it to the office of the First Lord of the Treasury. Since 1735 the Prime Minister has also held the post of First Lord of the Treasury, and No 10 has been the Prime Minister's official residence.