Visit
to The Houses
of Commons, The
Lords and the
Cabinet War
Rooms
Derek
Youell our
acting Social
Secretary is to
be
congratulated
in organising
this very
successful and
enjoyable as
well as
educational trip
on Monday
6th
October 2003
and
thanks to Sainsbury's
for allowing us
to use their
car park free
of charge for
the day.
This
visit really
resulted from a
previous Probus
presentation by
Richard Skelton on
"Life in
the House of
Lords". Richard
presented an
amusing and
very
informative
coverage of his
twenty five
years
experiences as
part of the
Black Rod team
at the House of
Lords. He
recounted the
900 years
history and the
cultural
influences on
the status and
conduct of this
prestigious
body. His
insights to
many of the
personalities
and activities
of their
Lordships held
the Probus
membership
enthralled and
at times in
fits of
laughter. This
was so well
received that
Derek in his
wisdom started
to arrange a
visit to the
Houses of
Commons and
Lords.
Hence,
as
arranged just
over 50 members
and friends
left on time at
precisely 10.00
as ordered!
Epsom coaches
provided a well
heated coach
and helpful
driver who got
us up to Westminster
in record time,
soon we were
split into
three parties
and conducted
over the Lords
and then the
Commons. The
various
facilities are
of the highest
order and in
parts really sumptuous,
but worthy of
our fine tradition
and heritage, a
fact that we
should all be
proud.

The
guides supplied
were excellent
in their
knowledge of
the present
membership and
changes taking
place in both
Houses, but
able to expand
on parliamentary
history and
well able to
answer a whole
range of
questions, some
of which are
noted below.
(shown in red)
The
UK Parliament
is one of the
oldest
representative
assemblies in
the world,
having its
origins in the
mid-13th
Century. From
the 14th
Century,
parliamentary
government in
the United
Kingdom has
been based on a
two-chamber
system. The
House of Lords
(the upper
house) and the
House of
Commons (the
lower house)
sit separately
and are
constituted on
entirely
different
principles. The
relationship
between the two
Houses is
governed
largely by
convention but
is in part
defined by the
Parliament
Acts. The
legislative
process
involves both
Houses of
Parliament and
the Monarch.
The
main functions
of Parliament
are to:
-
make
all UK
law
-
provide,
by voting
for
taxation,
the means
of
carrying
on the
work of
government
-
protect
the
public
and
safeguard
the
rights of
individuals
-
scrutinise
government
policy
and
administration,
including
proposals
for
expenditure
-
examine
European
proposals
before
they
become
law
-
hear
appeals
in the
House of
Lords,
the
highest
Court of
Appeal in
Britain
-
debate
the major
issues of
the day.
Parliament
has a maximum
duration of
five years. At
any time up to
the end of this
period, a
general
election can be
held for a new
House of
Commons.
There are
devolved
Parliaments/Assemblies
in Scotland,
Wales and
Northern
Ireland created
by legislation
passed by the
UK Parliament.
By the 1250s
King Henry III
(1216-72) was
running into
difficulties
with his
nobility. They
were angry at
the cost of
some of his
schemes, such
as the
rebuilding of
Westminster
Abbey and a
proposed
campaign to
make one of his
younger sons
King of Sicily.
The Provisions
of Oxford
(1258), imposed
on Henry by his
barons,
established a
permanent
baronial
council which
took control of
certain key
appointments.
The leader of
the baronial
movement was
Simon de
Montfort, the
Earl of
Leicester. In
1259 the
Provisions of
Westminster
reformed the
common law.
Henry
eventually
renounced both
sets of
provisions and
challenged the
barons. Civil
war broke out
in 1264,
initially going
well for Simon
de Montfort.
During the
conflict he
sought to boost
his baronial
support by
summoning
knights of the
shires and
burgesses to
attend his
parliament.
This was the
first time that
commoners had
been
represented.
De Montfort
was killed at
the Battle of
Evesham in
1265, but his
innovation of
summoning the
commons to
attend
parliaments was
repeated in
later years and
soon became
standard. Thus
it is from him
that the modern
idea of a
representative
parliament
derives.
In the 14th
Century, under
King Edward III
(1327-77) it
was accepted
that there
should be no
taxation
without
parliamentary
consent, still
a fundamental
principle
today. Two
distinct Houses
of Parliament
were emerging
for the first
time, with the
'Commons'
sitting apart
from the 'Upper
House' from
1341. The 'Good
Parliament' of
1376 saw the
election of the
first Speaker,
Thomas
Hungerford, to
represent the
Commons. It
also saw the
use of
'impeachment',
whereby the
House of
Commons as a
body could
accuse
officials who
had abused
their authority
and put them on
trial before
the Lords.
The 16th
Century saw the
legal union of
Wales - which
had long been
subject to the
English crown -
with England
under King
Henry VIII
(1509-47).
Henry's reign
also saw the
Church of
England break
away from the
Roman Catholic
Church. The
'Gunpowder
Plot' of 1605
may have been
hatched when it
became clear
that the new
King, James 1,
intended to do
nothing to ease
the plight of
Catholics in
the country.
The Queen today
remains the
Supreme
Governor of the
Church of
England and, as
the sovereign,
must by law be
a member of
that Church.
In
the 17th
Century,
tensions
increased
between
parliament and
monarch, such
that in 1641
the King and
Parliament
could not agree
on the control
of troops for
repression of
the Irish
Rebellion.
Civil War broke
out the
following year,
leading to the
execution of
King Charles 1
in January
1649. Following
the restoration
of the Monarchy
in 1660, the
role of
parliament was
enhanced by the
events of
1688-89 (the
'Glorious
Revolution')
and the passage
of the Bill of
Rights which
established the
authority of
Parliament over
the King, and
enshrined in
law the
principle of
freedom of
speech in
parliamentary
debates.
As we toured
along the
corridors of
the Houses we
passed many
pictures
depicting
periods in the
life of Parliament
versus the Monarchy
etc. one was of
Sir William
Waller's
Parliamentary
troops besieging
Basing House in
1643, this
mansion stood
by the River
Loddon, a
tributary of
the Thames, at
Old Basing and
recorded the
same event as
given by a
Probus guest
speaker.
More
information
about this
talk...............
1707 brought
the Union with
Scotland and
the first
Parliament of
Great Britain.
Growing
pressure for
reform of
parliament in
the 18th and
19th Centuries
led to a series
of Reform Acts
which extended
the electoral
franchise to
most men (over
21) in 1867
and, finally,
to women over
21 in 1928.
The
legislative
primacy of the
House of
Commons over
the Lords was
confirmed in
the 20th
Century by the
passing of the
Parliament Acts
of 1911 and
1949.
When was the
current Palace
of Westminster
built?
The new
Palace of
Westminster was
built in the
years following
the fire of 16
October 1834
which destroyed
nearly all the
Old Palace.
Work began in
1840 and was
substantially
completed by
1860, although
only in 1870
actually
finished. It
was formally
opened in 1852.
When was the
Old Palace
built?
The origins
of the Old
Palace can be
traced to the
middle of the
11th century.
The Palace was
the principal
residence of
the kings of
England until
1512 when the
building was
damaged by
fire. During
the Middle
Ages, it was
often not
possible to
accommodate the
whole of
Parliament
within the
Palace and the
House of
Commons did not
have a
permanent
meeting place
of their own
before 1547.
Edward VI
handed over the
royal Chapel of
St Stephen in
the Palace of
Westminster to
the Commons for
their use in
1547. The
Commons
assembled here
until the fire
of 1834.
What is the
oldest
remaining part
of the Old
Palace?
Westminster
Hall, which was
built between
1097 and 1099
by William
Rufus. The Hall
has been
altered over
the centuries
and its famous
hammer-beam
roof was built
between 1394
and 1399. The
Hall is now
used for major
public
ceremonies.
Other buildings
to survive are
the Crypt of St
Mary Undercroft
(built between
1292 and 1297)
and the Jewel
Tower on
Abingdon Street
(administered
by English
Heritage).
Who designed
the new Palace
of Westminster
following the
fire in 1834?
The
architect Sir
Charles Barry
who won a
public
competition.
Barry was
assisted by
Augustus Welby
Pugin well
known for his
interior
designs.
How tall is
the Clock
Tower?
96.3m (316
ft)
How much
does Big Ben
(the Great
Bell) weigh?
Big Ben
weighs 13.8
tonnes.
What is the
origin of the
name 'Big Ben'?
There are
two theories of
how the bell
got its name.
The first
suggests that
it was taken
from the
nickname of a
champion
heavyweight
boxer of the
time called Ben
Caunt. The
second and more
probable
explanation, is
that it was
named after the
bulky Welshman
Sir Benjamin
Hall, who was
First
Commissioner of
Works from 1855
to 1858 and
whose name was
inscribed on
the bell.
When was the
Commons Chamber
destroyed
during the
Second World
War?
10 May 1941
- the Chamber
was destroyed
by bombs and a
subsequent
fire. It was
rebuilt after
the war by the
architect Sir
Giles Gilbert
Scott.
What are the
dimensions of
the Commons
Chamber?
The Chamber
is 20.7m by 14m
at floor level
(68 ft by
46ft), rising
to 31.4m by
14.4m across
the galleries
(103ft by
48ft). The
height of the
Chamber is 14m
(46 ft).
What other
buildings make
up the
parliamentary
estate?
The House of
Commons has
taken over
nearby
buildings as
its functions
and staff have
increased.
These include
the Norman Shaw
North Buildings
and 35-37
Parliament
Street, renamed
the Parliament
Street Building
in 1991. A new
Parliamentary
building,
designed by
Michael Hopkins
and called
Portcullis
House
(nicknamed The
Titanic by the
Epsom and other
coach
drivers!), was
completed in
August 2000.
A
more formal
account
of Parliament
can be found on
the following
website
CLICK
here
among
the many new
weapons and
threats which
the First World
War introduced
to mankind was
the aerial
bombardment of
cities: the
attempt to
destroy centres
of commerce,
civilian life
and, above all,
government,
which until
then had been
remote from the
physical impact
of conflict.
The
bombing of
undefended
cities was
practised
during the
First World War
and the Spanish
Civil War,
causing many
civilian
casualties.
The fear
that cities,
and
particularly
London, would
be the first
targets of an
enemy
conducting a
war against
Great Britain
troubled
successive
British
governments in
the 1920s and
1930s.
It
seemed that the
nightmare of
mass slaughter
of civilians
and the
destruction of
ordered
government
might be
realised and
the question
became more
urgent as to
how the Prime
Minister, his
Cabinet and the
central core of
the military
command could
be protected in
the event of a
war involving
the European
powers.
RAF planners
drew a
horrifying
picture of 600
tons of bombs
raining down on
the capital,
causing 200,000
casualties in
just the first
week of a war.
Schemes for the
evacuation of
the Prime
Minister, the
Cabinet, and
its
administrative
machinery were
prepared as
early as the
1920s. Numerous
competing
schemes were
studied,
costed, and
even
constructed
throughout the
1930s, among
them the
adaptation of
basement
offices and the
tunnelling of
deep shelters
in central
London and in
the capital's
northwest
suburbs.
Eventually
the concern
that the public
might think
their leaders
were deserting
them persuaded
the planners to
look to the
possibility of
providing a
secure 'Central
War Room',
nearer to the
traditional
home of
government.
The
site chosen was
nothing grander
than the
basement
chambers of the
Office of
Works' building
which faced St.
James's Park
and Horseguards
Road on one
side and Great
George Street
on the other.
Known properly
as the 'New
Public Offices'
- so called
when it was
constructed at
the turn of the
century - but
referred to
throughout the
war simply as
'George
Street', this
building
offered the
strongest
structure of
any in
Whitehall and
was
conveniently
situated
between
Parliament and
the Prime
Minister's
office-residence
at Number 10
Downing Street.
Work
began in June
1938 on
adapting these
humble storage
areas, ten feet
below ground,
to house the
central core of
government and
a unique
military
information
centre to serve
the Prime
Minister and
the Chief of
Staff of the
air, naval and
land forces.
The events of
the Munich
crisis in the
early autumn
speeded up the
process.
Seen by most
planners as no
more than
temporary, the
rooms were
constructed
under the
watchful eye of
Major-General
Sir Hastings
(later Lord)
Ismay, assisted
by Major (later
Major-General
Sir Leslie)
Hollis, and
became fully
operational on
27 August 1939,
exactly a week
before the
German invasion
of Poland and
Britain's
declaration of
war. This
'temporary'
measure was to
serve as the
central shelter
for government
and the
military
strategists for
the next six
years.
With
the surrender
of the Japanese
forces in the
Far East in
August 1945,
the Rooms were
no longer
needed and, on
16 August 1945,
the lights in
the Central Map
Room were
switched off
for the very
first time
since the start
of the war and
the door was
locked. This
room, its
annexe,
Churchill's
office-bedroom,
and the Cabinet
Room were then
left intact and
undisturbed
until an
announcement in
the Parliament
in 1948 ensured
their
preservation as
an historic
site.
Restricted
access was
subsequently
possible, but
few were even
aware of the
existence of
this previously
top secret
installation
and it was only
in 1981 when
the Prime
Minister,
Margaret
Thatcher,
decided that
the site should
be made more
easily
accessible that
its history
became more
widely known.
During the
next three
years the
Imperial War
Museum and the
Department of
the Environment
arranged for
the careful
preservation
and restoration
of the complex
and made the
adaptations
which were
necessary to
give visitors
an intimate
view of the
contents of the
Rooms and the
routines of
life in them.
In April
2003 newly
restored
historic areas
of the Cabinet
War Rooms were
revealed to the
public for the
first time. Now
known as 'The
Churchill
Suite', these
nine historic
rooms had lain
neglected and
unseen since
the war.
Working from
wartime
photographs and
using original
furniture and
fittings, the
Cabinet War
Rooms have
faithfully
restored these
subterranean
rooms. Adapted
in 1941, the
rooms were
originally
known as the
'Courtyard
Rooms' and were
intended to
provide a
sheltered space
where the
people
Churchill
valued most
could eat,
sleep and work
in safety,
while the bombs
rained down
outside.
This sequence
of rooms
provided
private
chambers for
Winston
Churchill's
private office
staff and his
wife,
Clementine, as
well as a
dining facility
for himself and
'Clemmie' and a
meeting room
for his Chiefs
of Staff.
All
of these rooms
were stripped
out at the end
of the war and
were
subsequently
used as
low-grade
storage and
even as a
gymnasium,
until their
restoration in
2003. The work
of restoration
was greatly
assisted by a
series of
detailed
photographs
taken of the
rooms at the
end of the war.
Using these,
every effort
was made to
make the rooms
resemble their
original
wartime format.
Although
most of the
furnishings had
to be found
from government
office
basements,
second-hand
shops and the
attics and
garages of
private
individuals,
some of the
original room
contents were
kept and have
been restored
to their
original
position.
More
information...................
After
this under
ground tour the
Probus group
reassembled in
real daylight
and wondered
how staff had
coped with such
dim lighting
over a six
years period,
but gladly
boarded our
coach for a
nice scenic
tour of the
north bank of
the Thames
river to arrive
back in Epsom
at precisely
5.30 p.m. as
arranged by
Derek who
received a well
earned vote of
thanks from our
President Ken
Robinson.