8 January: Chequers

On this date in 1921 David Lloyd George became the first Prime Minister to occupy the Buckinghamshire country mansion, Chequers. 10 things you might not know about the UK Prime Minister’s country retreat.

1. The house is located in Buckinghamshire, near the village of Ellesborough at the foot of the Chiltern Hills. It’s about 40 miles from Ten Downing Street.
2. There has been a house on the site since medieval times, but the current house dates back to 1565 and is a Grade I listed building.
3. It became a retreat for Prime Ministers because the previous owners, Lord and Lady Lee gave Chequers to the nation as a retreat for the PM, by means of Chequers Estate Act 1917. They did this because they realised that times were changing, and politicians were no longer exclusively from the landed gentry. Future Prime Ministers might not have big country houses of their own to entertain VIP guests in. The 1917 act puts it: 'It is not possible to foresee or foretell from what classes or conditions of life the future wielders of power in this country will be drawn. Some may be as in the past men of wealth and famous descent; some may belong to the world of trade and business; others may spring from the ranks of the manual toilers. To none of these in the midst of their strenuous and responsible labours could the spirit and anodyne of Chequers do anything but good.'
4. Furthermore, Lord Lee commissioned a stained glass window for the house with an inscription: 'This house of peace and ancient memories was given to England as a thank-offering for her deliverance in the great war of 1914–1918 as a place of rest and recreation for her Prime Ministers for ever.'
5. One of the rooms is a prison cell. Not, I might add, in current use. It has only held one inmate, and that was Lady Mary Grey, sister of Lady Jane Grey, who was held there for two years for the crime of getting married without royal consent. Elizabeth I, who was on the throne at the time, didn’t want her producing children who might make a play for the throne. Poor Mary didn’t get out alive. She died of TB at the age of 27 in 1568. The room/cell in which she slept has been preserved in its original condition ever since.
6. During the First World War, Chequers was used as a convalescent home for injured British officers.
7. The origin of the name isn’t known for sure. Either it’s a reference to a man named Elias Ostarius who owned the manor there in the 12^th century. Ostarius means an usher of the Exchequer and his coat of arms included a chequer board which was used as an aid to financial calculations. Or, it’s because there are chequer trees (Sorbus torminalis) growing in the grounds.
8. Talking of grounds, the estate surrounding Chequers covers about 1,000 acres.
9. Inside, the house has an indoor heated swimming pool in the Orangery, the largest collection of Oliver Cromwell memorabilia, and something like 190 works of art.
10. Famous guests at the house have included the Queen, David Bowie, Elton John, Bryan Adams, Charlie Chaplin, former US Presidents Richard Nixon and Donald Trump, and Russian leader Vladimir Putin (who I don’t think is going to be invited back any time soon).

Character birthday

Gyro: Member of Combat Team Epsilon, real name Michael Boll. He applied to join the Combat Team Programme as a sharpshooter, but was eliminated from the contest in the semi-final. However, he stuck around to watch the final and got chatting to a martial artist, Kane, who had been eliminated from the martial arts contest. Between them they came up with the idea of forming their own team from the candidates rejected by the four official teams.