Who or what was Wilberforce who retired from 10 Downing Street In 1987
Wilberforce (cat) hate cats", he said. On the BBC coverage of the 1983 general election, presenter Esther Rantzen was allowed to hold Wilberforce and introduce him to viewers. Wilberforce retired in 1986, after 13 years of loyal service. He went to live with a retired caretaker from No. 10 in the country. He died in his sleep on 19 May 1988. Wilberforce (cat) Wilberforce was a cat who lived at 10 Downing Street between 1973 and 1986 and served under four British Prime Ministers: Edward Heath, Harold Wilson, Jim Callaghan and Margaret Thatcher. His chief function was to catch mice, in which
10 Downing Street James's Park, making the street quiet and private. An advertisement in 1720 described it as: "... a pretty open Place, especially at the upper end, where are four or five very large and well-built Houses, fit for Persons of Honour and Quality; each House having a pleasant Prospect into St James's Park, with a Tarras Walk". The cul-de-sac had several distinguished residents: the Countess of Yarmouth lived at Number 10 between 1688 and 1689, Lord Lansdowne from 1692 to 1696 and the Earl of Grantham from 1699 to 1703. Downing did not live in Downing Street. In 1675 he retired