Press armchair

This armchair sits just outside the area used by the press in the House of Commons. It is oak and upholstered in leather with the usual gold portcullis stamped on the back rest, minus the crown. However it has an additional symbol stamped below the portcullis of two crossed quills.

There is a brass plaque on the back of the chair which reads:

“Parliamentary press gallery centenary chair 1881-1981. Purchased from Gallery funds and the Emsley Carr Trust.”

Research is on-going to establish if the press bought this chair on the open market and then brought it into the Palace of Westminster or whether perhaps the press paid for the restoration of a chair already in the Palace