Drawn in by an elegant neo-Georgian design of Portland stone and brick, we stand before Friends’ Meeting House. This multi-use building on Euston Road holds more than just bricks and mortar. It houses the central offices of British Quakers and a conference center. It is also the principal venue for North West London Meeting and the Britain Yearly Meeting.
Friends’ Meeting House is a hub. It hosts events, meetings, conferences, and gatherings. You will also find a library, a café, a bookshop, a worship space, a courtyard, and a garden.
Before 1926, British Quakers were in Devonshire House. They had rented rooms there since 1666. Over time, they bought the lease and built meeting houses and offices. By 1911, the site was too small. A committee considered rebuilding or moving.
They sold Devonshire House and bought Endsleigh Gardens in 1923. The London Society criticized this choice, because it was a greenfield site.
Five Quaker architects submitted plans for the new facility. It needed a large meeting house for 1,500 people, a smaller meeting house, office space, and a library.
Hubert Lidbetter’s design won. It had three blocks, each with an entrance. The eastern section was for administration. The central block held the large and small meeting spaces. The west block was for letting out and is now Drayton House.
In 1927, the building won the RIBA Bronze medal. The Architectural Review called it “eminently Quakerly.” It was Grade II-listed in 1996.
In 2014, the large meeting house was refurbished. It became The Light, an auditorium for 1,000 people. The Light won a RIBA Regional award in 2015.
The Friends’ Meeting House garden connects Euston Road and Endsleigh Gardens. It has a path open from morning to late afternoon. In 2016, the garden was relandscaped. Wendy Price and John Mc Aslan + Partners designed it, inspired by a Waldo Williams poem.
The garden path has a timeline of Quaker dates. It highlights key points over three centuries. These points include persecution, worship permission, and commitment to tackle slavery.
Inside Friends’ Meeting House, meeting rooms are named after prominent Quakers and peace campaigners. Names include Bayard Rustin, Lucretia Mott, and Elizabeth Fry.
The Library of the Society of Friends is here. Its collection dates from the 1650s. It has Britain Yearly Meeting records and one of the largest collections of Quaker books. Highlights include Elizabeth Fry’s diaries and the Swarthmore manuscripts.
Mahatma Gandhi spoke here in 1931. It was his first public speech in London.
In 1938, hundreds of women gathered at Friends’ Meeting House. They spoke about the cost of living. A young housewife said, “We do not ask for strawberries and cream, we only ask for bread and butter.”
In 1958, Norman Manley, Prime Minister of Jamaica, spoke here after the Notting Hill riots.
In 1964, the first international conference on sanctions against South Africa occurred here. Oliver Tambo of the ANC spoke about racial injustice.
Martin Luther King Jr. attended a lunch reception here. Bayard Rustin introduced him.
In 1971, the offices were broken into. The South African Intelligence Services allegedly stole documents.
In 2001, over 2,000 people gathered here to oppose the War on Terror.
In 2019, Greta Thunberg spoke here, urging action on climate change.
Friends’ Meeting House stands as a testament to Quaker values. Its history echoes with voices for peace, justice, and equality. The building itself embodies simplicity and purpose. It continues to be a place for reflection, action, and community.