Friends House

Did you know that Friends House has hosted some of history’s most influential figures? Right here before us stands Friends House a remarkable building steeped in history and brimming with stories. It’s more than just a meeting place for Quakers it’s a vibrant hub for conferences events and gatherings. Friends House serves as the central office for British Quakers. It also houses a library a café and a bookshop. Its location at 173 Euston Road is significant. Before Friends House was built British Quakers had offices in Devonshire House on Bishopsgate. They had been there since 1666. However by 1911 Devonshire House was too small. A committee was formed to find a new location. After considerable debate the decision was made to sell Devonshire House and seek new premises. The Society of Friends purchased Endsleigh Gardens for £45000 in 1923. This choice sparked controversy. Many criticized the selection of a greenfield site. Friends House’s construction was met with criticism from The London Society. A competition was held to design the new building. Five Quaker architects submitted plans. Hubert Lidbetter’s simple elegant neo-Georgian design was chosen. His design featured three distinct blocks each with its own entrance. The eastern section housed administrative offices. The central block contained large and small meeting spaces. The western section Drayton House was for rentals. The building’s completion in 1927 earned it the RIBA Bronze Medal for the best building in London that year. Friends House is a Grade II listed building. The large meeting house was later refurbished becoming The Light a 1000-delegate auditorium. The garden at Friends House was relandscaped in 2016. The design incorporates a timeline carved into a pathway. It highlights key Quaker dates spanning three centuries. The meeting rooms inside Friends House are named after prominent Quakers and peace campaigners. Friends House is home to the Library of the Society of Friends. This extraordinary collection includes records archives and one of the world’s largest collections of Quaker books and materials. Remarkably the diaries of Elizabeth Fry and the Swarthmore manuscripts are part of this collection. The building has witnessed countless significant events. Mahatma Gandhi delivered his first public speech in London in Friends House. In 1938 hundreds of women gathered there to protest the cost of living. Norman Manley Prime Minister of Jamaica addressed a crowd following the Notting Hill riots. The first international conference on sanctions against South Africa was held within its walls. Martin Luther King Jr and Bayard Rustin attended a reception there. Unfortunately Friends House was even targeted by the South African Intelligence Services in a break in. More recently Greta Thunberg spoke at a climate emergency event held here. The history of Friends House echoes the rich history and values of the Quaker movement. It remains a place of quiet contemplation and active engagement with the world. It’s a place where history whispers through its walls and continues to shape our future.