Friends House anniversary
The first Yearly Meeting at Friends House took place ninety years ago
Friends House has just completed ninety years on its present site at Endsleigh Gardens in London.
The decision to build new headquarters for the Religious Society of Friends in Britain was first made in 1911 and the resultant building by the distinguished Quaker architect Hubert Lidbetter won the RIBA bronze medal in 1927 for the best building erected in London that year.
Construction began in 1924 and the first Yearly Meeting was in 1927 when Quakers were concerned about education, temperance, the Peace Testimony and their work among miners following the coal dispute.
The opening Meeting for Worship at 5pm on Thursday 20 May 1927 was followed by The Swarthmore Lecture, given by Harry T Silcock.
The Large Meeting House, the Friend reported at the time, was packed: ‘The main floor understood to hold 700 and the galleries a further 600. Every seat was occupied and fully 200 more sat on steps, stood at the back, crowded round doorways and even climbed on to the roof and listened in to the window tops.’
Friends House has undergone major internal renovations and improvements since 1927. Today, it is the venue for Yearly Meeting and has thriving conference facilities, centred on the Large Meeting House, known as The Light, along with the library, offices, smaller worship space, award-winning restaurant and café.
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