There has been a settled Quaker Meeting in Belfast since 1799. At first located above a tan-yard in North Street, it moved to Brewery Lane (now Frederick Street) around 1810. The Meeting was housed in small premises until the large Meeting House was built in 1839. Designed by Thomas Jackson, a member of the Meeting, the Quaker architect also planned St Malachy's in Alfred Street.

After a split in the Meeting, membership declined, and the old building was demolished. A new Meeting House was built and was occupied in April 1973. The old Meeting House entrance remains along with the Institute building which for many years has been occupied by Concern Worldwide. The Meeting decided to continue in Frederick Street when it was known that the area would be developed and is now, in 2021, dwarfed by the huge buildings of the University of Ulster.

Social issues are to the fore in Quakerism. In 1827 Elizabeth Fry visited the Meeting to set up a committee so that the women in the Poor House could have improved conditions. A letter, written in 1838, protested about the plight of climbing boys (children used as chimney sweeps). William Bell, a member of the Meeting, tried at times to rescue slaves from the ships coming into Belfast harbour. At the time of the potato famine in the 1840's Belfast Friends were involved in distress relief. It was a strict rule that no religious strings would be attached to the assistance given at the time. Belfast Friends were also involved in basic education for the poor in the Adult School Movement and by 1885 religious and secular classes were held for young women who worked in the factories. Tuberculosis was endemic in the nineteenth century and when Forster Green lost five of his six children to the disease, the wealthy grocer donated the finance to build the hospital which bears his name on the outskirts of Belfast.

Friends as pacifists do not condone war but when in 1914 some of their members joined the Forces, it was decided to allow those who did the fullest liberty of conscience to do what they thought was right. In June 1920 the civil war came to Belfast and Belfast Quakers did their utmost to have representatives of both denominations to meet in Frederick Street. During the second world war, two members of the Meeting set up several of the 'British Restaurants' to provide cheap wholesome meals for the people of Belfast. This organisation later became the origin of school dinners. The same members then assessed the appalling housing conditions in Belfast and later became chairman and vice-chairman of the Housing Trust. A nursery school was started in the Frederick Street premises in January 1941 but after the Belfast blitz, the school was moved to the countryside for extensive repairs to the the Meeting House roof. The nursery school continued to be supported and run voluntarily by the Meeting until it finally closed in 2004.

The Ulster Quaker Service Committee, now Quaker Service, was set up in 1969 to look for openings for service and reconciliation at the start of 'The Troubles'. After internment in August 1971, there were little or no facilities or family support for visitors to Long Kesh. Members of Frederick Street and others set up and worked at a Visitors’ Centre there for many years. By 1998 both HMP Maze and Maghaberry had a Visitors’ Centre. The involvement of Quaker Service came to an end in 2016 when the government contract was given to a private company. However, Quaker Service is still involved in prison work through its project, Quaker Connections. Frederick Street Friends have always been heavily involved in the direction and ethos of Quaker Service and give particular support to Quaker Cottage; a cross community family support centre situated on Black Mountain in West Belfast. Many Frederick Street Friends also became volunteers when the Quaker Care Shop was opened in July 1998 to provide some much-needed finance for Quaker Service.

A booklet giving fuller detail of the history of Frederick Street is available from the Meeting House.

Sandra King