A wealthy Quaker linen merchant, John Hancock, left £1000 in 1764 for the purchase of land in or around Lisburn on which to build a school.   Twenty acres were purchased at Prospect Hill from the Earl of Hertford.   In 1774 the first Headmaster, John Gough, took up his post.  The school became known as the Ulster Provincial School, and became the responsibility of the Ulster Quarterly Meeting, the body representing the  Religious Society of Friends in Ulster.  Today the Board of Governors is composed of ten representatives of Ulster Friends, four nominees of the Department of Education, two elected Parent Governors and two elected Teacher Governors.

By 1900 the school had become a recognised feature of Lisburn life, enrolling non-Quakers as well as Quakers and serving the needs of the general community of Lisburn and district.  Under John M. Douglas (1929-52) Friends’ emerged as one of the leading grammar schools in Northern Ireland.

The school has continued to expand under recent principals.  In 1965 the present Dining Hall, Gymnasium and Old West Wing were completed.  The semi-circular Assembly Hall was completed in 1967 followed by the building of Harding House. The West Wing Extension was completed in 1990 and the Middle School Extension, completed at the same time, contains a new Library Complex, Lecture Theatre, Sixth Form Common Room, Careers Suite and study areas for Sixth Formers.  The Technology building was opened in September 1992.

It was vital that the school should have all the facilities required to enable it to meet with confidence the challenge of the new Millennium.  To that end in 1994 the Board of Governors embarked upon a Development Campaign.

This financed the building of the purpose-built Preparatory Department.
The new Preparatory Department was completed by September 1996. The building was officially opened by Theo. J. Snoddy on 12 March 1997.

The Sports Complex was completed for the start of the Autumn Term 2000 and officially opened by Daniel H. Sinton on 5 October 2000.

On going developments have been the extensive refurbishment of the Science Laboratories and the provision of a Computer Suite giving all pupils access to the latest Information Technology. 

Friends’ has changed dramatically over the last forty years.
Indeed its first Headmaster, John Gough, would find it difficult to recognise the school which he knew at the end of the eighteenth century, and yet the link with those days has not been forgotten.  The Quaker ethos of care for the individual and development of inherent potential still underpins the general philosophy of the school and through tolerance and understanding helps to cater for the different traditions within the local community.