A lay organisation it is one of the oldest Buddhist societies in Europe. From its inception it has not been attached to any one school of Buddhism, remaining non-sectarian in character and open in principle to the teachings of all schools and traditions. Nor does the Society lend its official support to any activity of a political nature, whether national or international, this being proscribed by the terms of its constitution.

Christmas Humphreys, a distinguished lawyer who was to become a High Court Judge, was President of the society he founded until his death in April 1983. Over the many years of his presidency, the Society flourished and became widely known and respected, both at home and overseas. In 1956 the Society moved to its present address at Eccleston Square and in that same year participated in the Buddha Jayanthi, the celebration of the 2,500th anniversary of the Buddha’s Enlightenment which took place in India. In 1961 His Holiness the Dalai Lama became Patron to the Buddhist Society, the first in the West to be so honoured. During these especially fruitful years the Society received many distinguished visitors, including Her Majesty the Queen of Bhutan (1925) and Their Majesties The King and Queen of Thailand (1966). In 1973 the Society hosted a visit by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in his capacity of Patron of the Buddhist Society, and a subsequent visit in June 1996, as part of the Society’s extended 70th-anniversary celebrations. The Society continues to work with others in helping to enable further visits of His Holiness to this country.

In the early days, much emphasis was placed on pioneering the publishing of Buddhist books in English and some of the books published in that period remain in print today. The tradition of publishing continues, with the Society acting the part of an occasional publisher and as an agent facilitating the publication of relevant books. Especially noteworthy in this connection is the Society’s internationally respected quarterly, The Middle Way, which began life as Buddhism in England, and has a publishing history going back to 1926.