In 1858 Portal was appointed Rector of Albury, near Guildford; ten years later he started the Surrey County Deposit Benefit Club.

By the end of 1869 the Society had around 200 members and it began to spread into the surrounding villages and then Guildford where it had a small office with a general secretary.

[3] By providing state benefits, the National Insurance Act 1911 had the potential to threaten the voluntary principle of the friendly society system.

[3][5][6][7][8] At the end of World War I, National Deposit Friendly Society established its own convalescent home, which offered support to injured soldiers.

[10] In 2011, National Friendly stopped writing new health insurance policies due to capital inadequacy issues.