Collection GB 0074 A/SGS - SPITALFIELDS GREAT SYNAGOGUE

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0074 A/SGS

Title

SPITALFIELDS GREAT SYNAGOGUE

Date(s)

  • 1714-1922 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

0.16 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Spitalfields Great Synagogue was situated on the corner of Brick Lane and Fournier Street in Spitalfields. The Synagogue occupied the site of a former church built by French speaking Huguenot refugees in 1843. The building was leased in 1809 to the London Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews. In 1843 the French Church leased the building to a community of Methodists, it then became a Wesleyan Chapel and was known as Spitalfields Chapel. In 1898 the Trustees of the French Church leased the building to the London Hebrew Tamud Torah Classes who in turn sub-let it to the Jewish Machzikei Hadath community.

The Machzikei Hadath community were particularly concerned to preserve strict orthodox standards of religious worship and observance: the congregation was largely made up of newly arrived Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe who found the established practices of the Anglo-Jewish community did not match their standards of orthodoxy. Spitalfields Great Synagogue was consciously modelled on synagogues found in Eastern Europe. The congregation flourished in the early twentieth century and became known as an important centre for the local Jewish community. As the community moved from the area however attendance declined and the synagogue was closed in 1952: a new Machzikei Hadath Synagogue was opened in Golders Green in the 1980s.

The building was sold in the 1970s to a community of Muslims from Bangladesh and converted to use as a mosque.

Archival history

GB 0074 A/SGS 1714-1922 Collection 0.16 linear metres Spitalfields Great Synagogue

Spitalfields Great Synagogue was situated on the corner of Brick Lane and Fournier Street in Spitalfields. The Synagogue occupied the site of a former church built by French speaking Huguenot refugees in 1843. The building was leased in 1809 to the London Society for Promoting Christianity among the Jews. In 1843 the French Church leased the building to a community of Methodists, it then became a Wesleyan Chapel and was known as Spitalfields Chapel. In 1898 the Trustees of the French Church leased the building to the London Hebrew Tamud Torah Classes who in turn sub-let it to the Jewish Machzikei Hadath community.

The Machzikei Hadath community were particularly concerned to preserve strict orthodox standards of religious worship and observance: the congregation was largely made up of newly arrived Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe who found the established practices of the Anglo-Jewish community did not match their standards of orthodoxy. Spitalfields Great Synagogue was consciously modelled on synagogues found in Eastern Europe. The congregation flourished in the early twentieth century and became known as an important centre for the local Jewish community. As the community moved from the area however attendance declined and the synagogue was closed in 1952: a new Machzikei Hadath Synagogue was opened in Golders Green in the 1980s.

The building was sold in the 1970s to a community of Muslims from Bangladesh and converted to use as a mosque.

Gifted to the Archive in April 1953.

Records of the Spitalfields Great Synagogue, 1714-1922. The collection consists of deeds which trace the ownership and tenancies of the former synagogue from 1714 to the early twentieth century.

The archives have been arranged in chronological order.

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

Copyright to these records is held by the City of London.

English

Fit.

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

For further information please consult the LMA Information Leaflet: "Records of the Anglo-Jewish Community at London Metropolitan Archives"; available to download here: http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/LGNL_Services/Leisure_and_culture/Records_and_archives/Visitor_information/free_information_leaflets.htm (URL correct Feb 2010).

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Description prepared in March 2010. Documents Deeds Title deeds Religions Ancient religions Judaism Orthodox Judaism Law Legal documents Building leases People People by roles Property owners Architecture Buildings Religious buildings Synagogues Religious groups Jews Ashkenazim Information sources Jewish Cultural identity Property ownership Civil law Legal systems Religion Spitalfields Great Synagogue Brick Lane Spitalfields London England UK Western Europe Europe Tower Hamlets Property law

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Gifted to the Archive in April 1953.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of the Spitalfields Great Synagogue, 1714-1922. The collection consists of deeds which trace the ownership and tenancies of the former synagogue from 1714 to the early twentieth century.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

The archives have been arranged in chronological order.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright to these records is held by the City of London.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area