The Great Synagogue

Dukes Place, City of London, London E.C.3.

Created: 17 March 2003
Latest revision or update: 13 December 2011

Plaque on corner of Dukes Place and St. James's Passage
marking the site of the Great Synagogue
© David Shulman 2007

Congregation Data

Official Name:

The Great Synagogue

Address:

Dukes Place, London EC3 (from 1690, rebuilt 1722, 1766 and 1790). The synagogue was destroyed in a German Air raid on 11 May 1942. In 1943, a temporary structure was erected on site and used until 26 October 1958.
Thereafter, the few remaining congregants worshipped in a room in Adler Street, London E1 until 1977.

Former Address:

Broad Court (later called Duke's Place Court), Mitre Square

Local Authority:

City of London

Current Status:

Closed - 10 April 1977

Date Formed:

1692

Ritual:

Ashkenazi Orthodox - The earliest Ashkenazi synagogue following the Resettlement.

Affiliation:

One of the original five synagogues that formed the United Synagogue in 1870, of which it remained a constituent member. (List of United Synagogue congregations)

Branches:

Prior to 1870, had the following branches:
From 1853, Wigmore Street, later Great Portland Street, which became the Central Synagogue.
From 1863, Bayswater Synagogue (a branch jointly with the New Synagogue).

Membership Data:

Number of male seat holders (United Synagogue 1870-1970)

1870	1880	1890	1900	1910	1920	1930	1940	1950	1960	1970
324	400	449	459	410	522	445	577	608	310	294

Lists of Seatholders:

For the years: 1885 , 1899 , 1910

Other Information

Congregation History:
- History of the Great Synagogue by Cecil Roth. Available on JCR-UK as part of the Susser Archive.
- Congregation Rules & Customs - extracts
Bibliography:
- Chazanim of the Great Synagogue, London. Mayerowitsch, H. Jewish Historical Society of England Miscellanies IV 1942
- Membership of the Great Synagogue, London, to 1791. Roth, C. Jewish Historical Society of England Miscellanies VI 1962
- History of the Great Synagogue. Roth, C. (Susser Archive - available on-line)
- The Great Synagogue, London 1690-1940. Roth, C. 1950 (Edward Goldston)
- The Synagogues of Europe. Krinsky, C. H. 1985 (The M.I.T. Press, Cambridge MA). p. 415-417
- The Synagogues of London. Lindsay, P., 1993 (Valentine Mitchell, London) pp. 41-45
- The Lost Synagogues of London. Renton, P., 2000 (Tymsder Publishing) pp. 30-38
- other City sources
- other London sources
Cemetery Information:

Street Directory of Synagogues in East End and City of London

List of Synagogues destroyed by German air raids during World War II

City of London Congregations

Explanations of Terms Used

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