The Great Synagogue

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

Created: 17 March 2003
Latest revision or update: 23 August 2009

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

Other Information

Synagogue Records
Other Records
Congregation History::
- History of the Great Synagogue by Cecil Roth. Available on JCR-UK as part of the Susser Archive.
- Congregation Rules & Customs - extracts
Photographs, Newspaper Articles and Personal Encounters
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

City of London Congregations

Explanations of Terms Used

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