Becontree & District Associate Synagogue

 Congregation Data

Becontree, a large housing estate constructed in the 1920s, is now situated entirely within the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, within the Greater London administrative area.

However, part of the Becontree Estate, including the area in which the synagogue was located, was part of the London Borough of Redbridge until 1994, when it was transferred to the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, and was previously (until 1965) in the former Municipal Borough of Ilford (which was an urban district until 1926) in the County of Essex.

Bibliography - London

Redbridge^(xv) - Link to Register Office website.

Barking & Dagenham  - Link to Register Office website.

Cemetery Information:

For United Synagogue cemeteries, see Cemeteries of the United Synagogue.

Notes & Sources (↵ returns to text above)

• (i) The congregation first appears in the Jewish Year Book 1928, having its address in Becontree Avenue. ↵

• (ii) The United Synagogue 1870-1970 by A. Newman, 1976, pp.222-3.  ↵

• (iii) Ibid. and the London Metropolitan Archives (Ref. Code: ACC/2712/BKS) - Administrative History of the Barking Hebrew Congregation. ↵

• (iv) The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History has an entry for Rev. Harry Bornstein and states that "[h]is first ministerial appointment was in 1929 in Becontree." It is uncertain whether he was also Secretary of the Congregation. ↵

• (v) Based upon the listing of Rev. Morein, BA, in Jewish Year Books 1930 and 1931. He is also described as the Reader and Secretary. There was no minister listed in the 1932 edition. ↵

• (vi) Based upon Rev. Sanker's listing in Jewish Year Books 1933 through 1935. ↵

• (vii) Based upon the listing of Rev. Engelman, BA, in Jewish Year Books 1936 through 1938. ↵

• (viii) Based upon the listing of Rev. Bergerman, BA, in Jewish Year Book 1939 and 1940 (There was no publication during the war years from 1941) and Jewish Chronicle reports). ↵

• (ix) Rev. Landy's appointment is reported in The Jewish Chronicle report of 3 March 1944. However, he appears to have left Becontree prior to the publication Jewish Year Book 1945/6, the first to be published following World War II, as he is not listed there ↵

• (ix) and (x) Reserved.

• (xi) Based upon listing in Jewish Year Books 1928 and 1929. In the earlier edition, his name is given as M. Chaten, which is believed to be an error. ↵

• (xii) The data listed here has been extracted from Jewish Year Books. Where a person is first listed in a year book as holding a particular office, it has been assumed that his term of office commenced in the year of publication of the relevant year book and that he continued in office until the commencement of office of his successor, unless the office was vacant. Year books were generally published towards the end of the year prior to year appearing the title of the year book. For example, if an officer is listed in Jewish Year Books 1935 through 1938, it is assumed that he commenced office in 1934 and continued in office until 1938). However, it should be noted that this is only an assumption and, accordingly, his actual years of office may differ slightly from those shown here. Jewish Year Books were not published during WWII subsequent to 1940. ↵

• (xiii) Rev. Levin was minister of Bayswater Synagogue (1930-38). ↵

• (xiv) See note (xii). ↵

• (xv) The former Registration Districts were Romford, from 1 July 1837 until 1 July 1939 and then Ilford until 1 April 1965. ↵