West End Great Synagogue

Name:

West End Great Synagogue

Former Name:

West End Talmud Torah and Bikkur Holim Synagogue (until about 1950)

Formation:

 Formed in 1910 from merger of:

West End Talmud Torah
of 9 Green's Court, Soho, London W1
founded 1880

Bikkur Holim Synagogue
of 41 Brewer Street, Soho, London W1

Incorporated Congregation:

Beth Hasepher and Federation Synagogue of Soho (in 1948)
Previously known as Soho Square Beth Hasepher Synagogue, of 26a Soho Square, London W1. Founded in 1910

Addresses:

The current address is now that of the Western Marble Arch Synagogue at 32 Great Cumberland Place, London W1 H 7TN.

The last independent address was 21 Dean Street, Soho, London W1V 6NE, from 1941 until its closure in the 1990's. (It was damaged in a German air raid and re-opened in 1950, after repairs).

Prior to then:
14 Manette Street, Charing Cross Road, Soho, London W1 (from 1916);
41 Brewer Street, Golden Square, Soho, London W1 (from 1910);
9 Green's Court, Golden Square, Soho, London W1

Current Status:

Although the Synagogue still exists as organization, in particular through its Chesed V'Emeth burial society, it no longer appears to have any regular independent religious activities.

Ritual:

Ashkenazi Orthodox

Affiliation:

Independent (although the West End Talmud Torah is shown as affiliated to the Federation of Synagogues in the Jewish Year Book of 1906, and there are now certain aspects of affiliation with the Federation of Synagogues).
The Soho Square Beth Hasepher Synagogue was affiliated to the the Federation of Synagogues.

Affiliated Synagogues:

Primarily in light of West End Great Synagogue's ownership of its own cemetery (consecrated in 1915) and a complex of affiliated institutions, over the years a number of small congregations have been affiliated with the synagogue and its burial society, some of which (or the remnants of the members of which) still retain such affiliation, or have a section of their members still affiliated for burial rights.
The following congregations are still affiliated, or have members who are affiliated (although in most cases, the congregations themselves are no longer active):

• Commercial Road Great Synagogue*

• Congregation of Jacob Synagogue*

• Ezras Chaim Synagogue*

• Fieldgate Street Synagogue*

• Great Garden Street Synagogue*

• Nelson Street Sephardish Synagogue*

• Sandy's Row Synagogue

• Teesdale Street Synagogue

The following congregations were affiliated:

• Bexley Heath and District Hebrew Congregation

• Johnson Street Synagogue

• Kehillath Israel Synagogue

• Kilburn and Brondesbury Chevra Torah

• King Edward Street New Synagogue*

• Mile End and Bow Synagogue

• North-West London Synagogue*

• Philip Street Synagogue

• United Workmen's and Wlodowa Synagogue

• Workers Circle Friendly Society

* Section of members affiliated to the Federation of Synagogues for burial rights.

Membership Data:

West End Talmud Torah

1896 -  148 members (source)

Source: Jewish Year Book 1896-1897

1905 -  283 members (source)

Source: Jewish Year Book 1906

Local Government District:

All the above addresses for the congregation and its predecessor congregations are in the City of Westminster (an Inner London Borough, established in 1965) within the administrative area of Greater London.

Previously, all addresses (apart from the current address - care of the Western Marble Arch Synagogue) were in the former Metropolitan Borough of Westminster (established 1900, also known as the City of Westminster, but smaller in area than the present London Borough) within the former County of London (established 1889), both of which entities were abolished in 1965.

Manette Street had been situated within the Civil Parish of St Anne Soho and both Brewer Street and Green's Court had been situated within the Civil Parish of St James Piccadilly (see Note to Registration Districts below).

Registration Districts:

From 1 July 1870 - Westminster*
From 1 July 1913 - St Martin*
From 1 October 1933 - City of Westminster
Since 1 April 1965 - Westminster (which currently holds the registers)

* Note: Based upon the civil parish for the locality in which the Congregation had been situated.