Formerly the Stoke-on-Trent Hebrew Congregation (at one time, previously known as the Hanley Synagogue)
A successful Lottery Heritage Fund bid allowed the community to build a new synagogue in 2006
in London Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffs. ST5 1LZ (next to the Jewish cemetery)
(Former Address: Birch Terrace, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent (from ca 1902 to 2004, new construction 1923), prior to then, Hanover Street, Hanley.)
Link: Stoke on Trent Synagogue on Facebook
(photo:copyright © 2014 Jono David )
Martin Morris (President) writes...
Nearly a century ago on 5th October 1922, (Photos 001/002) there were two large foundation stones laid down for Stoke-on-Trent’s only
purpose-built Synagogue at Birch Terrace in Hanley. The first was set by Adolph Alexander, who was the son of Jacob Alexander (one of the
founders of the original congregation way back in 1873.) The second stone was set by Albert L. Belisha, who (I’m told) was related in some way to Leslie Hore-Belisha, who was Transport Minister in 1934 and whom the Belisha Beacon was named after, now strangely called the Pelican crossing.
Just eleven short months after those two foundation stones were concreted into the Staffordshire Blue brickwork on the 6th September 1923, this new place of worship was opened to the congregation, with seating for one hundred and seventy five people, later expanded for two hundred and ten.
This large building was in constant use for the next seventy nine years, saw thirty-five weddings, several barmitzvahs and quite a few other functions, but due to the declining numbers, it started to show its age and those few members who remained in the heart of the community, were now struggling to meet the rising costs of structural maintenance (£60,000 to repair the roof) and heating the cavernous space.
Then… (just at the right time), when the giant, ancient central heating boiler had finally given up the ghost and breathed it’s last
sigh, synchronicity arrived and a local property developer approached us in 2002 making an offer on the crumbling building. Their plan being to construct a massive new commercial mall in the centre of Hanley. As we were the first to be approached in the street, a committee meeting was held, a decision eventually reached and the offer was accepted with certain conditions attached. (004)
As long as we were allowed continued use of the Synagogue for our services whilst all of the other properties in the street were being
purchased. Then our negotiations began to be held with a local architects to demolish our old prayer hall at the cemetery site in
Newcastle and build a brand spanking new, much smaller Synagogue on that same site in London Road.
Apparently, we are only one of three active Synagogues in the UK that have a cemetery attached. (013)
After only a short couple of years passed by, we held our deconsecration service in Hanley on 29th March 2006 (conducted by
Reverend Weisman) and we finally moved out of the old edifice with a deep regret. My father had mixed emotions, he was sad that the
Synagogue that he had known all of his life was now in the past, but was euphoric that a new Synagogue was being built for all the future
generations in the Potteries.
One of Sydney Morris’s many hats was that of Marriage Secretary and over the thirty-five years that he held this position, he registered
the grand total of two weddings with the local registrars. I have now inherited this hat (amongst others) as one of my duties and I have to
say that over the last five years in this position… I have not been quite as busy as my father.
Then in the middle of 2005, all of our services were held in the living room at our house for fifteen months while the construction was
under way and some parts of the Birch Terrace Synagogue were resized to fit comfortably into our brand new building here in Newcastle.
The antique stained glass windows (011) had to be restructured to fit into the smaller building at the vast cost of £20,000 (016), as was
the Arc and the Bima. (005) Also, we had to dismantle the Henry Minton Magan David mosaic, (009) which the Heritage fund of the National
Lott
ery had awarded us £48,000 to accomplish these tasks. Unfortunately, this came with the proviso that we use their
“Specialist Technicians”, this was abandoned when their quotes for the “Removal and re-installation” of the mosaic was £55,000. Our own
builders finally completed the job for £5,000. (012)
Then… the credit crunch hit the United Kingdom and all of the plans for the giant precinct were put on hold.
The now deconsecrated Synagogue was let out by the property developers (initially) just as a dance studio on a short-term lease and even now
in 2017 (well over a decade later) our old building still stands there in Hanley close to its original purpose, but now as a Christian prayer
hall.
Other items that we were keen to keep for our new Schule, were the front doors, with the stained glass fanlight above it (006), which
graces our new porch (014) and the internal doors, also with stained glass panels (007), which we have managed to incorporate within the
design. The
Honours boards showing all the past Presidents and Treasurers have been saved as has the bronze War memorial
board (010), detailing all those that served and some who didn’t make it back home.
Reverend Malcolm Weisman OBE held a deconsecration service at the old Shul and the consecration service in our new Shul, Sydney Morris
gave a speech (017) and while he was doing so, a marble plaque was being fixed to the wall outside and this was unveiled (much to his
surprise) after the service.
This new Synagogue is my late father’s final legacy and I am most honoured to have been voted in as the President since his passing in 2011, hoping to continue the congregation in his memory, welcoming Mayoral visits. (019)
That new giant shopping mall has still not been constructed, but we’re all here celebrating our 10th anniversary in front of the Bishops of
Lichfield and Stafford, so at least we got it right. (020) I also think that my father would be most pleased that we are continuing to
hold services here on a regular basis and we remain a positive force in the local community.”
Shalom,
I am looking for a Jewish Dental Centre and a Jewish Medical Centre for my family to be registered with. I live in Meir, Stoke on Trent.
Please get in touch if you do know one.
Many thanks,
Josifini.
Hello. I have just been talking to a lovely chap based at the Newcastle under Lyme synagogue
I live nearby in the Stoke on Trent area.
I am ringing to wish you a happy day today.
We had a good chat about what you will be doing today. I was also telling him about my father who helped to save the poor people people who the awful people in Germany made suffer so very much. I hope you have a wonderful day today.
Hello, I am going to move to your area sometime soon. May you tell me what kind of Beth Din you belong to please. Do you have Menian on Shabbat and Yom Tov please? HB
Yossi
Hi All
Hope some one is able to help. some years ago with help from Sydney Morris i recorded all the memorials within the Jewish cemetery at Newcastle-under-Lyme (A34).
i am looking to update the records and am looking to see i any one would photograph the headstones for me to transcribe.
Many thanks in advance
Regards Rob
Shalom to all.
We have just moved to Stock On Trent.
We have lived in Israel In Qarne Shmron .
I will be happy to be in touch with the community , O am not religious, but will be more then happy to meet .. when possible .
Also looking for a job if somebody can help me with some leads I will be thankful , wish to all the community Shabat Shalom and lots of health ,, Amen.
Meir Julia and Shai Ziskin.
Hi,
I was researching my grandparents address in Hanley, Staffordshire (I believe they lived in York St. for how long I am not sure?) To my knowledge it was before 1915 when my Mother Sarah was born in Dublin, Ireland.
I would be grateful for any information available. Their names were Chaim and Chaya Faigha Tannenbaum (later changed to Hyman.) Chaim was known as Morris in Dublin. He later emigrated to Israel and died there. Chaya Faigha (known as Fanny) died in Dublin in 1936 approximately.
Thank you in advance for your help,
Kind regards,
Frances McHugh
Can you please tell me the opening times of the North Staffs Hebrew Cemetery which I understand is next to you and also your opening times.
Do you hold any archive records of the Synagogue previously at Birch Terrace, Hanley?
My family lived in the area and I hope to visit sometime in the spring to pay my respects and to find out more family history details. Thank you for your time.
Hello Everyone ,
I live in Hertfordshire and am thinking about Rosh Hashana .
If anyone knows a kind family willing to put me up for Yom Tov and Rosh Hashana for a little money and help me go to Shool in Stoke then please write to me at andy.strowman@gmail.com
For my sins I am a Vegetarian!
If no replies I shall stay in Herts at home .
Thank you
PS Totally willing to eat oatcakes .
Just a bit nervous staying in a hotel on my own.
Hello Janos ,
Please couid you simplify what you want .
Detailsand photos of Holocaust and stories ?
If so please e mail me andy.strowman@gmail.com I have had friends who visited Belsen camp soon after liberation .One helped save lives with the medical team .
The other a ballet dancer who performed for British soldiers there .
I am not sure what all this is about but if you need any material about the genocide I have first hand material and photos of Belsen camp and people who saved lives and a friend who performed ballet there .
I am a PhD researcher at Staffordshire University exploring ethical ways of presenting forensic archaeological genocide materials through Virtual Heritage technologies.
I am emailing to enquire if members of your organisation would be interested in taking part within a focus study group, which would require participants to view current Virtual Heritage platforms and engage in discussion regarding personal perspectives of what has been viewed. The overall aims of the project seek to explore how forensic archaeological investigative genocide materials can be ethically presented through Virtual Heritage technologies. You have been selected due to the rich information that your members hold, which is of significance to research.
However, the initial stage of research requires full ethical approval from Staffordshire University (which is currently being completed). In order to fully complete the specific questions asked within the ethical form I would need to know how many members are currently registered with yourself (just an overall number, no names). This information allows the research project to understand what is known as the population of interest (in qualitative research terms), from which the minimum acquired numbers of participants can be ascertained. If this information could be provided as soon as possible I would be very grateful, as this would allow research to quickly commence.
I thank you for taking the time to read this request, and look forward to your response.
I would like to come to stoke and wonder if any kind hearted person or persons would put me up for Shabbas .
I did the Stoke Marathon in 1997 and was a little friend of Stan Matthews and came all the way to Stoke to attend his funeral .
Is there any Gitte neshemas out there .I attend Nelson Street Synagogue in Whitechapel .Rabbi Austin knows me well .
I would be so grateful .I am a vegetarian and am kind .
Looking forward to hearing from you!
I was very excited to discover your relatively new synagogue. Does your community cater for reform Jews.?
Kind Regards Carol Menashy
I am not orthadox, but i do however identify myself from a maternal bloodline of a jewish family. I am looking for a mezzuzah for my front door out of respect and rememberance for my grandma, where can i get one? I want it to be done respectfully by a sofer and not sure what i found online would be done on kosher parchment etc.
Hi Suzy
Newcastle (-upon-Tyne :ed.) is an orthodox community with a lovely Rabbi, Rabbi Lipsey.
For more information on the community and contact details, please see the shul’s website:
http://www.uhc-newcastle.org/
Kind regards
Rachel
Hi, myself and my husband are relocating to stafford and have found that our nearest synagogue is newcastle under lyme. We would like some information on this synagogue . My husband is orthodox and a member of borehamwood elstree synagogue. We would also welcome any information on kosher restaurants and delis in area. Thank you .
Dear Sir/madam
I am an cub scout leader from a Scout group with in Stoke on trent, through ourrogramme we do different badge work to enable our young people to learn new skills and to grow into caring and helpful young adults. At present we are doing work on world faith and I was hoping to arrange a visit around a synagogue if possible
I hope to hear from you soon
Kris
Hello,
I am looking into my family tree and would like to know if anyone with my surname ‘Elkin’ has any affiliation with the Stoke Synagogue. Elkin is commonly found in the Staffordshire area.
many thanks,
Sam Elkin
Thanks very much to John, who left me a helpful long voicemail message in response to my query on 24 October 2014. I am sorry to say I have lost the voicemail, and hence cannot call you back. John, if you could text me your mobile or landline number, I will do so.
I would be grateful to know the opening times of the old Hebrew Cemetery adjoining the new Synagogue on the London Road, Stoke-On-Trent? Is it generally open to the public during the day and weekends, or is it locked? I am planning a visit soon, hence my interest.
Please do not hesitate to phone or text me if this is convenient (07952671770).
Hello
I am contacting you from the office of the Chief Rabbi and wanted to update our records, say ‘hello’ and speak to you about the opportunities available to your community.
I would be grateful if you could please get in touch, either via email or by phoning:
02083436309
I look forward to speaking soon
Rachel.
Dear Sir / Madam
I wondered if you could assist? My 11 year old son; who attends Painsley Catholic College is currently studying the Jewish Faith and the importance of synagogues. He has been asked to compose a letter describing what a synagogue looks like, his thought and feelings about the experience. Rather than use just the intern et for this information; he expressed an interest in visiting a synagogue – could you advise? Would this be possible the weekend of the 7th / 8th June?
Regards
I am trying to find information about a family link to a Jewish medical doctor that may have practised in Heron Cross in either the late 1800’s or early 1900’s. Do you have an email address for anyone that might possibly help, please?
Dear Sir/Madam
I would like to join the Stoke on Trent Synagogue Facebook group. Could you please let me know how to do this.
Many thanks
Dalit