Hornsey and Wood Green Synagogue in pictures

For many years a synagogue stood on the site in Wightman Road where the mosque is now located.

The Hornsey and Wood Green Affiliated Synagogue was originally based in Queen's Parade, Green Lanes, where it was established as the Wood Green & District Hebrew Congregation.

It was there from 1910-1913. It then moved to Clarence House, Tottenham Lane, where it stayed until 1920.

Its final move was to Wightman Road where it erected a temporary building in 1920 and it was renamed to the Hornsey and Wood Green Affiliated Synagogue.

Fig. 1: The temporary building shown in an aerial shot from 1930. The synagogue is the single-storey building the the centre of the image. (Brtain from Above)

The temporary building was replaced by a permanent one which opened in 1959. The synagogue remained there until its closure in 1987 (according to Jewish Communities and Records) (or possibly 1976, according to British History Online).

I first wrote about this building a couple of years ago when it showed up in an aerial photo I was commenting on. 

At the end of last year I flagged up how the synagogue had been affected by the country's last ant-Jewish riots. 

But only this week have I been able to get hold of a set of photos of the 1959 building, taken I believe before it closed.

Fig. 2: Synagogue interior

Fig. 3: Synagogue, from Hampden Road, looking north-east across the bank of the New River

Fig. 4: Synagogue from Hampden Road, looking north-east across the bank of the New River.Beyond is the hall that stood in front of the synagogue and on the other side of the road the petrol station at 278B replaced by a block of flats in 2002/03. (The numbering of the east  side of Wightman between Raleigh and Hampden is strange. Only two numbers seem to be allocated- 278B and 280A. 278 & 278A are south of Hampden; 280 is north of Raleigh).

Fig. 5: Interior towards the bimah

Fig. 6: Sign on WIghtman Road, directing visitors to the entrance on Hampden Road

Fig. 7: Partial picture of picture of the synagogue taken from Wightman Road at some point after it closed in 1987.

Fig. 8: Extract from 1947 Ordnance Survey showing the new synagogue and hall

Fig. 9: Exterior in 1987 just after it had been acquired by the mosque

Fig. 9: Interior in 1987 just after it had been acquired by the mosque. The figure in the doorway is, I believe, the mosque founder, Brother Ali.

Fig. 11: Exterior shortly after it had been acquired by the mosque