The Hebrew Synagogue – Abertillery

The Hebrew Synagogue – Abertillery.
In the late 1880’s there was a temporary synagogue for the Hebrew congregation at Bailey Street, Brynmawr. Reports mentioned it was at Heathcock House? The president was Mr B. Isaacs and the vice-president was Mr I. Isaacs. The minister was Rev Rocowsky.

In February 1891 a fight broke out at the synagogue during the Saturday Service between the minister and elders over a point of religion, physical force was resorted to and the whole congregation was thrown into a frenzy.

On Tuesday 15th of May 1894, Rev Dr Hermann Adler, Chief Rabbi to Great Britain and the Colonies visited Brynmawr and met with a large number of Jews at the Synagogue Chamber at the Heathcock, Brynmawr. In the evening he delivered an address to a large number of Jews who had attended from Abertillery, Brynmawr, Blaina, Ebbw Vale and Blaenavon.

In June 1901 a new Jewish Synagogue was constructed at Brynmawr, it was built on Heathcock Tump in Bailey Street, Brynmawr, on land given by Mr W. Weeks.

The Contractor and Architect.
The contractor for the Brynmawr Synagogue was Mr John Jenkins of Brynmawr. The architect was Mr W. S. Williams. It was built at a cost of £750.

In the early 1900’s there was a growing Jewish community in Abertillery.

The Aberystruth School Board.
At a meeting of the Aberystruth School Board on Tuesday 9th September 1902 a letter was read out from Mr M. Ash (President of the Hebrew Congregation) on behalf the Abertillery Hebrew Congregation where he appealed for the use of a classroom at the Abertillery School for Hebrew instruction, to be held after ordinary school hours from 5.00 to 7.00pm and on Saturday and Sundays. He stated there were 20 Jewish children to be taught. This was only to be a temporary grant as the congregation intended to build a synagogue and schoolroom of their own in due course.

The Proposed Building of the Synagogue at Abertillery.
On Friday 12th of June 1903, the South Wales Gazette reported on a meeting of the Roads, Bridges and General Purposes Committee of the Abertillery Council the construction of a synagogue for the Hebrew congregation at Abertillery. It was intended that the synagogue be built at Rhiw Park, Abertillery with a dwelling house attached, subject to retaining walls being in place and an open space at the front, tenders were later invited from builders.

The Oddfellows Hall.
On Friday 25th of September 1903, the South Wales Gazette reported on the Abertillery Hebrew Congregation having celebrated their 5664 New Year with special services that was held at the Oddfellows Hall, Abertillery, which had been temporarily converted into a synagogue. The services were conducted by Rev R. Cohen. He was aided by Mr Hermann Harris and Mr Joseph Simons.

In 1910 the building of the Synagogue at Abertillery had finally been approved and its construction went ahead. There must have been planning problems with the original site at Rhiw Park, as the site later agreed to was close to Newall Street at the back of Powell Street (as seen circled in white on the featured image), on land given by Mr Joseph Simons the chairman of the committee.

The Ceremony of the laying of the Foundation Stones.
On Friday 18th of November 1910, the South Wales Gazette reported on the foundation stone laying ceremony at the Abertillery Synagogue on the previous Wednesday the 16th of November 1910. The synagogue had nearly been completed (as seen on the image left in front of Gelli Crug School, behind Tillery Street as seen bottom left) and at a large gathering the members who attended during the ceremony were as follows – Messrs Isaac Samuel J.P. (Hon President of the Building Fund) of Cardiff; Mr J. Simons (Chairman); Messrs Harry Harris and Harry Simons (Secretaries); Rev D. Hurstein and H. Jerevitch; Mrs Samuels of Cardiff; Mrs Jacobs of Abertillery; Mesrs J. Podgur, M Davidson and N. Abraham of Brynmawr; Messrs W. Goldblat and Ben Roskin of Abercarn; Mr Weselman of Ebbw Vale; Messrs Jacobs, J. Falkman and Levi of Llanhilleth; Messrs Tanner and Michaelson of Cardiff; and A. D. Roskin of Ebbw Vale along with others unreported.

After the service, conducted by Rev H. Jerevitch and Rev D. Hurstein the congregation assembled at the entrance where Mrs Samuels of Cardiff performed the stone laying ceremony. She was presented with a beautiful bouquet by Miss Caplin of Blackpool and a silver trowel by Mrs Simons on behalf of the members of the congregation. The inscription on the trowel read – “Presented by the members of the Abertillery congregation to Mrs Isaac Samuels in commemoration of the laying of the foundation stone. November 16th 1910, Keshon 5671”. After the ceremony tea was taken in the schoolroom.

Description of the Building.
The Abertillery Synagogue was built in the Gothic style with a schoolroom beneath. It provided accommodation for 100 worshippers on the upper floor and 100 pupils in the schoolroom below.

The Contractor and Architect.
I have no information on either contractor or architect at this time.

The First Wedding at the Synagogue, Abertillery.
On Wednesday 14th of December 1910, the first wedding at the Synagogue, Abertillery was solemnised, between Mr Nathan Weiselman of Cardiff and Miss Grace Simons, youngest sister of Mr J. Simons of Abertillery. The ceremony was performed by Rev Aarons of Merthyr. The reception was held in the schoolroom.

In December 1929 Mr Harry Simons, son of Mr Joseph Simons was appointed secretary for the registration purposes of the Abertillery Synagogue, which had been previously held by his father.

The Later Years.
Services at the Synagogue, Abertillery diminished and in the 1940’s and later used for furniture storage, more than probably Messrs Simons stock and was officially closed in 1952.

A domestic garage now occupies the site of the Abertillery Synagogue. The owner of the premises had a plaque placed on the structure to commemorate the fact that the synagogue was in that place. 

Messrs J. Simons.
Following is a Link to – Messrs J. Simons of Bristol House, Abertillery.

 

Points of interest – Dr Hermann Adler, Chief Rabbi of the Jews in Great Britain was born in Hanover in 1839. When he was only six years of age, he came to England with his father Dr Nathan Adler. He was educated in the London, Prague and Leipsic Universities and became a Rabbi at 23 years of age. A year later he was appointed Principal of the Jews College in London. His appointment was that of Rabbi of the Bayswater Synagogue, a post he held until 1879. Owing to the failing health of his father – who was Chief Rabbi, he was appointed Delegate Chief Rabbi. He succeeded to the full office in 1890.

Mr Joseph Simons.
Mr Simons founder of the Jewish Synagogue at Abertillery was born in Vienna, Austria. (Mr Joseph Simons place of birth was later amended by the South Wales Gazette, they reported he was actually a native of Galicia, Poland). He came to Brynmawr at 15 years of age. He later moved to Abertillery and married Miss Priscilla Lyons of Newport and opened a furniture store. His business grew and he moved into Bristol House, High Street, Abertillery and expanded into bar-fittings, upholstery and furniture.

Mr Simons was an active Freemason and was founder and Past Master of the Gwent Lodge. In June 1929 he was invested in London by the Earl of Stradbroke with the office of Past Assistant Grand Director of Ceremonies. He had joined the St David Lodge at Rhymney in 1898 and became Worshipful Master of that Lodge in 1913. Mr Simon was a founder and Past Master of the Tylery Mark Lodge and a founder and Past First Principal of the Gwent Loyal Arts Chapter. In 1907 he was made Worshipful Master of the Ashlar Lodge at Tredegar and held a similar office in the Charles Lyne Lodge at Newport in 1927.

Among other offices he held were – Past Master of the Jasper Tudor Lodge at Newport, Past Principal of the Prince of Wales Royal Arts Chapter at Tredegar, Past Master of the Torfaen Lodge at Pontypool, a founder of the Keystone Lodge of the Royal Ark Mariners at Newport and Past Provincial Grand Warden of Monmouthshire. In addition to these offices Mr Simon had for many years been the Charity Steward of both the Gwent and Tylery Lodges. Mr Simon was also an officer for the Royal Ancient Order of the Buffaloes. He had been connected with that order since 1863 and was one of the founders of Buffaloism in Abertillery. The Sir Joseph Simon Lodge was named after him. He was also a Knight of the Shield of the then defunct Golden Horn Order of Abertillery. In politics he was a staunch conservative and was a founder of the Abertillery Conservative Club.

Mr Joseph Simons had two sons -Dr S. Simons and Mr Harry Simons and three daughters – Miss Hetty Simons, Mrs Taylor of York and Mrs Millicent Williams of Leeds.

Later Years.
Bristol House, Mr Joseph Simons store, was later demolished to build the Woolworth’s store, now the site of Iceland frozen foods store.