Judaism. (fn. 3)
There was considerable Jewish
immigration at the end of the 19th century into
Brondesbury and Willesden Green. In 1902
an iron building was erected for services and
religious classes on a site in Salusbury Road and
in 1905 a permanent synagogue, affiliated to the
United Synagogue, was opened at the junction of
Chevening and Carlisle roads. Called Brondesbury synagogue, it was a red-brick building in an
oriental style with Moorish domes and arches.
There was a fire there in 1965 and the synagogue
closed in 1974. (fn. 4)
A second wave of immigration took place in the
1920s and 1930s leading to the establishment of
several synagogues. In 1928 a house at no. 137
Walm Lane, Cricklewood, was registered for
worship, and in 1931 the second United synagogue, Cricklewood synagogue, was built next
door at nos. 131-5 Walm Lane. A two-storeyed
brick building with rounded doors and windows
was in use in 1978. (fn. 5)
In 1929 Jews in the developing districts of
Neasden, Dollis Hill, and Gladstone Park met to
consider opening a synagogue. Services were
held at the L.M.S. institute in Edgware Road and
in 1930 at Neasden mission hall in Dog Lane. (fn. 6) In
1931 the foundation stone was laid of a synagogue
in Clifford Way, Neasden. A Federation synagogue, it was called Gladstone Park and Neasden
synagogue or Abravath Shalom. The foundation
stone of a new synagogue was laid at the same site
in 1967. (fn. 7)
A synagogue, which in 1937 became a district
member of the United Synagogue, opened in
1933 in Parkside, Dollis Hill. A larger, concrete
synagogue by Walter Landauer seating 524 men
and 392 women opened in 1938, the original
building becoming the Joseph Freedman hall. (fn. 8)
Willesden synagogue was established in
Brondesbury Park in 1934. As Willesden Hebrew
Congregation it was registered at no. 17 Heathfield Road in 1935 and re-registered as Willesden
Green Federation synagogue in 1936. In 1939,
when presumably a synagogue was built, it was
registered as Willesden (later Willesden and
Brondesbury) synagogue and became a member
of the United Synagogue. The building was
desecrated in 1967 but still in use in 1978. (fn. 9)
Khal Yisroel synagogue was registered at no.
185 Willesden Lane 1935-1947. (fn. 10)
Ohel Shem Beth Hamedrash, a member of the
Federation of Synagogues, was established
in 1945 at no. 263 Chamberlayne Rd., Kensal
Rise. (fn. 11)
Cricklewood Beth Hamedrash or Keser Torah
had opened at no. 62 St. Gabriel's Road by 1949
when it was a member of the Union of Orthodox
Hebrew Congregations. From 1950 it was
a Federation affiliated synagogue.
Dollis Hill Beth Hamedrash, also a member of
the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations,
existed at no. 152 Fleetwood Road from before
1950 until after 1960.
An independent congregation, Kilburn and
Brondesbury Chevra Torah, existed at no. 9
Brondesbury Rd. from 1953 until after 1963. (fn. 12)
By 1978 the emigration of Jews from Willesden and the general decline in religious observance led the United Synagogue to 'streamline'
its Willesden synagogues and a single rabbi
served the congregations of Cricklewood, Willesden, and Dollis Hill. (fn. 13)
A Jewish cemetery opened in 1873 on 12 a.
near Pound Lane. It contained three buildings in
stone designed by N. S. Joseph, and the graves of
Baron Mayer de Rothschild (1874) and Sir
Anthony de Rothschild (1876). (fn. 14)