Records of Cardiff United Synagogue
The Cardiff United Synagogue was established in 1942 when the Cardiff Hebrew Congregation and the Cardiff New Hebrew Congregation were united into a single organisation. The community dates back to the arrival of Levi Marks and his family in the 1810s.
After meeting in various places, the Cardiff Hebrew Congregation built a synagogue in East Terrace in 1858. The congregation outgrew these premises, and a new synagogue was opened on Cathedral Road in 1897. In the late 1890s, a group of recent immigrants left the "Englisher shul" to form the "foreigners' shul", formally known as the Cardiff New Hebrew Congregation. They worshipped at Edward Place, then moved to Windsor Place in 1918.
After the 1942 reunification, the Cardiff United Synagogue continued to use both the Windsor Place and the Cathedral Road synagogues until 1955 when the lease on the former expired, and a new synagogue was built on Ty-Gwyn Road in Penylan. The Cathedral Road synagogue was in use until 1988. The Penylan synagogue was replaced in 2003 by the current premises in Cyncoed Gardens.
In the winter of 1979, severe flooding led to the destruction of most of Cardiff United Synagogue’s historic records. However, with the support of the Rothschild Foundation Hanadiv Europe, we have been able to catalogue and preserve what was salvaged. A selection of these items has been digitised and form this collection; the originals have been deposited with Glamorgan Archives.
