Fremantle Synagogue
The Fremantle Synagogue is a heritage listed building located on South Terrace on the corner of Parry Street in Fremantle, Western Australia. It was the first synagogue built in Western Australia and was associated with Jewish community leaders and merchants in Fremantle at the turn of the century.[1][2]
Laurence Alexander, the manager of Falk and Company, was elected President of the first Jewish congregation established in Fremantle in August 1887. Henry Seeligson acted as lay reader, from September 1888 and weekly meetings were commenced[1] and were held in the barracks on South Terrace.[3] Land was set aside for the pupose of building a synagogue in Fremantle in 1891.[4] The current site was vested with Elias Solomon and W.F. Samson as trustees for the Jewish Congregation in April 1896.[1] A service with the Jewish Minister of Perth, Rabbi B. Freedman, was held at the synagogoue site in 1897.[5] Fundraising for the synagogue was being held with a building committee being formed in 1900, with plans being approved and put out for tender. In 1901 the synagogue president was Charles Nathan and the honorary minister was Elias Cohen.[6]
The building was designed by the architects, Goldham[6] and Eales,[1] and built by J McCracken. The foundation stone was laid in 1902 by Elias Solomon, he then Federal member for Fremantle, a former mayor of Fremantle and a trustee of the congregation.[1] The building was completed a few months later and a consecration service was held on 31 August 1902 led by the reader S. Miller who spoke
Open unto the one the gates of the righteousness ; I will enter them and bless the Lord.
He then entered the synagogue followed by the wardens and proceeded to the ark reciting a prayer. They then circuited aroundt he room three times chanting psalms, after which the Sephar was placed in the Ark and the Perpetual Lamp was lit. The remainder of the service was then held. The treasurer of the building fund, L. Alexander, then reported that the land had cost £1750, the building cost £850, making a total of £2600, on which there was a liability remaining of £500.[7][8]
By 1908 service were no longer house in the building and in 1910 the majority of the state's Jewish population had moved to Perth and the synagogue was closed permanantly.[3][2] Meetings among the community had been held in 1909 discussing the disposal of the property.[9]
The building was sold in 1916[2] to the federal government for £850 as an annexe to the General Hospital where it was converted into a ward.[10][11] It was later acquired by William Beer in 1922 and by 1924 he was operating an auction mart from the site.[3]
The Fremantle City Council acquired the building in 1969 and leased to for various commercial purposes including Barri’s Rugs, a gallery, a clothing outlet named Skid Rose and various cafes. The Council sold the building in 2004.[3]
References
- ^ a b c d e "Fremantle Synagogue (fmr)". InHerit. Heritage Council of Western Australia. 24 June 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
- ^ a b c Alex Kats (8 October 2014). "Heritage to be found". =Galus Australia. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ a b c d "Synagogue". Fremantle Stuff. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
- ^ "Government Gazette". The West Australian. Vol. 7, , no. 1, 722. Western Australia. 7 August 1891. p. 6. Retrieved 21 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ "News and notes". The West Australian. Vol. 13, , no. 3, 473. Western Australia. 12 April 1897. p. 4. Retrieved 21 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ a b "Freemantle (W.A.)". The Hebrew Standard Of Australasia. Vol. 6, , no. 7. New South Wales, Australia. 30 August 1901. p. 7. Retrieved 21 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ "Western Australia". The Hebrew Standard Of Australasia. Vol. 7, , no. 10. New South Wales, Australia. 19 September 1902. p. 5. Retrieved 21 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ "Western Australia. The Fremantle Synagogue - Consecration service". Jewish Herald. Vol. XXIII, , no. 589. Victoria, Australia. 26 September 1902. p. 8. Retrieved 21 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ "West Australian Topics". The Hebrew Standard Of Australasia. Vol. 14, , no. 14. New South Wales, Australia. 8 October 1909. p. 13. Retrieved 21 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) - ^ "Once it was a Synagogue". Mirror. No. 184. Western Australia. 28 February 1925. p. 10. Retrieved 21 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Perth Hebrew Congregation". Jewish Herald. Vol. XXXVII, , no. 951. Victoria, Australia. 11 August 1916. p. 4. Retrieved 21 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
See also
List of synagogues in Australia and New Zealand List of heritage places in Fremantle