The 'lost' finals from Bevis Marks' Gate

The lost finials

The pines (pine-apples), which symbolise hospitality, were originally part of the gates at Bevis Marks. According to the inscription at No 19 Petherton Road, they were removed from Bevis Marks in 1894. There was a satellite community in Canonbury at around this time.
-by Evan Millner 1999

In 1865, Solomon Haim Andrade asked for permission from the Mahamad to open a synagogue, which he had built in his garden, in the Essex Road, Islington. The Mahamad told him that under the rule that no synagogue may be opened within six miles of Bevis Marks, his request was refused. However, he was told that if his health prevented his attendance at Bevis Marks, he would be permitted to hold prayers in his house on Yom Kippur and New Year. However, the matter was then referred to the Yehideem, who gave Andrade provisional permission to open his synagogue, in the first instance for one year only. Sephareem were lent to him for this purpose. However, Andrade passed away before the year was out. His widow renewed the request, and this was granted forthwith. These services continued until 1884, by which time the congregation had outgrown this small synagogue. Solomon Pool, a son-in-law of David Aaron de Sola, an Ashkenazi who had on his marriage been admitted to the Sephardi Community, and who had obtained an influential position in it, received permission in 1883 to open in place of it another synagogue in Canonbury. This was later moved to a neighbouring site, and for long was known as the 'Mildmay Park Synagogue'. This was given permanent status in 1886, with financial, if not ecclesiastical, independence. The usual Shabbat attendance was 24 men, 21 women, and 73 children, including 3 Ashkenazim. The synagogue could seat 200. However, middle class Jews left the area, which became unfashionable, and by 1928, the congregation was virtually extinct. In 1936, it finally closed. Some of its fittings were transferred to the "Little Synagogue" that was opened as an adjunct to that of Lauderdale Road.

The Finials were at some point in their history covered in paint. Last year, the base of the right hand finial split, due to expansion of the original iron fixing, caused by rust, which split the stone. A conservator from English Heritage was called in to assess the damage, and to supervise the replacement plinth.

There is a plaque affixed to the inside of the left hand gate-post. This small marble plaque is presently much obscured by paint, but will shortly be restored to legibility. This image has been enhanced so that the leaded inscription is legible. The inscription reads as follows,"THE PINES ABOVE WERE ORIGINALLY PLACED ON THE GATES OF THE BEVIS MARKS SYNAGOGUE, "SHANGAR HA-SHAMAYEEM" IN THE YEAR 1701 AND REMOVED HERE IN 1894".

According to David Nunes Vaz,who was born in the house (His father, minister at Bevis Marks, lived in the house), the synagogue was in a building at the rear. It was later converted to a garage, and no longer exists. The fittings were removed to Lauderdale Road, where they form part of the furniture of the 'Little Synagogue'.