This building, erected in 1912, formerly housed the Beth Holim, or hospital, and old people's home of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews' Congregation.
The hospital, founded in 1748, was first established in Leman Street, E1, then in 1790 was transferred to this site. In 1977 it was removed to Forty Avenue, Wembley where it now flourishes.
Behind this building lies the first cemetery of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews who fled from the persecution of the Spanish and Portuguese inquisition to find religious toleration and freedom in this realm.
They formed in the City of London in 1656 the Congregation called 'sha'arhashamayim', the Gate of Heaven, which is still in existence. It was the first professing Jewish community in the British Isles to be established in modern times and formed the origin of the present Jewish community of Britain as a whole.
For admission to the Old Cemetery of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews apply to:- The Secretary, Spanish & Portuguese Jews Congregation, 2 Ashworth Road W9.
Site: Spanish and Portuguese Jews Hospital (3 memorials)
E1, Mile End Road, 253, Albert Stern House
Built as a hospital and old people’s home. The facade is in the style of an early 18th century house but it was built 1912-13, by Castello, also the row of cottages behind, both overlooking the Old Velho Sephardic Jewish cemetery. The style of the façade references the time when Jews were readmitted into England. See the Listing statement for more details.
The hospital moved out to Wembley in 1977. 2013: This building is owned by Queen Mary College and used as student accommodation, as is the building immediately to the east, Ifor Evans Place.
It's not clear but we think this building may be the only access route through to the Sephardi Velho (Old) Cemetery (also known as Spanish and Portuguese Jews Cemetery) immediately to the north.
Parks and Gardens has: "The Old Burial Ground lies behind Albert Stern House and is shown as 'Jews Burying Place' on Joel Gascoyne's 1703 map. The cemetery was enclosed by high brick walls on all sides, and a stone tablet on the north wall is inscribed in Portuguese, reading in translation ‘the first stone of this wall was laid on 21 Tamuz or 7 June 1684'. ... Spanish and Portuguese Jews came to this country fleeing from religious persecution and established themselves in Mile End in 1656.
"The Sephardi Velho (Old) Cemetery opened in 1657, the first Jewish cemetery to be established with Oliver Cromwell's approval. The land was formerly part of a garden and orchard. It was extended in 1670 and again in 1684 and eventually closed in 1737 after it was full, when a new cemetery opened nearby, the Sephardi Nuevo (New) Cemetery.... The Beth Holim or Hospital and Old People's Home of Spanish and Portuguese Jews moved here in 1790, with the cemetery used partly as a garden. In 1912 Albert Stern House was built and in 1977 Beth Holim moved to Wembley ...."
