Explore the fascinating history of the Northern School of Contemporary Dance’s headquarters, which used to be known as the New Shul, the original home to the United Hebrew Congregation.
Touring the Northern School of Contemporary Dance campus on Chapeltown Road, the building’s history as a synagogue is clear, even to a casual observer. Windows, gates, pillars, and even floor tiles are decorated with the Star of David, and much of the synagogue’s original architectural features remain.
Local historian Robert Dyson’s research into the building reveals its unique story spanning 200 years. In 1823, the site that now houses the magnificent building was little more than a boggy plot owned by the 5th Earl Cowper – whose family’s names can still be seen reflected in the surrounding streets. While the earl himself lived in Hertfordshire, in 1825 – prompted by an economic boom – his agent came up with a plan to use the area to create an up-scale new settlement entitled New Leeds. Sadly, the economic boom was soon followed by a downswing, and by 1840, only 20 houses had been built in so-called “New Leeds”. By 1873 the area was a much more modern housing estate, with the last plots being sold as late as the 1930s.
One of the pre-1848 houses still stands and is now known as Brandsby Lodge on the site of the dance school. At the time, the owner, metal merchant John Heaps, called the property Terrance House and bought two adjacent plots to create large garden. The main dance school building now sits on where this garden would have been.
In 1902, the house and gardens were bought by Charles Wilson, a name some readers may know as he was heavily involved in Leeds’ politics at the time and was famously quoted as saying of himself: “I am Leeds.” He decided to sell the house in 1927, and it was bought by New Briggate Synagogue, who were looking for a new site for their congregation as their former one, which had been located opposite Leeds Grand Theatre, had been compulsorily purchased by Leeds City Council as part of the plans to widen Merrion Street.
The New Briggate Synagogue operated out of the lodge building and tended to be frequented by newer immigrants of less financial means, who predominately spoke Yiddish as their first language. As such, the developing of a brand-new synagogue building in the garden was beyond their means, and so New Briggate Synagogue reached out to the older and better-established English-speaking congregation of Belgrave Street Synagogue to help build the building which sits there today and was known as the New Shul. The two congregations merged to form the United Hebrew Congregation, which opened in 1932, though construction on the building began in 1928, and the foundation stones were laid on 14th April 1929, by Albert Yewdall, Max Goldstone, and Joseph Salinsky.
As the Jewish community moved north, the synagogue closed in 1985. The building is listed so that it should long be standing as a reminder of the prominent part it once played in Leeds synagogal life. The closing service, held just before Succoth that year, was attended by many people who realised they were witnessing the end of an era. As the scrolls of Law were removed from the Ark for the very last time, the board had the inspired idea of projecting a recording of the late Chazzan Stern’s beautiful voice from loudspeakers, a nostalgic end to what was a most moving event. UHC relocated to its current Shadwell Lane location with into the next-door lodge building, but this was only a temporary solution. In 1995, a development plan devised by architect Allen Tod was given funding by the National Lottery, Foundation for Sports and Arts, and three other charitable trusts, though it wasn’t completed until early 1998. This development came with significant challenges, as both the synagogue building and the lodge were listed, meaning that they had to be preserved and couldn’t be altered. Tod’s solution was to construct a building which wrapped around and adjoined to the original buildings, forming what is nearly a U-shape, and leading to some of the formerly exterior walls and doors sitting inside the new building.
It has been suggested that the 1928 synagogue building was influenced by Byzantine architecture, following the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt in 1920 and many of the original features of the synagogue have been preserved throughout the Northern Contemporary School of Dance’s development project. Visitors can still spy the original gates adorned with the Star of David, see the original dome (minus a Star of David ornamentation which used to sit on top), and walk up the synagogue’s original spiral staircase. Inside the Riley theatre, the original pews are still present on the bottom floor, while the balcony above retains the original woodwork with a new cpat of paint. Throughout the building, windows contain the original latticework, and the decorated cornices show the Byzantine/ art deco influences of the original synagogue, offering a flavour of the building’s rich history. In present day, the building is an active performance space and school, hosting performances from visiting dance companies, both national and international and is also used to shine a spotlight on the local area and the school’s talented students.
As well as a performance space, the Riley Theatre is used daily as a teaching space, so students take class on stage in a variety of different dance styles. For those interested in the technical aspects of stagecraft such as lighting design, they can gain those skills working alongside members of the technical team. Students can book the space out to rehearse their own work, or film themselves for their own portfolios.
The school also welcomes the local community, including hosting a local organisation RJC Dance each year for their Christmas showcase, and also staging showcases of the NSCD’s children’s, youth and adult community provision twice a year. The space is also open for hires, subject to availability, and recently welcomed a UK Israel Business meeting.
The autumn programme of events at the school is expected to be announced shortly and can be found at Nscd.ac.uk/riley-theatre/