St George's German Lutheran Church,
Tower Hamlets, London
Listed Grade II*

St George's dates from 1762-3 and is the oldest German church in Britain. The congregation was founded by Dederich Beckmann, a wealthy sugar boiler and cousin of the first pastor. It served as a religious centre for generations of German immigrants who worked in the East End sugar refineries and in the meat and baking trades until the First World War.

Inside, the church retains a remarkable and mostly original series of furnishings. These include a complete set of ground floor and gallery pews and a magnificent, high, central double-decker pulpit and sounding board. On the wall above hangs the coat-of-arms of King George III (pre-1801) and two carved timber Commandment Boards in German. The Royal Arms, once enjoined to be erected in all Anglican churches, and adopted by others as a mark of loyalty, also recall a connection with the Duchess of Kent, mother of Queen Victoria, who was Patron of the adjacent German and English schools from 1819. There are 18th and l9th-century memorials and stained glass of great interest and a fine German Walcker organ.

During the Nazi period in Germany St George's pastor, Julius Rieger, set up a relief centre for Jewish refugees from Germany who were provided with references to travel to England. The leading theologian and anti-Nazi activist Dietrich Bonhoeffer was also associated with the work of St George’s when Bonhoeffer was pastor at the nearby St Paul’s church between 1933 and 1935. The former congregation marked the centenary of Bonhoeffer’s birth with a well attended service in February 2006 and the BBC filmed Songs of Praise at St George’s, in June 2006, which told the story of Bonhoeffer and his lifetime’s achievements.

Major repairs costing nearly £900,000 have been completed, including the restoration of the organ.

The building was officially re-opened by HRH The Duke of Gloucester on 24 September 2004. The event was attended by approximately 300 guests.

A handsome 16-page, well illustrated, colour guidebook is available for £6 (including p and p) from the office. Cheques should be made payable to HCT.

The family history records of the former congregation of St George’s are now held at the London Borough of Tower Hamlets local history library, 277 Bancroft Rd, London E1 4DQ tel 020 7364 1290. The library is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

For access please ring 020 7481 0533.

St George's German Lutheran Church,
55 Alie Street, London E1 8EB
Tel: 020 7481 0533 Fax: 020 7488 3756
email: chapels@hct.org.uk

Company Number: 2778395.
Registered Charity Number: 1017321