I have never previously been into 19, Princelet Street, a house which was built by Samuel Worrall, a builder entrepreneur, in 1718, for Peter Abraham Ogier, a Huguenot silk merchant. In 1869, the ground floor was turned into a synagogue which was abandoned after the Second World War. The house and its contents were acquired by the Spitalfields Trust in 1981 and for a time efforts were made to turn it into a Museum of Immigration and Diversity. This seems to have failed and the lease has been reacquired by the Spitalfields Trust.
This is the Synagogue, nearly intact:-
So much survives – its artefacts and material culture:-
On the top floor, a reclusive Jewish scholar, David Rodinsky, lived, but disappeared in the late 1960s. He was the subject of a book, Rodinsky’s Room by Rachel Lichtenstein and Iain Sinclair, published in 1999. This room, too, survives pretty intact:-
It poses a classic problem – how to preserve its atmosphere, but make it in some way open to the public, if only for small groups on guided tours.
The Spitalfields Trust, of course, has good experience of how to manage this dilemma at Dennis Severs’s house in Folgate Street.
I hope they can make it work.
| Charles | Saumarez | Smith | 
We went some years ago (I remember that my children were school age) when there was an open day. Such a shame that the museum hasn’t materialised. I suspect that that would have – importantly – facilitated school trips and less well off visitors. I note that the Dennis Severs house has a special rate for Tower Hamlets residents but otherwise it is quite expensive. (I’ve only been once – decades ago – when Dennis Severs was alive and the V&A had a group tour booked.) Of course there has also been the sad closure of the Jewish Museum in Camden which had very good design exhibitions on its top floor and offered another chance to understand and celebrate immigration.
Yes, I feel that as much should be done as possible to educate us all about the waves of East London immigration. I was really impressed by how evocative it is because so untouched.
I do hope ST have the resources to save this important place and find good use for it. Nearby Wilton’s Music Hall is perhaps another wonderful example of restoration restraint, whilst preserving both its fabric and atmosphere. However, I’ve noticed recently the ST have been attempting to broaden its reach by trying to acquire & restore a property in Charleston, South Carolina. I hope 19 Princelet Street helps refocus their stirling efforts & resources to where they are so successful.
Yes, I agree about Wilton’s Music Hall as a good model for protecting the atmosphere of a historic building. Charles
What a joy to see photos and learn the history of my very distant ancestor’s home at 19 Princelet Street! I am the 5th great-granddaughter of Louis Ozier/Ogier and his wife Catherine Crueze. I have been researching this family for a number of years.
Judy Cuff McFarland
So nice to hear from lineal descendants of Louis Ogier. Charles
Hello – this is really interesting. Do you know who to contact at the Spitalfields Trust to find out more? Thanks, Miki Lentin
Try Spitalfields.trust@hotmail.com. Their website is down. Charles