St George's German Lutheran Church

The principal founder was Diederich Beckman, a successful sugar refiner who donated much of the money required to buy the site and erect the church. Beckman's nephew, Gustav Anton Wachsel from Logabirum near Leer/Ostfriesland, became the first pastor. At the time, the street was called "Little Ayliffe Street" and the area was called "Goodman's Fields". The name of the street changed to "Alie Street" about 1800. This area of Whitechapel had many sugar refiners of German descent in the nineteenth century and they initially constituted most of the congregation. At its height, there were an estimated 16,000 German Lutherans in Whitechapel and the area was sometimes referred to as Little…

The church retains a set of furnishings, mostly from the 18th century, including a set of box pews and a high central double-decker pulpit and sounding board. The coat-of-arms of King George III (pre-1801) and two carved timber commandment boards in German hang in the church. The Royal Arms were required to be erected in Anglican churches but were adopted by nonconformist congregations voluntarily, as a mark of loyalty. There are donations boards for the church and adjoining former church school. Among the donors listed is the King of Prussia.

The earliest known record of an organ at St George's dates to 1764. The current organ was built in 1886 by the Walcker family, renowned organ builders from Ludwigsburg. The same firm enlarged it in 1937, retaining the Neo-Gothoc case and much of the original pipework. The organ contains many features typical of 19th century German Romantic instruments including pneumatic action, free combination pistons and a Rollschwelle - a cylindrical roller mounted directly above the centre of the pedalboard - which allows the organist to create continuous and often seamless crescendos or diminuendos during a passage of music. For organists interested in German Romantic organ music, the organ provides…

The church is used for worship and the organ continues to be used regularly for services, teaching and the monthly series of Organ Vespers. An active committee of Friends of St George's German Lutheran Church organises monthly talks to give the public access and to raise funds for the maintenance of this historic building. put on public events at the church and welcome new members. The church is available for guided group visits by appointment and has regular open days throughout the year. Couples eligible to be married in Tower Hamlets may have religious marriages here and ceremonies may be conducted in German, English or Latin.