[3] The building was built by refugee French Huguenots in 1766 as a church, it was later converted into a Baptist chapel, and in 1867 was acquired by a Jewish congregation.

The members were workingmen of Dutch Ashkenazi background, employed as cigar makers, diamond cutters and fruit traders.

As of 2017[update], it is in use for weekday afternoon prayers, for Sabbath services every other week, for Jewish Festivals, and for tours of the historic building.

[4] A plan for using the historic synagogue to house a museum or heritage centre celebrating the Jews of London's East End was under consideration in 2009.

Like the Great Synagogue, Sandys Row has a coved ceiling, cornice, clerestory windows and a Neo-classical Torah Ark set into an apse.

[11] The synagogue was the central location for The Tenth Man,[13][14] a 2006 short film directed by Sam Leifer and starring Warren Mitchell and Steven Berkoff.