In 1895-7 the hither-to-good relations with the Cheltenham community were spoiled as there was a dispute with the much declined Cheltenham synagogue over the use of its burial ground. The Stroud community seemed to want free use of the burial ground in return for free use of their schochet (Jewish butcher) by the Cheltenham community. The Cheltenham community not unnaturally wanted to maintain the existing fees, custom and control over the ground, in case the community were to revive in the future. It must be said in favour of the Stroud Jews that in 1897 there were only two Jews left in the Cheltenham community! The Cheltenham community acceded to Stroud five years later as long as they were to retain control in the case of a revival of their fortunes.
By the time that this dispute was resolved in 1902, the Stroud community itself was in deep trouble. It was in the grip of an extremely rapid and terminal decline caused by the demise of the local clothing industry. It seems that the community had catastrophically declined a little over ten years. In 1894 it was a thriving community which had gained the praises of the visiting Chief Rabbi, in 1908 it had virtually ceased.
The last rabbi was the Rabbi Zechariah Dimovitch, 1904-5. He was rabbi, schochet, as well as teacher. His ministry included Cheltenham and Gloucester, as well as Stroud. It seems that the congregation could hardly afford his modest stipend. A temporary student minister did officiate briefly in 1908 before he too moved on.
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