The organization of communal Shechita in London was first conceived by the Spanish and Portuguese Congregation soon after the Resettlement in 1663 as being essential for adherents of traditional Judaism. From the mid-18th Century onwards, both the Sephardim and the growing Ashkenazic communities were independently attempting different systems to ensure the reliability of Kashrut. The history of these times is charmingly recorded by the author Albert M Hyamson in his book "The London Board for Shechita 1804-1954" commissioned by the Board for its one hundred and fiftieth anniversary in 1954.

What became clear at the beginning of the 1800's - as is transparent nowadays - was that the London community was not then large enough to afford the luxury of two organisations competing to provide the same services.

By 1804 the four main London Kehilot agreed "to co-operate together in adopting, and supporting a Plan for the better regulating (sic) the Shehita and more effectually securing Kishrut in the meat to be eaten by Jews under the sole direction of the Bet Din and Haham." In April of that year the London Board was officially constituted, with its aims set down most cogently in Law 1: "This Association" (hereinafter called "The Board") shall be known as the "London Board for Shechita" and shall be the authority responsible for the administration of the affairs of Shechita, for London and such other Jewish Communities as may wish to associate themselves with the "Board".

The London Board for Shechita continues to this day fulfilling its original purpose.

In 1953 the National Council of Shechita Boards was established, encompassing all UK shechita activities and joined in presenting a unified platform for the protection and defence of shechita. Nowadays it is a pro-active resource centre for the education of a wider public about the proper practice of humane slaughter, and is often consulted by Government departments and animal welfare organisations who are shown that Shechita is humane and is conducted by trained professionals to the best standards of practice.

With the continued influx of observant Jewish immigrants from the Continent during the 20th Century, and the growth of an Anglo-Jewish community firmly established throughout the United Kingdom, shechita boards sprang up in the provinces. But unlike the London Board, all evolved in the traditional way to serve the dual purpose of protecting local supplies and thereby also provide additional income to maintain the surrounding communal infrastructure. By far the largest organisation of its kind in the UK, the London Board even owned and operated abattoirs and wholesale outlets, right up until the latter half of the 20th Century.

For students of Halacha - Jewish Law in practice - it is interesting to note that the concept of Shechitat Chutz - prevention of cheap imports of meat - was developed to protect local sources of supply and, more importantly, revenue, as was the case with these small shechita boards. The London Board does not fully enjoy the shelter of this law since it's revenue does not fund the community, but its Beth Din - the court of the Board's Rabbinical Authority - will act to ensure long-term continuity of supply, so that both the price and availability of meat supplies are not adversely threatened by unfair competition.