8-K

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                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 16, 2009


                              CENTRAL BANCORP, INC.
                              ---------------------
               (Exact Name Of Registrant As Specified In Charter)



       MASSACHUSETTS                     0-25251                   04-3447594
- ----------------------------         --------------          -------------------
(State Or Other Jurisdiction          (Commission               (IRS Employer
      Of Incorporation)               File Number)           Identification No.)


     399 HIGHLAND AVENUE, SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS                 02144
     -----------------------------------------------------------------------
     (Address Of Principal Executive Offices)                     (Zip Code)


       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (617) 628-4000
                                                           --------------


                                 NOT APPLICABLE
          -------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former Name Or Former Address, If Changed Since Last Report)


Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions:

[ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act
    (17 CFR 230.425)

[ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act
    (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
    Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
    Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))


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ITEM 8.01   OTHER EVENTS.
            ------------

      On April 16, 2009, Central Bancorp, Inc. (the "Company") issued a press
release announcing that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly common
stock dividend of $0.05 per share payable on or about May 15, 2009 to
stockholders of record on May 1, 2009. A copy of the Company's press release is
attached to this Report as Exhibit 99.1 and is furnished herewith.


ITEM 9.01  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
           ---------------------------------

      (d)   Exhibits

            Number      Description
            ------      -----------

             99.1       Press Release dated April 16, 2009


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                                   SIGNATURES

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                      CENTRAL BANCORP, INC.


Date:  April 17, 2009            By:  /s/ Paul S. Feeley
                                      --------------------------------
                                      Paul S. Feeley
                                      Senior Vice President, Treasurer and
                                        Chief Financial Officer

EX-99.1

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:    Paul S. Feeley
            Senior Vice President, Treasurer and
               Chief Financial Officer
            (617) 628-4000


                    CENTRAL BANCORP, INC. DECLARES QUARTERLY
                           COMMON STOCK CASH DIVIDEND;
                       DIVIDEND REDUCED TO $0.05 PER SHARE

      SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, April 16 2009 -- Central Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ
Global Market: CEBK) (the "Company"), the parent company of Central Co-operative
Bank (the "Bank"), today announced that the Company's Board of Directors has
declared a quarterly common stock dividend of $0.05 per share payable on or
about May 15, 2009 to stockholders of record on May 1, 2009. The $0.05 dividend
represents a $0.13 decrease from the Company's previous quarterly cash dividend.

      "We are pleased to continue to be able to pay a dividend to our common
stockholders as we have done for the past 50 quarterly periods," said John D.
Doherty, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the Bank.
"However, while the Company and the Bank remain well-capitalized under all
applicable regulatory requirements, the Company's Board of Directors has
determined that reducing the Company's dividend at this point in time is prudent
to preserve capital in light of the recent economic developments in the
financial services industry and the economy in general."

      Central Bancorp, Inc. is the holding company for Central Bank, whose legal
name is Central Co-operative Bank, a Massachusetts-chartered co-operative bank
operating nine full-service banking offices, a limited service high school
branch in suburban Boston and a standalone 24-hour automated teller machine in
Somerville.

      This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements, which
are based on management's current expectations regarding economic, legislative
and regulatory issues that may impact the Company's earnings in future periods.
Factors that could cause future results to vary materially from current
management expectations include, but are not limited to, the potential impact of
the Company's participation in the TARP Capital Purchase Program, general
economic conditions, changes in interest rates, deposit flows, real estate
values and competition, changes in accounting principles, policies or
guidelines, changes in legislation or regulation, and other economic,
competitive, governmental, regulatory and technological factors affecting the
Company's operations, pricing, products and services.