For the Jewish Community in Knaresborough (near Leeds) prior to 1290, see Medieval Knaresborough on JCR-UK
For details of Leeds Jewish Cemeteries, contact the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. on 0113 269 7520. Tel: 0113 269 7520.
CEMETERIES:
The Jewish Cemeteries in Leeds are in the following five separate locations:
- United Hebrew Congregation (UHC) Cemetery, Gelderd Road, Gildersome
"[Gabriel Davis, the Leeds Great Synagogue's first president,] was also instrumental in obtaining from the Earl of Cardigan in 1837, the land in Gelderd Road, Gildersome, for the first Jewish cemetery [in Leeds] which opened in 1840." In 1880's, ".....the cemetery in Gelderd Road, although extended, was very quickly filling up and a search for land was made.....some cheaper land actually adjoining the existing Gelderd Road cemetery became available and was purchased for £300." [Source - Leeds Jewry - A History of its Synagogues by Murray Freedman, 1995.]
"On May 12, 1840, a plot of land in the Gelderd road was granted by the Earl of Cardigan for a cemetery, which plot was afterward enlarged, and ... belongs to the Old Hebrew Congregation (the "Great Synagogue") in Belgrave street." Read more. [September 2010]
"Arrangements have been made between ...[the Leeds Old Hebrew C]ongregation and the newly-formed congregation at Doncaster whereby the former are granting burial facilities in their cemetery at Gildersome. A similar arrangement existed with Bradford until the congregation acquired a site of its own, and is still in operation with the York Congregation." [Jewish Chronicle 26 June 1914, page 32 - Source: Harold Pollins]
A description of the UHH Cemetery and a SEARCHABLE DATABASE of those buried there from 1840 - records of over 6,500 burials, plus photographs of some 5,000 headstones (which also includes a number congregations other than UHH) - is now available on JCR-UK and can be searched at Leeds UHC Cemetery. [Source - David Shulman, Webmaster JCR-UK, January 2014].
UPDATE: a new featute has been added to this database. A search result now gives GPS coordinates for the individual grave (accurate to about one metre) together with a button which, when clicked, brings a Google satellite image of the cemetery section showing the location of the grave.[Source - David Shulman, Webmaster JCR-UK, May 2015]
UPDATE:These records have now been updated to include all burials and consecrations to 31 January 2016 [Source - David Shulman, Webmaster JCR-UK. February 2016]
'Deciphering an Old Gravestone in Leeds' (in Shemot, Oct 1994, Vol 2: No 4, p 7) by Murray Freedman [Source: David Shulman, Webmaster JCR-UK,, August 2014]
See also Cemetery Scribes - Gildersome Cemetery [January 2017].
- Hilltop Jewish Cemeteries:(Beth Hamedrash Hagadol Hilltop Cemetery burial records)
The cemetery has been closed due to subsidence causing the ground to collapse and engineers branding it dangerous. The structural problems are thought to be caused by the labyrinth of coal minimg tunnels and mine shafts lying below the site. [February 2010] Beth Hamedrash Hagadol Cemetery, Gildersome. [Jewish Year Book 1955]
"October 10, 2008 Hilltop cemetery in Leeds has been closed to the public for a second time after Leeds City Council civil engineers classified the Gelderd Road site as dangerous. Two years ago, the collapse of a grave and gravestone forced Leeds Jewish Orthodox Cemeteries to close the cemetery for repairs. Hilltop reopened in June 2007 with assurances about its safety. But further subsidence has created more dangerous conditions." Cemetery dates from 1870s. [September 2010]
Psalms of David Hebrew Congregation Cemetery, Hill Top, Gelderd Road, New Farnley: "In 1935 the [Psalms of David] congregation acquired its own cemetery at Hill Top, Gelderd Road." [Source - Leeds Jewry - A History of its Synagogues by Murray Freedman,1995.]
New Briggate Hebrew Congregation Cemetery (Hill Top Cemetery), Gelderd Road, Gildersome:"In 1873, the [New Briggate] congregation purchased a plot in Gelderd Road for its own cemetery, now known as the Hill Top Cemetery. [Source - "Leeds Jewry - A History of its Synagogues" by Murray Freedman,1995.]
A description of the Hilltop Jewish Cemeteries and a SEARCHABLE DATABASE of those buried there is now available on JCR-UK, including photographs of all the headstones, which cemeteries were generally in use from from 1875 to 1970 (with some later burials). These records may be searched at Leeds Hilltop Cemeteries. [Source - David Shulman, Webmaster JCR-UK, July 2012]
See also Cemetery Scribes - Hilltop Cemetery [January 2017].
- New Farnley Cemetery, 717 Whitehall Road, Leeds LS12 6JL. Location. Building. photos. [September 2010]
Etz Chaim Cemetery: Etz Chaim's cemetery is New Farnley Cemetery on Whitehall Road and includes New Central Vilna, Psalms of David and Etz Chaim Synagogue members.
Leeds Jewish Workers' Co-operative Society Cemetery, New Farnley:"A cemetery on land purchased by the new organization [then called the Leeds Jewish Workers' Burial Society and Trading Society] in New Farnley, was opened on 12th May 1901 by Paul Hirsch J.P. in the presence of Rabbis Herzog and Sinson, and Revs. Kahn and Menkin (of Bradford)." [Source - "Leeds Jewry - A History of its Synagogues" by Murray Freedman,1995.]
Louis Street Hebrew Congregation Cemetery, New Farnley. [Jewish Year Book 1955]
A description of the New Farnley Cemeteries and a SEARCHABLE DATABASE of those buried there is now available on JCR-UK, including photographs of all the headstones (nearly 10,000 burials, plus photographs of some 8,000 headstones, from 1896). These records may be searched at New Farnley Cemeteries. [Source - David Shulman, Webmaster JCR-UK, July 2012]
UPDATE: a new featute has been added to this database. A search result now gives GPS coordinates for the individual grave (accurate to about one metre) together with a button which, when clicked, brings a Google satellite image of the cemetery section showing the location of the grave.[Source - David Shulman, Webmaster JCR-UK, May 2015]
UPDATE:These records have now been revised and updated to include all burials and consecrations to 1 February 2016 [Source - David Shulman, Webmaster JCR-UK. February 2016]
- Beth Hamedrash Hagadol (BHH) Cemetery, Gelderd Road, Gildersome
A description of the BHH Cemetery and a SEARCHABLE DATABASE of those buried there from 1955 - records of over 2,200 burials, plus photographs of some 2,000 headstones (which also includes a number of other congregations) - is now available on JCR-UK and can be searched at Leeds BHH Cemetery. [Source - Webmaster JCR-UK, January 2014].
UPDATE: a new featute has been added to this database. A search result now gives GPS coordinates for the individual grave (accurate to about one metre) together with a button which, when clicked, brings a Google satellite image of the cemetery section showing the location of the grave.[Source - David Shulman, Webmaster JCR-UK, May 2015]
UPDATE:These records have now been updated to include all burials and consecrations to 31 January 2016 [Source - David Shulman, Webmaster JCR-UK. February 2016]
See also Cemetery Scribes - Gildersome Cemetery {January 2017]
- Sinai (Reform) Synagogue Cemetery, Harehills
"At that time [1960's], a plot of land for a cemetery was made available for the [Sinai (Reform)] congregation at Harehills Cemetery." [Source - "Leeds Jewry - A History of its Synagogues" by Murray Freedman,1995.] Sinai Synagogue has a Jewish section within the Harehills Cemetery. Tel: 0113 2673188 Kimberley Road, Leeds LS9 6LZ. Map/Directions
A description of the Sinai Synagogue's section of the Harehills Cemetery and a SEARCHABLE DATABASE of those buried there is now available on JCR-UK, including photographs of all the headstones (350 burials from early 1950's to 2014 ). These records may be searched at Leeds Sinai Cemetery. [Source - David Shulman, Webmaster JCR-UK, July 2013]