The
Beth Hamedrash Hagadol
(BHH) congregation was established in 1874. Initially, it used the communal
Hill Top Cemeteries but, in 1895, it arranged for its own cemetery at the
same site. This continued in use until the early 1950s when a new cemetery on
Gelderd Road, Gildersome was acquired. This was opened in 1955.
In the 1890's, and for some time thereafter, BHH was a member of the United
Synagogues of Leeds, which also included the
Great Synagogue. At certain times, affiliated congregations included
Chassidiche Chevra (Synagogue),Chevra
Shilleler,
Chevra Sefard (Sward),
Chevra Torah
and
Roundhay Road Chevra (Synagogue). Also, the BHH Congregation fully
incorporated
Chevra Torah
(early 1940's),
Leeds
Zionist Synagogue
(1955),
Old
Central Synagogue
(1958)
and
Roundhay Road Chevra (Synagogue) (1958).
Notable burials in the new BHH cemetery include:
- Ministers - Rabbi Louis Saffer, Rev Sam
Taylor, Rev Abraham Freedman and Rev Ben Rose
- Honorary Life Officers of the Synagogue
- Ephraim Zimmerman, Alex Rose, Harry Sender, Ernest Speedwell and Joe
Glucksmann
- Judge - Vivian Hurwitz
- Politician - Lord Bellwin
The "virtual" cemetery provided here contains details of 2,5641 burials
together with digital photographs of 2,495 headstones and has been assembled from
Synagogue Burial Registers, Sexton Day Books together with a few older fragmentary extant records.
A fire at BHH in 1952, which destroyed most of the records
existing at that time, predates the opening of this cemetery. The assignment of
rows and burial plots follows precisely that used in the Synagogue records. The
layout of the BHH Cemetery, including the row assignments, can be viewed
here. (The opportunity has been taken to update the aerial views of the
cemetery using the latest satellite images from Google Earth.)
Details of all burials in the new BHH Cemetery are provided in this database,
together with images of all legible and partially legible headstones. There are
a few burials for which no specific grave locations have been given in the
burial records. Details of these burials are provided without headstone images
and can be accessed via a separate drop down list.
The term 'Unconsecrated
Grave' is used to describe graves for which the deceased has been identified
(from the burial records) but where no headstone or plaque has been consecrated.
The term 'Unmarked Grave' is used to describe graves (usually concreted) for
which the deceased cannot be identified.
This database covers all
burials, consecrations and headstone renovations carried out up to 29 February
2024.
Information for any
individual may be displayed by first selecting the appropriate surname letters
from the list below and then selecting the required name from its corresponding
drop-down list. Navigation to the next or previous burial plot in the
Section/Row is achieved by clicking the appropriate link on the individual
burial page.
Grave locations
(accurate to about a metre) can be displayed on a Google satellite image via the
button provided on each burial page. Note that, although the grave location will
always be identified, the image may not contain details of some of the most
recent row additions to the cemetery.
For a single search covering all five Leeds Jewish Cemeteries, click
Here
Please ensure that JavaScript is enabled in your browser before making a
selection above.
This database has been created through the efforts and support of Lee White,
Alan Tobias, Malcolm Sender and the late Murray Freedman. JCR-UK Webmaster -
David Shulman. It is made available
here with permission of the
BHH
Synagogue. The GPS enhancements were developed by Alan and Derek Tobias.
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