JCR-UK

Leeds Jewish Community

West Yorkshire

 

 

   
 

Page created: 17 January 2014
Latest general update: 20 Febraury 2023
Page most recently amended: 27 April 202
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Leeds BHH Cemetery

 

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 2,531 burials together with digital photographs of 2,454 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 February 2023.


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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