Burial Grounds at risk in the UK

Back in 2008 Jewish Heritage UK reported on 'Burial grounds at risk' with a list of 9 Jewish cemeteries:

Exeter, Bull Meadow
London, Bancroft Road
London, Hackney [Lauriston Road)
Ipswich, Salthouse Lane
Merthyr Tydfil, Cefn Coed
Manchester, Prestwich Village
Sunderland, Ayres Quay
Swansea, Mayhill
Wolverhampton, Cockshutts Lane

And in 2009 the follwowing burial grounds were added:
London, West Ham Cemetery
Birmingham, Betholom Row Cemetery
Glasgow, Craigton Cemetery
Liverpool, Deane Road and Green Lane (Tuebrook)

CemeteryScribes has been able to record all remaining tombstones found at Bancroft Road, Lauriston Road, Sunderland - Ayres Quay and Wolverhampton - Cockshutts Lane. The latter 2 with the help of generous supporters of our project. We also have some photos of Ipswich - Salthouse Lane, Merthyr Tydfil - Cefn Coed, Exeter - Bull Meadow, Swansea - Mayhill and London - West Ham Cemetery.

As a result of local community efforts, restoration work is underway for Liverpool- Deane Road Jewish Cemetery and their hard work and dedication has recently been rewarded by a well-merited Grant from The Heritage Lottery Fund. Again, following a great deal of research and lobbying,  Bancroft Road is scheduled for restoration by Jeecs & the United Synagogues.

Obviously all restoration requires large amounts of money and in this day and age with our pockets being stretched in every direction its not always possible for the relevant bodies to put these tasks top of their lists.

However, there is no great cost involved in taking photos and that does at least serve as a form of preservation of what is there now. So if you are reading this and live near to, or plan to visit :

Exeter, Bull Meadow
Ipswich, Salthouse Lane
Merthyr Tydfil, Cefn Coed
Manchester, Prestwich Village acquired in 1841 - the second oldest burial ground in Manchester
Swansea, Mayhill
Birmingham, Betholom Row Cemetery dating back to 1823
Glasgow, Craigton Cemetery opened in 1880

Please take a few photos for us!

Gloucester Old Jewish Burial Ground

The old Jewish Cemetery in Organ’s Passage Gloucester was finally cleared in 1938 when the land was transferred to Gloucester Council for use as a children’s recreation ground, and the remains transferred to the separate section in the new Gloucester Corporation Cemetery at Colney Hill

The first burial in the Organ’s Passage ground took place in 1784   http://www.cemeteryscribes.com/getperson.php?personID=I11616&tree=Cemeteries  and the last, some 100 years later in 1886
http://www.cemeteryscribes.com/getperson.php?personID=I11647&tree=Cemeteries

In the early part of this period, Gloucester was still a busy port, but the difficulties of navigating the shallow tidal stretch of the River Severn approaching the city appears to have acted as a deterrent to foreign-going vessels, which possibly explains why the Gloucester Community, which drew its members from quite a wide area and included the long established Levy family of Ross on Wye http://www.cemeteryscribes.com/getperson.php?personID=I11632&tree=Cemeteries
and the Myer family of Hereford, never grew to match those in other ports around the country, such as Portsmouth, Plymouth, and Southampton. 

However, although small, the community was surprisingly well documented; see
http://www.jewishgen.org/jcr-uk/susser/provincialjewry/exeteripsw.htm
And, if you can get hold of a copy, Father Brian Torode’s comprehensive study “The Hebrew Community of Cheltenham, Gloucester and Stroud. © 1989 © 1999 Revised. offers a wealth of useful information. As does Marcus Roberts Jtrails http://www.jtrails.org.uk/trails/cheltenham/places-of-interest

Our comprehensive list of burials, drawn from several sources includes a further 5, not listed in Roth’s “Rise of Provincial Jewry”

It is not our normal practice to list burials without accompanying photographs but, since this is a “lost Cemetery” we felt it right to include these records and we hope, where possible, to provide photographs at some future date.

Bath Jewish Burial Ground - Restoration

A recent article in the Jewish Chronicle reports that the first stage of the £50,000 restoration work at the old Jewish Burial Ground at Combe Down had been completed. For more information go to the Jewish Chronicle article here

CemeteryScribes has 26 tombstone photos taken at the Bath cemetery along with inscriptions for each of these individuals there are also mini family trees. Family names include: Jacobs, Jacobson, Keseff, Leon, Rees, Sigmond, Simmons, Sloman and Somers.

Click here to see further information.

Balls Pond Road Jewish Cemetery now complete!

We have added over 500 photos to CemeteryScribes.com taken at this cemetery. Each entry includes the tombstone photo, inscriptions and in most cases the immediate families of those buried there.

Balls Pond was opened in the early 1840's and is owned by West London Synagogue. It was described by Mrs Basil Holmes in ‘London Burial Grounds’ 1896, Fisher-Unwin as being neatly kept and full of very large tombstones

Of course not all the tombstones are still there or if they are they are not all legible. In many cases the names of the individuals have gone leaving only the marks made by the lettering, something of a 'dot-to-dot' puzzle to be able to read them. If you do not find the details of individuals you are looking for we recommend http://www.apex.net.au/~tmj/balls-pond/ which includes information taken from burial records.

You can browse through each entry here or use the search on the home page here

Bancroft Road (Maiden Lane) Jewish Cemetery - Restoration Project

**** The list has been updated and a further 40 names added, see here :
http://cemeteryscribes.com/blog/?p=499
****
In Sept 2008 we received this email:

"I am delighted to see this website. About 30 minutes ago I was walking the streets of Bethnal Green, and to my horror I came across a Jewish cemetery which was in a bad state of disrepair. I took photos and as soon as I got home I emailed the Jewish Chronicle, now after a bit of research I realise it Bancroft Cemetery and I know it was bombed during the war and so was not necessarily vandalised. I am greatly encouraged by this project to see our heritage is preserved. Thanks for giving me a bit of hope. Susie Clapham"

We replied, drawing Susie’s attention to JEECS (Jewish East End Celebration Society) who have been interested in trying to provide assistance in restoring the grounds for some time.
Since then Susie has instigated an article in the JC (Oct 2008) highlighting the state of Bancroft Cemetery, joined JEECS and become a committee member along with helping to drive forward the restoration of Bancroft Cemetery.

There have been numerous articles and please for something to be done over the years so you can imagine our delight at hearing this week that plans are in motion, talks have taken place, and some agreement reached!
The first task will be to tidy the area, turn fallen stones, and turf the grounds. Following this, pieces of shattered tombstone will be collected and incorporated into a permanent memorial to commemorate every individual buried at Bancroft and whose tombstones have long since gone or been destroyed. Of course creating such a worthwhile memorial will require additional funding. We understand that an appeal is being set up and will bring you more details of this when we can.

With this in mind, Susie contacted us for help in finding the names of all those who were buried there, or at least as many as possible, an especially difficult task as the records were destroyed years ago.
Below is a list of those we have found so far, but do you know more? Were your ancestors buried there? Do you have any old photos showing the cemetery? 

Please leave a reply below with details of anyone you know was buried at Bancroft (Maiden Lane) Jewish Cemetery or the 'contact us'.


Abraham SOLOMON died 1^st Sep 1811?
Abigail MOSES wife of Philip Moses of Swallow St, died 1814
Leah daughter of Phineas wife of Moses b Hayim died 1814
Michael LEVY of Borough Road, died 1815
Isaac ISAAC (Isaac b Hayim) of East St Marylebone died 1817
Samuel LAZARUS aged 68 died 1817
Moses HYAMS aged 54 died 1818
Emanuel ABRAHAM died 1823
Michael SIMONS died 1824
Maria HARRIS wife of Ephraim died 1824
Moses b Abraham Mordecai died 1824
Michael SIMONS 1824
Mirlah wife of Simon EMANUEL aged 64, died 1829
Jacob died 1830/1
Wolf PISER (Benjamin Zeib) son of Rabbi Nathan of Copenhagen died 1837
Ephraim HARRIS late of Marylebone lane, 1840
Simon EMANUEL of Marylebone Lane Simon b Menahem aged 82 died 1840
Isaac LEVY of Flemings Row aged 45 died 1844
Joseph LEVY of the Poultry died 1846
Samuel ISAACS died 1846?
Emanuel JACOBS died 1854
Alkia? wife of Mr [Mor...] Reuben .... died Sun 24 Sivan buried [Wed] 27 5619 (died 26/6/1859).
Abraham COLLIS died 1860
Hannah LEVY (wife of Aaron) died 1/11/1865
Hannah (Anna) BRAHAM (Mrs) died 28/10/1867
Kenandel b Jacob died 10/12/1866
Israel b Nathan died 4/9/1869
Louis KYEZOR buried 14/10/1869 [added 13/12/09 - H. Pollins, see source list below *]
Rev’d David JOSEPH died 11/8/1871
Dinah ANSELL (Mrs) stone setting 27/12/1874
Juliet ABRAHAMS of Holloway Road, 1875
Lewis HARRIS died 9/4/1877
Lewis SOLOMON stone setting 18/8/1878
Hyman Jonas MORELL died 20/8/1879
Caroline EMANUEL (wife of Simeon) died 15/12/1879
Hannah HART (wife of Aaron) died 4/3/1880
Juliet & Fanny MARKS, stone setting 27/2/1881
Joseph MURRAY died 5/5/1881
James JACOBS died 18/9/1881
Elizabeth MARKS (wife of Charles) died 2/11/1881
Hyam (or Hyman) AARONSON of 188 Kings Road, Chelsea died 17/3/1882 [added - H. Pollins] stone setting 18/2/1883
Alexander JACOBS died 1/3/1883
David DAVIES of 10 Green St, Leicester Square, stone setting 8/4/1883 [added 13/12/09 - H.Pollins]
Joseph COLLISS died 17/11/1883
Israel ABRAHAMS age 61, died 15/8/1885 15/8/1884 (fire) [corrected 13/12/09 - H. Pollins]
Julia MARKS (Mrs) 86yrs (Israel ABRAHAMS’ wife’s mother), died 15/8/1885 15/8/1884 (fire) [corrected 13/12/09 - H. Pollins]
Mark ABRAHAMS age 32yrs died 15/8/1885 15/8/1884 (fire) [corrected 13/12/09 - H. Pollins]
Lily ABRAHAMS age 19 yrs died 15/8/1885 15/8/1884 (fire) [corrected 13/12/09 - H. Pollins]
Simeon EMANUEL of 22 Store Street, died 27/11/1885
John JACOBS died 30/12/1885
Ann (Nancy) COLLINS of 44 Lower Marsh, Lamberth stone setting 11/7/1886
Leah LEVY (wife of Morris) of 81 Drury Lane, stone setting 15/8/1886
Mark COLLINS of 28 Broad Street, Bloomsbury stone setting 29/8/1886, died 7/5/1886 [14/12/09 date of death added - H. Pollins]
Lydia COLLINS (wife of Mark) died Jul 1887
Caroline SIMONS (wife of Moses)  died 1/9/1888
Philip JACOBS died 14/3/1889
Charles SOLOMON, musical composer, stone setting 27/7/1890, died 16/5/1890 [14/12/09 date of death added - H. Pollins]
Bernard WINKEL, Shamas of Maiden Lane Synagogue, stone setting 27/7/1890
Ernest LAZARECK, died 22/9/1890, stone setting 27/9/1891 [added H. Pollins]
Phoebe EMANUEL died 1892
Maximilian GONZAWA died 28/5/1892
Michael GABRIEL died 1894
Charlotte MORELL (nee MOSSEL) died 26/1/1894
Samuel (Unknown) died 23 Jan 1895
Julia ABRAHAMS (wife of Moss) died 1895
Hannah JACOBS died 21/2/1895
(unknown) JOSEPH died 1898
James S. LYON, theatrical upholsterer of High Holborn died 7/1/1898 31/12/1897 [amended - H. Pollins], Buried 2/1/1898 [added - H. Pollins] in a reserved grave next to his wife. Stone setting 11/9/1898 [added - H. Pollins].
Keila widow of ... bar Moshe .. Fri 26 Adar 5655. (22/3/1895)
Robert LYON (brother of James S. Lyon) died 11/9/1898
Moise MOCH of 18 Southampton Row aged 70, stone setting 14/2/1902
Philip PHILLIPS died 18th January 1918 in 91st yr as Minister Maiden Lane /Western Synagogues [added 14/12/09  - E. Samuel]
Abraham ben Isaac … [died] Sun [7] .. Elul? [buried] Mon 9 560[6]
Beila bat ... died [Wed / Thur] 6 Tishri 563[?] ...
Martha ABRAHAM?
Rosetta (Unknown)
Levi b Jacob HaLevi aged 67
David LEVY
Dinah LYON
Daughter of Rev Jacob MOSES late of Birmingham

Sources:
CemeteryScribes
Jewish Chronicle
The Western Synagogue through two centuries 1761 - 1961 Arthur Barnett
* Pollins, Harold; Rosewarne, Vic. Louis Kyezor : 'the King of Whitton', c.1796-1869 (Borough of Twickenham Local History Society paper, 82). Twickenham: Borough of Twickenham Local History Society, 2002. 44 p. ISBN 0903341751.
See here for our previous blog on Bancroft Cemetery.

The First Jewish Cremation in Britain - 1888

We have many entries on the CemeteryScribes database for individuals who were famous for their charity and good deeds , their professional and financial achievements, or their contributions to the Arts and Sciences, but this is the story of a person who was famed, not for his life, but for his burial.

Camillo Roth, a Viennese member of the London Stock Exchange, was born in 1846. He took British nationality in either 1868 or 1872; there are two entries for the same name on the National Archives website. Despite being a British Subject, we have found no evidence of a permanent domicile. In the 1871 Census he was lodging, alone, at a small hotel in Conduit Street and, thereafter, he seems to have taken up residence at Hatchetts Hotel in Piccadilly. His collection of paintings included works such as 'Charlotte and Sarah Hardy, the Daughters of Colonel Thomas Carteret Hardy' by Thomas Lawrence 1801, now to be found at The Cleveland Museum of Art. But whether these works of art adorned the walls of his rooms in Hatchetts Hotel, to be enjoyed on a daily basis, or whether they were stored unceremoniously in some dusty Bond Street Gallery cellar, remains a mystery. Like much else about this rather elusive man.

Camillo died at Hatchetts Hotel on 9th April 1888. We have found no mention of any family, either in London or on the Continent, so we may assume that it was his considered, personal and, for the times, highly contentious, choice to be cremated.

The cremation, which took place in Woking, Surrey was reported in the Jewish Chronicle in such detail as to make unpleasant reading; the reporter evidently torn between the twin emotions of disbelief and wonderment. The Crematorium at Woking had been built less than ten years earlier, so the practice was not widely known, but it was probably that this was the first ever cremation of a Jewish person in Britain that led to such morbid interest. Surprisingly, The Jewish Chronicle adopts a very moderate and enlightened tone on the general subject of Cremation, suggesting it would not be contrary to Jewish Law. And the 'Daily News', in its account of the cremation of Mr. Roth, reaches a similar conclusion, citing the fact that Mr. Lazarus of the West London Synagogue was present and Professor Marks conducted a service, as proof of its acceptability.

We can only wonder at the discussions that may have taken place prior to the agreement for the subsequent burial of the ashes at Balls Pond Jewish Cemetery, the first discussion of its type in the UK: would cremation be contrary to Jewish Law; remains artificially disintegrated rather than naturally returning to dust, versus the fact that these remains, or ashes, would be returned to earth as required by the Law.

The Jewish Chronicle reports that the Executive were guided by the Ministers regarding the interment when granting the application. The length of time between Mr. Roth's death on the 9th Oct, and the burial of his ashes some 5 days later, suggests the Ministers did not rush into a decision.

Mr. Camillo Roth was buried at Balls Pond. His tombstone holds no clues as to the turmoil that his choice of burial must have caused amongst the community, nor the notoriety that followed it. There is no mention in the inscription and any visitor passing by it would never know.

Tales from ChathamJewish Cemetery

There would appear to have been a couple of unusual burials at Chatham and, in one case, perhaps no burial at all.

In the middle of Jun 1786 Mr Levi Israel a silversmith in Chatham, and lease holder of the Synagogue, received a parcel sent to him from London. The parcel contained a small coffin with the body of a young male child aged between 7 to 10 days. The letter enclosed with the parcel asked that Mr Israel bury the child.

Sadly the Times article of Jun 26 1786 doesn't record the name on the letter and therefore there is no indication as to who the child's parents were, but we can imagine that they were from Chatham and perhaps travelling to London.

The article does however confirm that the baby was buried in Chatham cemetery by Mr Israel in the presence of a Constable.

According to records held by Medway City Ark, Levi Israel died between 1794 and 1808 and therefore would not have been alive at the time of the Abraham Abrahams affair. Had he been, I wonder if the decision would have been the same?"

It is said that, following his execution in August 1819, Abraham Abrahams was buried at Chatham cemetery. In the transcriptions of the legible tombstones at Chatham there was one Abraham Abrahams buried in 1800 aged 60 years, so obviously not the same person.

A search of the Times for 1819 brought up one quite detailed account of the execution of Abraham Abrahams. He, along with others, including Judah and Joseph Solomons were indicted as accessories before the fact in a burglary at Sheerness on 30th Jan. They were all being held at New-Gaol, Maidstone when the sentences for Judah and Joseph were commuted to transportation (transported 8th Oct on the Prince Regent). The sentence was reported as being the result of the evidence of the principal witness, Abraham Buckee, and 'corroborated by a long chain of 'circumstantial evidence'. Buckee, who turned King's evidence, received the Royal Pardon for his part in the burglary.

Joseph Solomons was Abraham Abrahams father-in-law and had brought him up from a child. He was allowed to meet with Abrahams at 6am on the morning of his execution but refusal was given for a minyan to meet and pray with the condemned man the previous night.

When Abraham's body was released it was placed in a coffin, with the intention of it being taken to Chatham for burial the same day. However, a letter was received from Dr Hyam of Chatham, stating that the body should be taken to Sheerness and not to Chatham. The hearse and attendants seem to have ignored this and made their way to Chatham but were refused entry on arrival. The result being that the coffin was eventually conveyed by water to Sheerness and interred there the next day.

The story of the trial and execution of Abraham Abrahams has been extensively covered in the book by Jeremy I. Pfeffer "From one End of the Earth to the other: The London Bet Din 1805-1855 and the Jewish Convicts transported to Australia: Sussex Academic Press.

GenPals Cemetery Project has new name and Site!

Great News!

We decided a while ago that with the success of the project our use of a spare domain name that we had available was not good enough and we have now created a brand new name and site for the Cemetery Project www.cemeteryscribes.com

And to go with our new site there's a new blog found at http://cemeteryscribes.com/blog/ :

Recent additions include some photos, inscriptions and mini family trees from Bath Jewish Burial Ground, additions to Balls Pond Cemetery, West Ham Cemetery, Willesden Cemetery and coming soon Plashet Cemetery (section A).

Hope you all like our new site!

Stonemasons and Monumental Masons

A recent message on one of the forums reminded that for, some time, I had been mulling over a piece about Stonemasons.  Who and where were they? What were the particular skills of their craft? Was this a trade (or craft) that was handed down from father to son, or could any likely lad become apprenticed? 

It is believed that the early stones were carved by local, non-Jewish, stone masons and that the bereaved family would visit the mason, look round his work and select something that most closely matched their needs. Certainly it’s fair to say that there are symbols that are used both on Jewish headstones as well as Christian ones, and similar themes, in particular those representing a young life lost with broken columns, cut flowers, cut branches etc.

I wonder how they managed with the Hebrew inscriptions and whether that would explain some of the anomalies that crop up from time to time? Did the deceased’s family write out the Hebrew for the stone mason to try and copy?

It seems more likely that it would have been  the responsibility of a Synagogue functionary since, according to the Laws of the Congregation of the Hambro Synagogue published in 1844, the Rabbi of the Burial Society would check all inscriptions, before they were engraved, to ensure that the wording was correct and proper. In the event that  he allowed a stone or tomb to be set that contained an error, he would apparently have been liable to pay for any alterations or corrections; a powerful incentive to get it right!   

It would clearly be extremely difficult to trace these early masons but slightly simpler to find out about more recent practitioners

We have on site the details of James Samuel founder of J. Samuel and Son monumental masons who lived at Jews Burial Ground, Stepney according to the 1841 and 1851 census.

In 1873 J. Samuel and Son advertise as Monumental Masons and undertakers at 147 Sidney Street, Mile End. Established over fifty years (so before 1823) and providing headstones, tombs and monuments for all cemeteries, in stone, Aberdeen granite and marble, with the 'imperishable lead letters'. Although I doubt any one came back to complain I think its fair to say that the lead letters were not entirely imperishable.

Other's I have found are:

Barnett LEVY stonemason of Princes Street Coverleys Fields who had Sun insurance in Feb 1815.

In 1858 the partnership of John Lyons undertaker of 1 Alie Street, Goodman's Fields and Philip Levy, sexton and stonemason at Wellington Road Forest Lane was dissolved.

1861 the bankruptcy of Levi Lee 1 Carlton Road, Kentish Town.

1873 Barnett Levy monumental mason of 10 Sion Square advertises alongside J. Samuel and son in the Jewish Chronicle. A year later in 1874 there is E. Harris & Co at 1a Braumont Street, Mile end. E. Harris is advertising immediately below J. Samuel and son and includes in their advert "18 years at Messrs J. Samuel and Son"

In 1875 there is a change, E. Harris is now Harris and Barnett monumental masons. Their advert includes the "18 years with J. Samuel and Son".

1879 and John W Legge, sculptor of Aberdeen, advertises monuments and tomb furnishings, 'best quality from £5'. 

By 1883 there are three London stone masons advertising. A. Van Praagh  of Leman Street, Whitechapel along with J. Samuel and son, and Harris and Barnett monumental masons. All three saying that they provide designs on application.

1894 Directory has B. S. Polack of Bow E, Lincoln House, Lincoln Street, with his works at Gough Road, Stratford, adjoining the Jewish Cemetery: A. Van Praagh of 14 St Mark Street and works at Baron Sclater Street.: Harris and Son (rather than Harris and Barnett) at 1 Beaumont Street: and J Samuel and son at 147 Sydney Street.

Most of the above firms are clearly Jewish, but were the Masons employed to do the actual carving also Jewish? 

This is very much a work in progress and it would be greatly appreciated if any of you out there who have further knowledge of London Stonemasons and their history would make contact.

Sources: London Gazette, Sun Fire Insurance, Jewish Chronicle, Directory of Jewish tradesmen 1894.

An application for a disinterment

George Eliot John (or David) Johnasson, was born in London on 4 February 1863 and was circumcised at 149 Sloane St, Chelsea by Rabbi Asher Ash, on 25th February - somewhat later than the usual seventh day following a birth. He was the only son of [Moses] John Johnasson and his Belgian born wife, Mathilde, and grandson of David Jonassohn of Usworth Hall Durham.

There may have been other causes for the delay, but the late circumcision could suggest the baby was rather sickly? Certainly, the child was to die on 21st February 1874, shortly after his tenth birthday. Evidently, a much loved child, the stone erected to his memory in the Balls Pond Road testifies to his "Gentle Spirit"

The death of the boy's mother was reported in the Times of Monday, Mar 21, 1887; pg. 1; Issue 32025; col A ad. on 19th inst at Paris, Mathilde, the beloved wife of John Johnasson Mathilde Johnasson died in Paris.

Some time between her death and 1890, John Johnasson remarried Alice, Belgian born like his 1st wife. No record of the marriage has been found; their daughter, Gladys Virginia was born Kensington Sep qtr 1890.

And it is around this time, in March 1889 that that John Johnasson made a request to the West London Synagogue to have his son disinterred for reburial in Kensal Green Cemetery. According to the report in the Jewish Chronicle, the request was refused as "being contrary to Jewish principles" [JC MARCH 29 1889 (Page:8)].

What prompted John Johnasson to make such am unusual and dramatic request? After all, the child was the grandson of a representative to the Board of British Deputies and Kensal Green Cemetery, whilst apparently inter or non-denominational, was not a consecrated Jewish burial place. For a father to voluntarily disturb the last resting place of his only beloved son, it must have been something very powerful.

We know little about either of John's wives; Mathilde born Antwerp circa 1838, died Paris 19th March 1887 and Alice V born Antwerp 1864 died Kensington Mar qtr 1933 and if anyone has any information regarding either of them, or the burial place of John Johnasson died Newcastle upon Tyne Jun Qtr 1907 do please contact us at GenPals.com
ALS

Restoration Projects: Make such a difference!

Who, in the Jewish establishment, is responsible for the Bancroft Road (Maiden Lane) Cemetery?

The argument has raged for over 100 years.

While that once historic burial ground has been reduced to a weed-covered desert and is now beyond restoration,

enthusiastic local activists have not only done, literally, ground-breaking work to restore the historic Deane Road Cemetery in Liverpool but have also mounted a campaign for Heritage funds which has resulted in a development grant of £13,800.

The wonderful work being done at Deane Road is described in photos here and the news of the development grant here on Louise Baldock's blog

For information on Bancroft Road Jewish Cemetery and a brief history see here

Website error: Hannah Montefiore

Among the photographs kindly donated by Dr. Helen Fry, was one from the Exeter Jewish Cemetery for Hannah Montefiore, wife of Moses d'Ancona. The inscription on her stone reads

"Hannah relict of Moses Ancona daughter of Moses Montefiore died April 25 5599 ages 71.
From the Hebrew inscription: Hannah bat Moshe ...

In a moment of inattention, we placed her as a child of Sir Moses Montefiore (1784-1886) and his wife, Judith Cohen (1784-1862) respectively, GenPals Person ID I7638 & I7637.
Keen students of this famous family will already have spotted two compelling reasons why this would have been a factual impossibility.

1. Sir Moses and Lady Judith died without issue
2. Hannah Montefiore D'Ancona died in 1839 aged 71, which would have made her some16 years older than the man we had designated as her father!

Hannah Montefiore is now with her rightful parents; one of the 17 children of Moses Vita (Chaim) Montefiore and his wife, Esther Hannah Rachah . And she is, of course, an aunt of the Sir Moses we erroneously designated as her father.

Sincere apologies to anyone who copied this data into their own research. Please revisit GenPals Cemetery Project and revise your files accordingly.

We will double our efforts to avoid any future errors but there are no cast-iron guarantees and it is always best to check data for yourselves, even when it appears on well-sourced and carefully researched websites such as www.GenPals.com
ALS

Interesting Headstone from Brady Street Cemetery

Well here goes with my first 'real' post. Its about an intriguing headstone we found at Brady Street. One of the more difficult to interpret as it included an Acrostic and a Gematria.

The inscription was transliterated as:
Creature of earth in his mother's bosom... His gathering comes now ...
His fineness with those who lack ...
Calling wisdom father and running from evil.
In the year 5538 [1788], he awakened the heart of his brothers, donated his money and was the head/chief to help.
The orphans of his brothers, fatherless children;
Joyous to begin and finish with bounty, running from contributor to contributor, calling out,
'Your brother is dead and you will abandon the children he left with you!
Awake and you will receive a good reward.'
... His lovingkindness will never be forgotten;
... on him praise
...life and here will lie undisturbed;
At 60 years, taken live to his Father on the holy Shabbat and buried the following day, Sunday,
Nisan in the year 'raiser of the orphans' [5564/1804].

So the questions are, who was Yitzhak ben Yisrael Yaacov (Isaac ben Israel Jacob?)? do you know more about him and his good deeds? if so please let us know.

To see the entry on Genpals.com go to Yitzhak ben Yisrael Yaacov

Intro

Welcome to our blog.

We have started this as a place to publish items that would not really fit in with our main website which is a database of inscriptions from Jewish Cemeteries throughout the UK, including mini family trees created from a variety of sources. Along with general photos of the cemeteries and short histories.

So we hope they interest you as much as they do us.

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