Manchester City Council

Please note that the closure of Manchester Archives and Local Studies will start to happen from 25 February as a result of Central Library's temporary closure for renovation and refurbishment in Spring 2010.

Information about Archives and Local Studies services while Central Library is closed.

More information about Central Library's temporary closure.

The following is a summary of some of the most useful archives we hold for Jewish genealogy at Manchester Archives and Local Studies.

For information about our other holdings relating to the Manchester Jewish community please see our 'Records of the Manchester Jewish Community' guide.

The web site JewishGen and the Manchester branch of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain is also a good starting point.

Marriages

The only marriage registers we hold are for North Manchester (formerly Brodyer) Synagogue, Prestwich. These cover 1895-1915 (ref Archives M442/2/2/1-4).

Marriage registers for other synagogues will still be held by the appropriate synagogue.

A lot of synagogue marriages are indexed on LancashireBMD.

Burials

The earliest Jewish burial place was opened on Brindle Heath Road, Pendleton in 1794. Prior to this Jews who died in Manchester had to be interred in the burial grounds in Liverpool. Following the closure of the Pendleton cemetery in 1840 a cemetery was opened at Miles Platting, Queens Road (closed in c.1872) and at Prestwich, Bury New Road, (closed c.1914). The present cemetery at Crumpsall on Crescent Road was purchased by the Great Synagogue in 1884. The Reform Synagogue opened a cemetery in Whitefield in 1864. We hold:

• Burial Register. Manchester Hebrew Burial Ground 4 Apr 1841-28 Dec 1872, burials at Prestwich and Miles Platting; includes burials at Pendleton Cemetery 1798-1840 (ref Archives M139/7/6/1)
• Burials Registers. Burials at Prestwich and Crumpsall 1873-1929 (Manchester Hebrew Congregation) (ref Archives M139/7/6/2-4)
• Reserved graves book for Crumpsall Cemetery, 1940s-1960s (Manchester Great and New Synagogue) (ref Archives M139/addl 2000/57 Box 5)
• Manchester Central Synagogue, Heywood Street, Cheetham Grave and Burial Register Index (?Blackley Jewish Cemetery), 1900 -1948 (ref Archives M442/1 Box 8)
• Philips Park Cemetery, Bradford (Manchester City Council Cemetery) *. Includes Jewish burials, 1875-1943 (MFPR 834-837, 1100)
• Southern Cemetery (Manchester City Council Cemetery)*. Includes Jewish & Nonconformist burials, 1879-1964 (MFPR 2150-2152)
• Urmston Cemetery Burial register (Manchester New Synagogue), 1900-1916, 1925-1929 (ref Archives M139/16/4/1)
• Whitefield Cemetery (Manchester Reform Synagogue). Burial Register, 1864-1968 (Gives plot nos. and dates of burial); Register of Deaths, 1857-1959 (ref Archives M779 Box 76)

*The records for Southern Cemetery and Philips Park Cemetery can now be searched on-line at Manchester Burial records.

Manchester Burial Society of Polish Jews Ltd., later Manchester Jewish Burial Society Ltd.

Formed in 1877 the Society (a registered limited company) offered burial rights to shareholders whatever their synagogal allegiance. It was founded and controlled by immigrants and in effect served chevroth without burial grounds of their own. It appears to have used Urmston Cemetery. Includes (ref Archives M129):

• Authorisations for Burial. Gives: name, address, date of burial, age, and grave number. 4 volumes: 1881-1902, 1902-1966 (2 volumes), 1902-1955 (children)
• Lists of Graves. Gives grave number, name, age and date of burial. 3 notebooks: Section A, Section B, Section C
• Permits to Erect Gravestones, 1945-1958

School records

Manchester Jews' School (ref Archives M66/126). Manchester Hebrew Association has founded religious classes in 1838 and by 1842 has established a school at Halliwell St., Cheetham, moving to Cheetham Hill Road in 1851. In 1869 it moved to a larger building in Derby St., Cheetham, as became known as the Manchester Jews' School. Includes:

• Admission registers (Infants) 1883-1927 (on microfilm, MF 3010)
• Admission registers (Boys) 1874-1949 (on microfilm until 1916, MF 3010)
• Admission registers (Girls) 1876-1944 (on microfilm until 1922, MF 3010)

Cheetwood Junior and Infant School, Cheetham (ref Archives M66/91). Opened 1889. The school had a large number of Jewish pupils, who made up four-fifths of the school population by 1907. Includes:

• Admission register (Boys) 1920-1930 (on microfilm MF 3023, until 1925)
• Admission register (Senior Boys) 1930-1942
• Admission register (Junior Mixed) 1930-1955
• Admission registers (Infant) 1913-1955 (on microfilm MF 3023, until 1928)

Heath Street School, Cheetham (ref Archives M66/34). Opened 1894. In an area with a large Jewish population Hebrew was taught at the school from Feb 1915. Includes:

• Admission registers (Senior Mixed) 1906-1926 (on microfilm, MF 3022)
• Admission register (Boys Department, Central School) 1926-1937
• Admission register (Girls Department, Central School) 1924-1933
• Admission register (Senior Girls) 1930-1937
• Admission registers (Senior Mixed) 1937-1973

Southall Street School, Strangeways (ref Archives M66/82). Opened 1871. In May 1891 a Jewish Mixed department was opened. Includes:

• Admission registers (Jewish Infants) 1896-1930 (on microfilm MF 3024, until 1925)
• Admission register (Jewish Boys) 1883-1912 (on microfilm MF 3024-3025, until 1925)
• Admission registers (Jewish Girls) 1892-1925 (on microfilm MF 3024-3025)
• Admission registers (Senior Mixed Department) 1925-1930
• Admission registers (Central School Mixed) 1924-1929
• Admission registers (Senior Girls) 1930-1942
• Admission register (Junior Mixed and Infant), 1939-1953
• Admission registers (Senior Mixed) 1942-1948

Naturalisation

Naturalisation papers are held by the National Archives. We hold a cash book for the Manchester Naturalisation Society 1896-1909 (ref: Archives M150). This gives name of person, amount paid to fund, and date of payment.

The Society raised funds for the certificates by asking members to pay fees of 1s per week. Once sufficient funds had been accumulated a ballot was held and the winners were put forward to receive their naturalisation papers.

Manchester Great Synagogue (Before 1926 Manchester Hebrew Congregation)

We hold some membership records for this synagogue. These include:

• Archives M139/7/2/1-2 Counterfoils of Marriage Certificates 1854-1911
• Archives M139/7/7 Certificates of Registry of Death 1855-1958 (with gaps - several boxes)
• Archives M139/7/8/1-2 Wardens Books (Gives English and Hebrew names of members and seat holders) 1895-1921
• Archives M139/7/10/1-3 Registers of Members and Seat Rentals 1924-1926 (Gives seat number, names and sometimes the address)
• Archives M139/7/11/1-2 Registers of Members and Seat Rentals 1933-1952 (Gives seat number, name, address and amounts paid)