Are you in London and interested in both documenting a historic Jewish cemetery — and learning how to do so?
If so, you can join an online and on-site volunteer program to document the Lauriston Road Jewish Cemetery in Hackney, near Victoria Park, organized by the Heritage department of United Synagogue.
Places are limited — you can register at [email protected].
Or click here to fill out the registration form found on this page
The program consists of four free, online training modules — the first session will take place on September 2, from 5-6 pm London time.
There will then be follow-up interactive webinars with expert guidance, with the on-site session on October 27.
Online Schedule:
-
2 September 5 – 6pm: Welcome & intro, online
-
9 September 5 – 6pm: Health & safety, online
-
16 September 5 – 6pm: Photography, online
-
27 September 5 – 6pm: Recording, online
-
16 October 5 – 6pm: Research skills, online
-
Winter 2025 Online webinar on Jewish symbolism and reading Hebrew inscriptions, dates to follow
On-site Workshop
-
27 October On-site session at Lauriston Road Cemetery
The Lauriston Road Jewish cemetery is a Grade II listed site, whose first burial dates from 1788. The cemetery was extended in 1852 and has a lodge building, walls, railings and gates from 1870, designed by H.H. Collins.
It is listed as a historic site by Historic England for these reasons:
Architectural interest:
the graveyard combines C18 and C19 headstones with C19 monuments and a grouping of later-C19 lodge, walls, railings and gates which show the development of Jewish burial customs and the assimilation of the community into British society. The grouping of lodge, gates and railings designed by HH Collins are a rare survival in this context and all have distinct architectural presence and the central group of monuments, complete with its iron railings is well preserved.
Historic interest:
the Lauriston Road burial ground, established in 1786 was the first Jewish cemetery site in London to be laid out in a rural setting, beyond the initial cluster around Whitechapel.
Group value:
it has group value with the Registered landscape of Victoria Park (Grade II*) and the K2 Telephone Kiosk outside the Adult Education Centre, Lauriston Road (Grade II).
Click here to find the full call and description, with registration link
Read the full Historic England listing with a detailed history of the cemetery