Mark’s History: Hill Top Jewish Cemetery and the coal pits

0
2531
hill top Jewish cemetery leeds

The Hill Top Jewish Cemetery off Gelderd Road was opened in 1873, writes Mark Stevenson.

At the time it couldn’t have been the most pleasant of places to be buried as it was surrounded by Coal Pits, although up until 1850 it would have still been in Farnley Wood.

Those Coal Pits have come back to haunt the cemetery. Around 3000 people are buried there but the cemetery is unsafe as some of the graves are collapsing into the old coal workings.

On one occasion a 30ft deep hole was left after one collapse. Measures were taken to try and make the cemetery safe but to no avail and in 2008 the cemetery was closed to the public.

_____________

Local news is in crisis. Can you help?

These are challenging times for local news providers – and producing your daily dose of West Leeds Dispatch comes at a cost!

We’re a small, community-led news organisation which needs your support to keep delivering quality journalism. We want to continue to maintain our openness and protect our precious independence – and above all to connect people with what’s happening in their part of West Leeds. Every reader contribution, big or small, helps us to do that.

For as little as £4 a month (£1 a week) you can support us – and it only takes a minute.

Or set up a standing order with your bank: Contact us on Paywestleedsdispatch@gmail.com if you’d like to do this.

Your support will make a difference. Thank you.



LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.