Religion | SocialPartially online UCL Special Collections UCL Special Collections is part of the University College London Library system, based in London. Its collection contains religious and communal records along with personal archives. Archive Description UCL Library Special Collections is one of the foremost university collections of manuscripts, archives and rare books in the UK. Jewish material forms a significant part of these collections. The Jewish archival material relates mostly to Anglo-Jewry from the 19th to 20th centuries. Its largest component (around 170,000 items) is the personal archive of the Chief Rabbi of the Spanish and Portuguese community in England from 1887 to 1918, Moses Gaster. This covers almost every aspect of Jewish life and community affairs in England during the Victorian and Edwardian periods, from the personal to the political. Access Information UCL Library Special Collections is open to the public but appointments must be made at least two weeks in advance. Extensive information for visitors can be found on their website. The Special Collections Reading Room is open Monday-Thursday 10am-4pm, and appointments can be made by emailing spec.coll@ucl.ac.uk. Online Accessibility UCL Libraries have a large collection of digitised material which can be accessed here. UCL Special Collections can be searched using the wider UCL Library Catalogue, available here. Street Address University College London,Gower Street,London,WC1E 6BT https://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/special-collections
Holocaust | Immigration | Local HistoryPartially online Scottish Jewish Archives Centre The Scottish Jewish Archive Centre (SJAC) is a community archive with collections covering all aspects of Scottish Jewish life. SJAC is housed at Garnethill Synagogue in Glasgow, Scotland’s oldest synagogue which opened in 1879. The SJAC partnered with the Garnethill Synagogue Preservation Trust to create the Scottish Jewish Heritage Centre, incorporating the Scottish Holocaust-era Study Centre, which opened in 2021. Archive Description The Scottish Jewish Archives Centre opened in 1987 as a national heritage, information and research centre, dedicated to preserving Scotland’s Jewish heritage. It collects historic material relating to the experiences of Jewish people in Scotland over the past 200 years. SJAC aims to document, preserve, exhibit and publish aspects of the collections and make them available to the public. Access Information The archive is open to members of the public, but access must be arranged by appointment by email: info@sjac.org.uk or by visiting the SJAC contact page. Visitors from outside the United Kingdom are required to bring photographic identification to access the archive. If you are unable to visit the archive personally, enquiries can be made via email to info@sjac.org.uk. Digital Content The SJAC has a growing collection of digitised material which can be viewed on the website. Street Address Scottish Jewish Archives CentreGarnethill Synagogue129 Hill StreetGlasgowG3 6UB Home
Family History | Holocaust | ImmigrationPartially online Imperial War Museum The Imperial War Museum (IWM) is a national museum based in London, whose archival records cover Holocaust testimony, military history documentation and accounts. Archive Description Imperial War Museum’s document collection holds over 20,000 individual collections of private papers, comprising unpublished diaries, letters and memoirs written primarily by British and Commonwealth servicemen and women since 1914 and by civilians mainly during the two world wars. It also looks after a large collection of foreign documents, including the official British records of the major war crimes trials conducted at Nuremberg and Tokyo, together with related documents from the Second World War which mainly concern the German and Japanese war efforts. Archival material in the collection with particular reference to Jewish history includes oral history interviews and written testimony from Holocaust survivors and those involved with the Kindertransport scheme, as well as much important supporting documentation on these subjects. Access Information The archives are open to members of the general public by appointment. Access requires the museum to be notified at least five full working days in advance. Access times are 10am to 5pm, Monday to Thursday (closed Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays). More information about access to the archives is available on the Museum’s website, as well as contact information. Online Accessibility The Museum’s catalogue is available online, and includes substantial digital collections, including its digitised sound archive – available online. Street Address Imperial War MuseumLambeth RoadLondonSE1 6HZ https://www.iwm.org.uk
Commercial | Family History | Historical Documents | Holocaust | ImmigrationPartially online The National Archives The National Archives are the official archive and publisher for the UK Government, located in Kew, South West London. They hold documents covering every aspect of Jewish life in Britain. Archive Description The National Archives looks after and makes available to the public a collection of historical records dating back more than 1,000 years, including records as diverse as the Domesday Book and MI5 files. They are also a cultural, heritage and academic organisation which promotes public accessibility to iconic documents while ensuring preservation for generations to come. Subject guides are available to help users locate the information they are looking for. The two most relevant ones are on Jews and Jewish Communities, and this collection of guides for family history research. The Archives’ historic records also cover the history of Medieval Jewish communities, as well as the return of the Jewish community to England in the mid-1650s. Access Information The National Archives is open to all members of the public. In order to view files at The National Archives, you will need to book your visit and order documents at least a week in advance. You will also need a reader’s ticket, which you can register for when you book online. In order to obtain or renew your reader’s ticket you must bring two forms of identification with you: a proof of name with a valid signature and a separate proof of address. A photograph will be taken for your reader’s ticket. The National Archives are open 9am – 5pm, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, and until 7pm on Tuesday and Thursday. It is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Currently, visits must be booked at least a week in advance, and slots will be made available two weeks before the date of the visit, on a rolling weekly basis every Monday morning. Additional information can be found here. Online Accessibility The National Archives’ online catalogue, Discovery, lists records held by the Archive as well as more than 2,500 other archives in the UK. Over five percent of the Archives’ records have been digitised and are available online. These can be found by searching on the online catalogue and filtering for ‘available for download only’. Depending on the document these may not be free to view, and require a payment to either the National Archive or one of it’s commercial partners. Street Address Bessant Dr,Kew,RichmondTW9 4DU https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Communal Records | Family History | Holocaust | Immigration | Jewish Life | Local HistoryPartially online Jewish History Association of Wales / Cymdeithas Hanes Iddewig Cymru A portrait of Rabbi Asher Grunis, born in Poland in 1877 who became the first communal Rav of Cardiff in 1921 until his death in 1937 • Jewish History Association of Wales The Jewish History Association of Wales/Cymdeithas Hanes Iddewig Cymru (previously the Jewish History Association of South Wales/Cymdeithas Hanes Iddewig De Cymru) has created a digital collection, hosted on the People’s Collection Wales platform. Its collection covers a wide range of topics documenting the cultural heritage of Jewish communities in South Wales. As of 2025, the charity has embarked upon collecting and documenting the stories of Jewish communities across the whole of Wales, building up a full picture of those who once made Wales their home. Archive Description The Jewish History Association of Wales/Cymdeithas Hanes Iddewig Cymru collection currently contains images, sound clips from oral histories, and presentations about the rich heritage of historic Jewish communities, majoritively in south Wales, but the collection is ever expanding. We celebrate the large, active Jewish communities found across Wales in the early part of the twentieth century and chart the slow but seemingly inevitable decline to where they find themselves today. The digital content comes from material JHAW/CHIC has discovered (and in some cases rescued from imminent destruction or disposal), material contributed by local synagogues and Jewish organisations, and material from individual members of the community. The scanned documents range from official minute books of congregations, minutes of Jewish social, youth and sports organisations, to newspaper clippings from the local press. They include correspondence about the creation and management of Jewish cemeteries and the lack of provision of kosher food for prisoners during the First World War. Sound clips from some of the 127 interviews with people from the last generation to live and work in these communities, share memories that would otherwise have been lost. Photographs of people and places long gone are now preserved for posterity. So far, JHAW/CHIC has uploaded over 3,973 files, which make up over 1,295 single and multipage items. They intend to continue to add to this collection in the belief that it will help illuminate the major contribution Jews have made to the south Wales area, and in time to the whole of Wales. The majority of original documents have been deposited with local Archives and Record Offices including Glamorgan Archives. Digital Accessibility The collection is available to the public with no access limitations, under a Creative Commons license. Additional information about the project and links to the archive on People’s Collection Wales can be found on the JHAW/CHIC website. https://www.jhasw.com
Cultural | Immigration | Jewish Life | Local History | SocialPartially online Manchester Jewish Museum Manchester Jewish Museum c. Philip Vile Manchester Jewish Museum is an independent museum open to the public whose archive holds a broad collection of artefacts and documents relating to the history of Manchester Jewish communities. Archive Description The Museum’s collection charts the many stories and experiences of Mancunian Jewish life. The archives reveal the stories of the lives of Jewish people who travelled from all over the world and how Jewish communities in Greater Manchester were established and diversified. This includes personal objects that were brought to Manchester, objects relating to trades, religious practice, hobbies and domestic and communal life. The Museum’s oral history collection consists of interviews given by Jewish people living in Manchester. The topics covered in the interviews include migration, home and school life, work, politics, antisemitism, war, religion and identity. The museum also holds many interviews with Holocaust survivors and refugees from Nazism in the 1930s. The photograph collection of over 20,000 images portrays the life of one of the UK’s earliest migrant communities. The photographs have historic and architectural interest, recording both community life and communal buildings that no longer exist. Manchester Jewish Museum is housed in a former Sephardi synagogue, described by Historic England as “one of the highlights of Victorian Gothic architecture in the country”. Originally opened in 1984, the museum reopened following a development project in July 2021. This project included the creation of a new exhibition gallery and collections store with space for researchers to access the collection. Access Information Access to view material in the archives can be arranged by contacting the curator – curator@manchesterjewishmuseum.com. Online Accessibility The museum is currently digitising its photographic and oral history collections. Online access to these collections is planned. Digital collections are shared weekly on the museum’s social media platforms. More information on the collection can be found on the Museum’s website. Street Address Manchester Jewish Museum190 Cheetham Hill RoadManchesterM8 8LW https://www.manchesterjewishmuseum.com 3 Jun 2024 Collection Encounter: Manchester Jewish Museum Collection Encounter: Manchester Jewish Museum
Commercial | Family History | Immigration | Jewish Life | Local HistoryPartially online West Yorkshire Archive Service The West Yorkshire Archive Service is a local government archive in Yorkshire open to the public. It holds records about Jewish communal life in the area. Archive Description The West Yorkshire Archive Service collects and preserves historical records of all kinds dating from the twelfth century to the present day. The archive has five offices across West Yorkshire in Leeds, Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees and the West Yorkshire History Centre in Wakefield. The Leeds office holds records relating to the Jewish community including the papers of David Makofski, Chairman of the Council for German Jewry Refugee Committee. The Makofski trainee books contain the applications of Jewish trainees with photographs, their date of arrival and proposed employers. Many trainees went to work for the Burton Clothing Company whose archives they also hold. The Burton collection covers the history of the huge tailoring company set up by Montague Burton in 1903 which still exists today as part of the Arcadia Group. At the Wakefield office, within the Leeds City Police Collection, are a set of records called “Alien Files”. The term “alien” refers to anyone who moved to the area from abroad and these files provide a wealth of information about immigration to Britain during the 19th-20th century. Each file, many of which relate to Jewish immigrants, can include the individual’s background, their circumstances leading to their arrival in the UK and details about their families. Access Information The archives are open to the public, and can be accessed by appointment. The archive recommends booking two weeks in advance of visiting, and some collections may require the permission of the depositor prior to access. Opening times vary between the archive offices and can be found on their website. Access requests, and other questions should be emailed to the archive at archives@wyjs.org.uk Online Accessibility The archive has an online catalogue available and some of the Jewish collections have been digitised. Images from these collections can be found on the archive’s Instagram account, and the archive’s blog has published several articles relating to Jewish content in the collection. https://www.wyjs.org.uk/archive-service Montague Burton’s Sunroom Workers relax in Montague Burton’s sunroom, Leeds • West Yorkshire Archive Service 12 Oct 2020 Clothing to Corona: the Life and Legacy of Sir Montague Burton of Leeds A giant of industry, welfare and charity knighted by the Queen.
Family History | ImmigrationPartially online Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain The Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain (JGSGB) is an organisation for the study and encouragement of Jewish genealogy in Great Britain. The Society library contains a large collection of reference books and other published materials for genealogical research. Archive Description The Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain (JGSGB) was founded in March 1992 to help beginners and experienced researchers learn and discover more about genealogy, to encourage genealogical research, and to promote the preservation of Jewish genealogical records and resources. The Society’s Library contains more than a thousand reference books and other items including journals and manuscripts. It is unique in the UK for concentrating specifically on Jewish genealogy and for placing specific emphasis on resources to help those tracing Jewish ancestors. The geographical coverage seeks to be worldwide with special emphasis on London and regional UK communities including Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The library holds copies of synagogue registers such as the Great, New and Hambro synagogues in London, the Spanish and Portuguese congregation at Bevis Marks, also cemetery inscriptions, communal histories, and a major collection on Irish Jewry 1700-2016. Biographical material in the collection also covers Jews in the armed services. Access Information The library is open to members of the society and the general public and details can be found on the JGSGB website. No identification is required but the Society asks that users notify them in advance. Enquiries and requests for access can be sent to library@jgsgb.org.uk or through the contact form on its website. Online Accessibility The Society library has a catalogue available online, and has a large number of research resources available on the Society website. Street Address http://www.jgsgb.org.uk