• Partially online

Manchester City Archives

Collection of items from Manchester Archives

The Manchester Archives and Local Studies is the archive repository for the City of Manchester. It holds  a rich collection of records documenting multiple aspects of the history of the Jewish Community in Manchester.

Archive Description

In the archives holdings are:

Religious Records – The archive holds records of multiple synagogues in Manchester, which can include, accounts, committee and council minutes, photographs, membership books, ledgers, correspondence amongst many others. The largest of the collections is the Manchester Great and New Synagogue in which the archive holds boxes covering 25 meters.

Personal Papers: These collections contain personal, family and estate papers donated by members of the Jewish Community in Manchester such as diaries, memoirs and correspondence as well as holding collections documenting the lives of refugees.

Associations and Societies – The archive has many different collections relating to associations and societies linked to the Jewish Community, some include: Manchester Jewish Literary and Social Society; Manchester Jewish Pharmacist Association; Soup Kitchen Committee of the Jewish Poor of Manchester and Jewish Women’s Discussion Group.

Genealogy –  For example: the Jewish Chronicle, a London based Jewish weekly newspaper; marriage registers for North Manchester; burial records and school admission registers.

Manchester Naturalisation Society –  This collection consists of a cash book for the society dated 1896-1909 which details names and payments made to the fund. Once sufficient funds had been received a ballot would be held to put forward individuals to receive their naturalisation papers.

Images and Sound – The local image collection brings a visual aspect with many photos relating to the Manchester Jewish community and our Sound Archive contains oral histories with Greater Manchester’s Jewish communities.

Access Information

The majority of these archives are open to members of the general public, however, where archive records contain personal or medical information of an individual is given there may be some restrictions on access in place. These are made clear on the archives catalogue. Visitors can view many archives in the search room, ground floor, Manchester Central Library by appointment. Alternatively, the archive has a research service where staff can research a particular area and send copies of relevant material.

The archive search room is open: Monday to Wednesday 9am – 5pm, Thursday 9am -8pm, Friday to Saturday 9am to 5pm. ID confirming name, address and signature are required to sign into the search room. Bookings can be made via the online booking form available on the website as well as by email. Staff can also help visitors book to view archives in central library or over the phone. The archive may also ask for one working days’ notice to be able to retrieve the items, and some of the collections are held offsite and it can take up to 2 weeks to retrieve these items.

Online Accessibility

There is an archive catalogue available online and the archive has a local image collection that is available online which is free to view, however there is a charge to purchase a hardcopy of a photograph.

Street Address

Manchester Central Library
St Peters Square
Manchester
M2 5PD

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