Commercial | Communal Records | Family History | Historical Documents | Jewish LifePartially online Dorset County Archive The Dorset County Archive is a local government archive, held in the Dorset History Centre, Dorchester. It holds material on Jewish local history, communal records, and family history records. Archive Description Dorset History Centre is dedicated to preserving, sharing and celebrating the rich heritage of Dorset and brings together two services: Dorset Record Office and Dorset County Local Studies Library. It was awarded Archive Service Accreditation by The National Archives in 2018. The Centre cares for over 1,000 years of records on 8 miles of climate-controlled shelving in Dorchester – ranging from Council records to personal collections, as well as books, pamphlets and other publications. The Centre’s records reflect the diversity of Dorset’s population in its collections, services and engagement. Within its records, many minorities can be researched and Jewish residents, patients, office-holders, businesses etc can be identified. However, some of the collections are more specific to Jewish life in Dorset. These records mainly reflect Jewish communities in Bournemouth including a recorded talk about the heyday of Jewish hotels and back copies of the magazine ‘Ruach’ which contain lots of reminiscence and history going back to the 1940’s when the community was being established, as well as holding the first-person account of Harry Grenville and his life as a child in Nazi Germany and his move to England via the Kinder Transport. Access Information The archives are open to members of the public and can be accessed through pre-booked appointments. Documents must be pre-ordered using the archive catalogue. It is open Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Appointments should be booked in advance. Enquiries can be made to: archives@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/. Digital Accessibility The archive catalogue can be found online. Visitors may access any digital or hard copy material during a visit, or ask for materials to be shared with you, however there may be a small fee for this service. Street Address Dorset History CentreBridport RdDorchesterDT1 1RP https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/libraries-history-culture/dorset-history-centre
Commercial | Cultural | Family History | Holocaust | Jewish Life | Local HistoryOnline World ORT Archive Radio workshop at ORT Bramson, Marseilles, France, 1962 • World ORT Archive Archive Description The World ORT Archive (WOA) exists to preserve the historical record of World ORT’s activities and to place these activities into the context of contemporary Jewish History. World ORT’s governance, fundraising activities and operations have left a paper trail of documents and photographs that tells the story of a prominent Jewish organisation participating in the major historical events of the period. The archives include documents, reports, correspondence, films, videos, objects, and photographs that provide a valuable insight into all the organisation’s past activities. WOA’s document collection includes records of World ORT (formerly World ORT Union), its governing bodies and associate organisations world-wide. It includes minutes of meetings, reports, correspondence, fund-raising and PR, research and development, administrative and financial records. The archive also contains several small collections of personal papers, from former staff members and students. These include correspondence, photographs, press cuttings, diaries, certificates, and reference letters. WOA’s photographic collection documents a Jewish organisation’s involvement in Jewish working life, education, and vocational training across the globe from the 1920s to the present day. Its holdings illustrate the hardships and triumphs of the Jewish people throughout modern history. In many cases these photographs are the only remaining record of past communities, places, and events. The ORT film collection is a unique record of the organisation’s contribution to the development and advancement of Jewish education and vocational training in the 20th century. The films document ORT activities among Jewish communities worldwide. Many feature communities that have since disappeared e.g., North Africa and Iran. ORT, also known as the Organisation for Rehabilitation through Training, is a global education network driven by Jewish values. It promotes education and training in communities worldwide. Its activities throughout its history have spanned more than 100 countries and five continents Access Information The archive can be accessed online. Physical access to the archive must be requested via the World ORT Archive email: archive@ort.org http://ortarchive.ort.org
Commercial | Family History | Historical Documents | Immigration | Local HistoryNot online The Waddesdon Archive at Windmill Hill Waddesdon is a stately home, managed by the Rothschild Foundation on behalf of the National Trust, who took over ownership in 1957 and opened it to the public in 1959. The house was built by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild between 1874 and 1885 to display his collection of arts and to entertain the fashionable world. Archive Description The Waddesdon Archive brings together records and material relating to the history of Waddesdon Manor, the Waddesdon Estate and the members of the Rothschild family who have owned and managed Waddesdon from 1874 until the present day, particularly James & Dorothy de Rothschild. We also hold archives relating to the Rothschild Family’s wider interests including those of PICA (the Palestine Jewish Colonisation Association) and the Butrint Foundations archaeological archive. We also hold the business archive of P & D Colnaghi, the London art dealers. Access Information The collections are available for researchers to use by appointment. If you wish to consult the records or have an enquiry please contact the archive team on archive@waddesdon.org.uk or 01296 653413. Opening hours are Monday-Friday 9.30am to 5pm. At least 24 hours advance notice is required to access the archive. You will need a driver’s licence or other ID. If you are an academic student or staff member you will also need a letter of support from your institution. All researchers are required to complete a researcher agreement. Waddesdon Archive
Commercial | Holocaust | Immigration | Jewish LifePartially online German-Jewish Archives at University of Sussex 'Interior of accommodation at Mikhailowka showing bunks with Nanino on top left (G2.063r)', Arnold Daghani collection SxMs113/5/2/125, University of Sussex. Copyright: The Sussex Weidenfeld Institute of Jewish Studies The German-Jewish Archives are part of the University of Sussex Heritage Collections. Archive Description The establishment of the Centre for German-Jewish Studies at the University of Sussex in 1994 has attracted the deposit of various collections that show the study of political, social, literary and intellectual German-Jewish history. The Centre is part of the Sussex Weidenfeld Institute of Jewish Studies. There is a focus on the history of Jewish refugees and their families to the United Kingdom during and after the Second World War. Many of the collections were donated by families who came to the UK as refugees from Nazi persecution. They brought with them documents which show Jewish life before Hitler came to power. These archival materials show a broad range of Jewish identities. While most families considered themselves assimilated by the 1930s, the material also reveals traces of antisemitism and Jewish segregation. Access Information The archive is open to the public and can be accessed in the reading room at The Keep. Opening hours are available on The Keep website, and two forms of identification must be brought to the archive. The Keep also requires users to fill out an online registration process which can be found here. It is advisable to book a seat in the reading room and order documents to view in advance of your visit Enquiries can be made to: library.specialcoll@sussex.ac.uk. Digital Accessibility Collection level descriptions of the German-Jewish archive are available on the Keep’s website. Some items from the German-Jewish collections are available via JSTOR Street Address University of Sussex Heritage CollectionsThe KeepWoollards WayBrighton BN1 9BP https://www.thekeep.info/
Commercial | Communal Records | Local HistoryPartially online Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives is a local government archive in East London. It holds the records of a large number of different Jewish community and religious organisations in Tower Hamlets. Archive Description The Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives holds a variety of collections. The Princelet Street Synagogue records cover the period 1884-1988 and include marriage records and membership records. It also holds the records of the Loyal United Friends Friendly (or Benefit) Society, the Society for Chanting Psalms and Visiting the Sick, and the records of the Brady Clubs (Jewish youth clubs originally based in Whitechapel). These include membership records from the 1940s to the 1960s, records relating to camps and photograph albums of club activities. Perhaps the most significant body of records in the archive relating to the Jewish East End are the records of the Stepney Borough Council. This local authority was created in 1901 and survived until 1965 when the London Borough of Tower Hamlets took over. The Jewish East End was largely within the boundaries of the Borough of Stepney and the archive holds the minutes of Borough’s Housing Committee, Maternity and Child Welfare Committee and Markets Committee. Access Information The archives are open to members of the public. New users are required to register on their first visit and to provide photographic identification and proof of address. The archives are open Tuesday-Thursday, and on the first and third Saturday of the month. Opening hours can be found on the website and access enquiries can be made via email to localhistory@towerhamlets.gov.uk. Online Accessibility The Tower Hamlets Library and Archive catalogue can be found online and the archive also holds several digital collections. These include: the Princelet Street Synagogue, Spitalfields, Marriage Register, dating from 1897 to 1907 a digital gallery containing some of the archives’ 36,000 images reflecting life in Tower Hamlets over the centuries which can be searched based on key words, dates, locations and subject oral history projects like Mapping the Change: Old Ford Voices & Island Memories about the area of Bow known as Old Ford, including the Island (now known as Fish Island), located in the north-eastern corner of Tower Hamlets. Street Address 277 Bancroft RoadTower HamletsLondon E1 4DQ https://www.ideastore.co.uk/local-history
Commercial | Cultural | Jewish Life | Local HistoryOnly online Bishopsgate Institute Library and Archive Petticoat Lane Market, Dennis Anthony, London Collection Photographs D31/92 (c.1963) • Bishopgate Institute Bishopsgate Institute Library and Archive is a free, independent library and archive open to the public. Its collection contains material about London, social movements and protest, feminist and women’s history, as well as the Sandy’s Row Synagogue collection. Archive Description The Archive holds a large number of collections relating to London History and social protest movements. Some of these contain material relevant to Jewish history. Of note are the Sandys Row Archive, the William Fishman archive, and the large London photographic archive. While the Archive holds few distinctly Jewish collections it still holds a significant amount of Jewish content, especially relating to anti-Fascism, anti-Racism, and the labour movement. Access Information The Archive is open to the general public with no specific requirements. It is open 10am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday. Digital Accessibility The Archive’s catalogue is available online, and there are a number of collection guides available to help researchers find useful material. Street Address Bishopsgate Institute230 BishopsgateLondonEC2M 4QH https://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/archives
Commercial | Communal Records | Cultural | ImmigrationPartially online Ben Uri Archive Invitation to a Simchas Torah evening 1932 • Ben Uri Collection The Ben Uri Archive is a specialist archive accessible to the public held by the Ben Uri Gallery and Museum, based in London. It holds the records of the Gallery and Museum. Archive Description Ben Uri is the UK’s oldest Jewish cultural organisation, founded in 1915 as an art society serving newly-arrived Yiddish speaking ostjuden in London’s East End,by Russian émigré artist-craftsman, Lazar Berson. The main function in its distinctive 100-year plus heritage is the exhibition of artworks by artists of mostly Jewish descent, within the broader context of Jewish migration, London’s Jewish community, and British and European modern art history. The archives provide important traces of the early careers of major Jewish artists in Britain, such as the Solomon dynasty, David Bomberg, Mark Gertler, Frank Auerbach, Leon Kossoff, and Gustav Metzger. Numbering several thousand items, the archive consists primarily of exhibition catalogues, invitations and material concerning exhibition planning; council and committee minutes; correspondence; annual reports; press cuttings; photographs, and ephemera relating to cultural and social events, including concerts, lectures and fundraisers. The underlying narrative reflects the financial status and social and political interest of the London (British) Jewish community at the time, with particular reference to waves of immigration from Russia at the turn of the 20th century / pre-First World War, and then from central Europe, pre- and post-Second World War. In 2014-16 funding from the Rothschild Foundation enabled two consecutive short-term archivists to catalogue the above items, creating an archive database, which is available online, while translation of Yiddish material (including Ben Uri’s earliest minutes, held in YIVO, New York) was undertaken by the Department of Jewish Studies, UCL, London. The archive also contains Ben Uri’s contemporary record ssince 2000, as yet not catalogued, relating to day-to-day administration, governance and finance, strategic shifts in width of focus, and mental health and school/family learning programmes. Access Information The archives are open to the general public. Users are requested to provide two days advance notice for physical access, and up to a weeks notice if the items are located in the archive’s stores. Enquiries can be made online. Online Accessibility During 2019-20, Ben Uri undertook an ambitious programme, digitising a portion of their archive material, resulting in around 10,000 pages of scans which are available online via Ben Uri’s research portal.The archive’s catalogue is also available online and is searchable by artist’s name and by a number of other criteria, including Jewish subject matter online. Street Address Ben Uri Gallery108a Boundary RoadLondonNW8 0RH http://www.benuri.org
Commercial | Communal Records | Holocaust | Jewish Life | Religion | SocialNot online Leeds Jewish Archive This archive is currently closed. The Leeds Jewish Archive has been assembled by Makor Jewish Culture, Leeds. Its holdings cover over one hundred and fifty years of Jewish presence in Leeds. Archive Description In 2010, the Leeds Jewish community celebrated the 150th anniversary of the first custom built synagogue in Leeds. To commemorate this and leave a legacy for Leeds’ rich Jewish history, Makor Jewish Culture launched the search for Leeds archive material. The Centre conducted a large number of interviews with people whose families had lived for generations in Leeds, producing a wealth of interviews containing many anecdotes that would not normally have been preserved. The archive holds material that includes all aspects of Jewish religious, social, economic and political life, including local history, refugee experiences, wars and conflict, the Holocaust and relationships with Israel. This includes audio-visual material from TV stations such as ITV, Chanel 4 and the BBC have searched their archive for information to enrich Leeds based documentaries. Access Information This archive is currently closed.
Commercial | CulturalNot online The Rothschild Archive The Rothschild Archive, based in London, is a private archive holding the commercial records and personal papers of members of the Rothschild family, focusing on the records of London-based N M Rothschild & Sons and the French bank of M M de Rothschild Fréres. Archive Description The archive was established in 1978 to look after the records of the Rothschild family, notable for its impact on world economic, political and social history. The collections reflect the banking, finance and merchant trading activities of the Rothschild businesses, together with the family’s private interests in politics, science and nature, the arts and philanthropy. Access Information The archive is not open to members of the general public. Researchers must first contact the archivist with details of their research proposal, before registering with the Rothschild Research Forum and providing two written references. A contact form is available online. The archive can be visited between 10 am and 4.15pm, Monday to Friday, but requires advance notification to arrange access. Online Accessibility The Rothschild Archive does not have a digital catalogue but collection descriptions are available on the website Street Address New Court, St Swithin’s LaneLondonEC4N 8AL https://www.rothschildarchive.org
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
Commercial | Communal Records | Family History | Local History | ReligionNot online Merseyside Jewish Community Archive at Liverpool Record Office The Merseyside Jewish Community Archive, collected by the Merseyside Jewish Representative Council, is housed at Liverpool Record Office in Liverpool Central Library. Archive Description Liverpool Record Office holds the archives of the Merseyside Jewish Community from the mid 18th century to the present day. The records are of tremendous significance as the Liverpool community is considered to be the first organised Jewish community in the north of England, and until the mid-19th century it was the largest Jewish community outside of London. Liverpool’s Jewish community established their first synagogue around 1745 and there has been a continuous Jewish presence in the city since then. The archive holdings reflect the vibrancy and activity of the community which has contributed to Merseyside life and national and international organisations. The Jewish archive is also one of the largest community collected archives held in the Liverpool Record Office. In 2025, it was the 50-year anniversary of when the community first started depositing documents to the Central Library in 1975. One of the most extensive collections in the Merseyside Jewish Community Archives is the records of the Old Hebrew Congregation. The earliest archive of a Jewish organisation in Liverpool is found in this collection, namely the ‘Register Book of the Jews in Liverpool’ which records births, deaths and marriages from 1804 to 1816. The register also includes retrospective information on members of the community from as early as 1722. The 1789 indenture also provides the full history of the development of the Upper Frederick Street synagogue and burial ground. The records of the Old Hebrew Congregation capture the development of the community from the 18th century and give an insight into the life of many of the early members of the Liverpool Jewish Community. In 2024-2025 a funded joint project of Merseyside Jewish Representative Council and Liverpool City Council’s Libraries Service took place to sort, catalogue, preserve, and make available to the public additional material that has accumulated in the community over the last 20 years. The collection now celebrates 280 years of the history of the Liverpool community. The goals of the MJRC as regards their archive are to act as a facilitator between the community and the local authority and to represent civic, cultural and religious Jewish communities in Merseyside. The archive now consists of around 200 collections, mostly representing an organisation: a synagogue, welfare, professional, philanthropic, social, cultural, or political group. Access Information The Archive is open to the public and can be accessed through the public search room in Liverpool Central Library. Opening times are available on their website. Readers will need to be a member of Liverpool Libraries and can join on the day with proof of address. We require at least two days’ notice for access to the collections. Requests for access and information can be made to: archives@liverpool.gov.uk. Online Accessibility The archive catalogue is available online. Street Address Liverpool Central LibraryWilliam Brown Street,Liverpool,L3 8EW Jewish archives – Liverpool City Council Liverpool Wedding Photo The Clumpus, Finestone & Bennet families • Merseyside Jewish Community Archive Galkoff’s Kosher Butcher Original Family Butcher’s Shopfront • Liverpool Museum 9 Aug 2024 Collection Encounter: Liverpool Record Office Collection Encounter: Liverpool Record Office
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.